Fantasy FortiesFantasy Forties

by by

Brent PillsburyBrent Pillsbury

MVHSMVHS

BOOM! BANG!! BAM! BOOM! BANG!! BAM!  Can you hear that? That's Can you hear that? That's the sound of weapons in World War II. In the the sound of weapons in World War II. In the 1940's, it was not the happiest decade. It was 1940's, it was not the happiest decade. It was actually full of killing and blood.actually full of killing and blood.

Yet, it also had some interesting sports, games, Yet, it also had some interesting sports, games,

and famous people. Before World War II, there and famous people. Before World War II, there were many poor people. Suddenly there were were many poor people. Suddenly there were headlines saying, "Japs declare war. Attack headlines saying, "Japs declare war. Attack U.S.”U.S.”

After the war, the "Baby Boom" era began. If you After the war, the "Baby Boom" era began. If you

don't know what "Baby Boom" is, I'll explain. don't know what "Baby Boom" is, I'll explain. After the war, the survivors came home. There After the war, the survivors came home. There were many marriages and they started to have were many marriages and they started to have many babies. People born in this era were many babies. People born in this era were called "Baby Boomers." called "Baby Boomers." 

The Forties The Forties

• 1 in 5 owned a car1 in 5 owned a car• 1 in 7 had a phone1 in 7 had a phone• The average middle class family made only $6,500 a The average middle class family made only $6,500 a

year.year.• National Debt was $43 Billion National Debt was $43 Billion • Average Salary $1,299. Teacher's salary $1,441 Average Salary $1,299. Teacher's salary $1,441 • Minimum Wage $.43 per hour Minimum Wage $.43 per hour • 55% of U.S. homes have indoor plumbing 55% of U.S. homes have indoor plumbing • Antarctica is discovered to be a continent Antarctica is discovered to be a continent • Life expectancy 68.2 female, 60.8 male Life expectancy 68.2 female, 60.8 male • Auto deaths 34,500 Auto deaths 34,500 • Supreme Court decides blacks do have a right to Supreme Court decides blacks do have a right to

vote vote

Today, I want you to do the following:Today, I want you to do the following:

I want you to I want you to thinkthink about yesterday and about yesterday and what we have learned about WWII. what we have learned about WWII.

I also want you to I also want you to thinkthink about the about the connections between connections between CULTURECULTURE and and WWIIWWII..

Do the Do the eventsevents create create cultureculture or does the or does the cultureculture influence the influence the eventsevents? ?

On your worksheet, do the On your worksheet, do the

following:following:

1.1. Write down a brief description of the Write down a brief description of the culture for each event of the 40’s. culture for each event of the 40’s.

2.2. Write down the event that influenced Write down the event that influenced the 40’s culture. the 40’s culture.

3.3. Make sure you are neat, and clear in Make sure you are neat, and clear in answering the questions. answering the questions.

The Teenage Revolution The Teenage Revolution

After Pearl Harbor,After Pearl Harbor,

many men went off tomany men went off to

warwar

What, then, happened What, then, happened

to the family?to the family?

What did this lead to? What did this lead to?

Teenage RevolutionTeenage Revolution

People went to work: People went to work: women in the women in the factories and boys factories and boys and girls in local and girls in local stores and shops. stores and shops.

Teenage Revolution: Teenage Revolution: MagazinesMagazinesSeventeenSeventeen, and other, and other

teenage magazinesteenage magazines

were produced for thewere produced for the

first time. Why wasfirst time. Why was

this? this?

Teenagers were tired Teenagers were tired ofof

hearing about the war,hearing about the war,

and wanted to readand wanted to read

about teenage stuff. about teenage stuff.

Teenage Revolution: Teenage Revolution: DressDressParents were not home for the first Parents were not home for the first

time and kids had a whole new time and kids had a whole new way of doing things.way of doing things.

Girls: Typical girl wore a uniform to school with a pleated skirt, a baggy sweater, bobby sox and loafers.

Boys: Typical boy wore loose pants and plaid shirt with knitted vests or sweaters.

Teenage Revolution: ZOOT Teenage Revolution: ZOOT SUITSUIT

As men stepped into As men stepped into dad’s role at the home, dad’s role at the home, many would also many would also borrow their Dad’s big borrow their Dad’s big suitssuits. This new style . This new style was influenced by was influenced by gangsters who used the gangsters who used the bagginess to hide guns. bagginess to hide guns.

The Zoot Suit Riots also The Zoot Suit Riots also happened in the 40’s.happened in the 40’s.

American fashions make a American fashions make a turn!turn!France was taken over by the Germans, so Americans had to come up with their own fashions.

What did they come up with?

Nylon Stockings Nylon Stockings

1940: The first nylon 1940: The first nylon products are made products are made available to the public. available to the public. On May 15, 1940, four On May 15, 1940, four million pairs of nylon million pairs of nylon stockings are bought stockings are bought within several hours in within several hours in New York City. Nylon, New York City. Nylon, the first man-made the first man-made fiber, was developed fiber, was developed in 1935 by Wallace H. in 1935 by Wallace H. Carothers. After Pearl Carothers. After Pearl Harbor they cost Harbor they cost $10.00 NYLON DAY!$10.00 NYLON DAY!

Restrictions and Regulations Restrictions and Regulations

3-piece suit was invented 3-piece suit was invented because of fabric because of fabric restrictions. No more restrictions. No more than 200 inches of fabric than 200 inches of fabric per piece of clothes. per piece of clothes. Belts no more than 2” Belts no more than 2” wide, cuffs were wide, cuffs were forbidden, skirts could forbidden, skirts could not be more than 72 not be more than 72 inches around. inches around. Ralph Ralph LaurenLauren got his start at got his start at this time. this time.

SweatersSweaters

• SWEATERS were very SWEATERS were very popular in the 1940's. popular in the 1940's. Some factory owners Some factory owners wouldn't let women wear wouldn't let women wear sweaters. They said the sweaters. They said the sweaters were sweaters were dangerous. They said the dangerous. They said the sweaters could get sweaters could get caught in machinery. A caught in machinery. A sweater on a woman sweater on a woman that's too loose is a that's too loose is a health hazard. A sweater health hazard. A sweater that's too tight is a moral that's too tight is a moral hazard.  hazard. 

GI JOE & RosieGI JOE & Rosie

GI JOE: A GI was a heavily GI JOE: A GI was a heavily galvanized garbage can. galvanized garbage can. Then there was Then there was government issue. First government issue. First GI Joe GI Joe 1942. 1942.

Rosie the Riveter: Women Rosie the Riveter: Women needed to fill the shoes of needed to fill the shoes of men and they needed an men and they needed an example. 11 million went example. 11 million went to work. Rosie was actually to work. Rosie was actually a woman who riveted a woman who riveted 3,345 rivets in 3 hours. 3,345 rivets in 3 hours.

Pin up girls raised the morale Pin up girls raised the morale of the troops. of the troops.

WWII LingoWWII Lingo

M & M’s M & M’s

Geronimo Geronimo

Kamikaze Kamikaze

RADARRADAR

Walkie Talkie Walkie Talkie

Bazooka GunsBazooka Guns

Graffiti Graffiti

Kilroy: A wide-eyed, Kilroy: A wide-eyed, bald-headed face bald-headed face peering over a peering over a fence, except for fence, except for his fingers which his fingers which gripped the top. It gripped the top. It originated with US originated with US servicemen and servicemen and went around the went around the world from there. world from there.

The GI Bill The GI Bill

• AAfter the war, the men fter the war, the men returned, having seen the returned, having seen the rest of the world. No rest of the world. No longer was the family farm longer was the family farm an ideal; no longer would an ideal; no longer would blacks accept lesser blacks accept lesser status. The GI Bill allowed status. The GI Bill allowed more men than ever more men than ever before to get a college before to get a college education. Women had to education. Women had to give up their jobs to the give up their jobs to the returning men, but they returning men, but they had tasted independence. had tasted independence.

TelevisionTelevision

• TTelevision made its elevision made its debut at the 1939 debut at the 1939 World Fair, but the World Fair, but the war interrupted war interrupted further further development. In development. In 1947, commercial 1947, commercial television with 13 television with 13 stations became stations became available to the available to the public. public.

ComputersComputers

• Computers were Computers were developed during developed during the early forties. the early forties. The digital The digital computer, named computer, named ENIAC, weighing 30 ENIAC, weighing 30 tons and standing tons and standing two stories high, two stories high, was completed in was completed in 1945. 1945.

TV Frozen Dinners TV Frozen Dinners

The first meals wereThe first meals were

tasteless and soft,tasteless and soft,

just big globs of food. just big globs of food.

SinceSince

both parents wereboth parents were

working, we neededworking, we needed

them to survive. them to survive.

The Frisbee -1948 The Frisbee -1948 

•          During World War II, people had During World War II, people had to find ways to have fun.  When to find ways to have fun.  When kids discovered that metal pie kids discovered that metal pie plates flew well, tossing them plates flew well, tossing them became popular.  However, metal became popular.  However, metal plates hurt your hands a lot and plates hurt your hands a lot and made a lot of noise.  Then in 1948, made a lot of noise.  Then in 1948, Walter Morrison decided to make Walter Morrison decided to make them out of plastic.  They called them out of plastic.  They called them flying saucers.  Did you know them flying saucers.  Did you know that 2 million Frisbees have been that 2 million Frisbees have been sold in the last 50 years? That is sold in the last 50 years? That is more than baseballs, footballs, and more than baseballs, footballs, and basketballs combined!  basketballs combined! 

Things of the forties: Things of the forties:

• First automatic transmission First automatic transmission “Oldsmobile”“Oldsmobile”

• Pepsi Cola Pepsi Cola

• First automatic clothes First automatic clothes dryer dryer

• The most trendy thing of the decade, The most trendy thing of the decade, the television set. the television set.

More Cool stuff from the More Cool stuff from the 40’s40’s

Hats were the thing to wear. The Jitterbug The bikini was invented

The Tuxedo: People wanted to look their best and did.

THE ENDTHE END