Name_____________________________________________Date___________________________________Period__________

1950s Prosperity • The U.S. economy continued to grow after World War II because of ___________________ __________________

_________________ • Americans had accumulated ____________ billion in savings from _____________ work, service pay, and

investments in _______________ _____________ • Americans were ready to buy ___________________ _______________

Rise of Consumerism

• By the mid-1950s, nearly _____________ of Americans were members of the ________________class • Consumerism (buying material goods) came to be equated with _________________ and _______________ • Personal debt increased nearly _____________ in the 1950s

G.I. Bill

• The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, also called the ________ ______________, helped the economy by providing loans to veterans to attend ______________, set up businesses, and buy ________________

• With the help of the GI Bill, many veterans moved into _____________________ Cookie Cutter Homes

• After WWII, returning vets faced a severe __________________ __________________

• In response to the crisis, developers used assembly-line methods to _____________-______________ houses

• Developer William Levitt bragged that his company could build a home in ________ minutes for $7,000

• Of the ________ million homes built in the 1950s, _______________ were built in suburbs

Levittown

• Levittown, New York, one of the country’s earliest ___________________, was a mass-produced residential community spearheaded by _______________ ____________________.

• Between 1947 and 1951, other Levittown–type communities were built all over the United States. • example of American ______________________

Redefining the Family/Woman’s Role in the 1950s • A return to ____________________ ________________ after the war was the norm • Men were expected to _______, while women were expected to stay home and care for the _______________ • During the 1950s, the role of homemaker and mother was glorified in ________________ _______________,

movies and ______________________ List 3 things that stand out to you from the How to be a Good Wife article. This was actually in school Home Economics textbooks at one point in time. *

* *

Unit 9- 1950s

Culture

What is your overall thought on this article? Explain your answer: Describe how women are portrayed in the following commercials (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUcjJ-yChjg):

Babies What did they call the growing number of births in America? ____________________ _____________________ How much did the birth rate grow from 1940-1946? __________________________ Why did the Baby Boom occur when it did?

• Desirability of _____________________ _______________________

• Decreasing _____________________ ______________________

• ____________________ returning from ___________________ • _______________________ in _____________________ • confidence in ______________________

Name 3 things you see in the ad for babies and their 1st year needs: * * * What is one thing most parents to be use today that was not available at this time? Margaret Sanger and “The Pill”

• Created ____________________ ________________________ • Supported ________________________ • Spearheaded the development of safe, effective, and affordable _____________ ____________

________________ • 1957- Pill approved by FDA • 1962- ____________ million Americans women are on the pill but it is illegal in some states • 1957 The FDA approves the pill, but only for ________________ _________________ __________________, not as a

contraceptive. An unusually large number of women report severe menstrual disorders. • 1960 The pill is approved for ___________________________ use.

Advances in Medicine- List 3 advances * * * What did these advances lead to? What vaccine was created and who created it? Vaccine________________Who created it?____________________ What typically happened to someone with this ailment?

Name a famous figure who suffered from this: _____________________________________

American Dreams in the 50s

• By the end of the 1950s, Americans were enjoying the highest ____________________ of ____________ in the world

• many Americans began working in white-collar jobs, such as ____________ and _____________________ • For the first time, white-collar workers outnumbered blue-collar workers. • Define blue-collar workers-

White Collar Jobs • During the 1950s, businesses expanded rapidly “white-collar” jobs:

– Clerical – _______________________ – professional jobs – _____________ ________________________ – ___________________________ – communications exploded

The Advertising Age

• The rise in luxury products led to the growth of more _______________________ ______________________. • The advertising industry became the fastest-growing industry in the United States, using new

___________________ _______________________ to sell products. Franchises Emerge

• The 1950s also had an increase in ____________________, in which a person owns and operates one or several stores of a _______________ _______________________.

• A franchise is a company that offers similar services in many locations • _____________ _____________ restaurants developed the first franchises in America • Imagine you had $.50. Give me a combination of food you could buy at the first McDonalds.

• Name you favorite franchise: ______________________ Leisure in the 1950s

• Americans experienced shorter _________________ weeks and more ________________ time than ever before • ________________ __________________ activities became a multi-billion dollar industry • ________________ ________________ _______________ added more spare time • Name 3 things that allowed Americans to have more free time:

* * * The Automobile Culture/Federal Highway Act

• After the rationing of WWII, inexpensive and plentiful _____________ and ___________ _________________ led many to buy cars

• By 1960, over ______________________ Americans owned autos

• In 1956 Congress passed the Federal Highway Act • Construction of ________________________ miles of interstate

highways. • This was needed because the number of Americans who

owned cars increased • In times of crisis it would be necessary to transport

_________________ and ________________ _________________ quickly • The Interstate Highway system resulted in:

• More ________________ • Less ____________________ • __________________ further away

Highways Homogenize America

• What happened to the scenery as a result of the highways?

• Name 3 places that began to look similar: * * *

Popular Culture/Golden Age of TV/TV ads, TV Guides, and TV Dinner

• A new era of mass media led by ______________________ emerged in the 1950s

• In 1948, only ____________ of homes had T.V • In 1950, ____________ of homes had T.V. • By 1960, _________________ of American homes had

T.V.

• The 1950s was known as the “____________________ _____________ of Television” • Comedies were the main attraction as Milton Berle, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were very popular • • Watch the 2 I Love Lucy clips. Why do you think so many people loved this show?

• By 1957 there were ________ ____________________ television sets. In the late 1950s, the television news became an important source of information. Advertising and sporting events became more common

• __________ __________________ magazine quickly became the best selling magazine • Frozen TV dinners were introduced in ____________– these complete ready-to-heat meals on

___________________ __________________ ______________ made it easy for people to eat without missing their favorite shows

• Name the 3 iconic movie stars listed in the PPT: * * *

Artistic Movement/Beatniks

• A group of mostly white artists, who called themselves the _________________, highlighted the values gap that existed in the United States in the 1950s.

• In 1957 beat writer _______________ _________________ published On the Road. This book described freewheeling adventures with a car thief and a _________ __________. The book shocked readers but went on to become a classic in American literature.

• The word may have come from the group feeling _____________ _________________ by American culture. • Followers, called “beatniks”, tended to shun _____________ and sought understanding through Zen Buddhism,

______________, and sometimes _________________ • Watch the movie trailer for Howl. How does it depict this movement?

Young Americans/Music

• Young Americans rebelled against the conformist ideals of adult society and looked to controversial styles in _________________ and _____________________________

• In 1951 radio disc jockey Alan Freed gained permission from his manager to play African American _________________ and ____________ on the radio.

• He called it “___________________________” • The listeners loved the new songs, and soon white artists were copying the

sound • In the early and mid-fifties, ______________ ___________________, Bill Haley and

the Comets, and especially _____________ ________________ brought rock and roll to the forefront

• Several cities banned rock ‘n’ roll. These varying opinions led to what became known as a ____________________ _____________, or cultural separation between children and parents.

• Presley’s _______________________ _________________ captured young audiences

• Girls __________________ and _______________, and boys tried to _____________________ him. Greasers in the 1950s

• During the 1950s there was a rise in, _______________________ _______________________— criminal behavior of youths.

• While most teens did not participate in any illegal activity, teens were ___________________, especially if they had long hair and dressed in an alternative manner.

• They were known as _______________________. Conformity v. Dissent

• Name two examples of conformity: * *

• Name two examples of dissent * *

Would you enjoy living in this time period? Why or why not?