1950 s Economic and Social Themes People of

1950 s Economic and Social Themes People of Plenty and Conformity -GDP Doubles GDP = consumption + gross investment + government spending + (exports − imports)

GI Bill û Went to veterans of WWII 1) College scholarships 2) Loans for Houses 3) Unemployment Pay Gave Opportunities to the average bluecollar soldier after the war.

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Economics of 1950 s=Cash Money û Victorious in WWII. Now control trade. Only Super Power to NOT have their country torn to shreds from WWII û Causes of Economic Boom 1) New Business Techniques-white collar jobs 2) Improved Technology Effects 1) Consumerism 2) Growth of Suburbs (Levittowns) û

Baby Boomers (1945 -1961) Couples start having children after WWII û Couples could now afford a family, house, life, etc. û Conform to society (don’t draw attention to yourself) -Marriage, Pregnancy, parenthood, large families û

http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=bpra 9 OEw 6 n. Q

Consumer Culture Television-brought people together û -1946=7, 000 -media is building û 1960=50 million û -by 1970, 9 out of every 10 homes had one û -projected new image of America û -helped fight communism û http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=IPp. DSpi. CBEU

Rock ‘N Roll…daddy-o Helped foster differences between parents and teenagers (youth culture) û Loud, rhythmic, promoted movement (freedom), full of energy û Adults didn't get it and even FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover called the new music "a corrupting influence" û

Automobile Sales increased 300% during the 1950’s û The public desired speed, luxury, travel, freedom, and privacy in a car û Promoted creation of drive-ins, diners û û Dates and promiscuous behavior Poor gas mileage û Chrome everything! û Detroit’s “Golden Age” û

Riddle û What’s College?

Answer û “That’s where girls who are above cooking and sewing go to meet a man they can spend their lives cooking and sewing for. -ad for Gimbals’ department store campus clothes, 1952.

Conform, or be scorned Middle Class, White values û Normalcy û Fears of standing out (communism) û Women return to the home (uniformity) û

Health Class in 1954…. û http: //libguides. wsulibs. wsu. edu/content. ph p? pid=109047&sid=820606

This quote is in your book and you don’t have to write this down. Just listen to Mr. Werner and everything will be fine.

John Keats û “You too can find a box [house] of your own, ” wrote Keats, “inhabited by people whose age, income, number of children, problems, habits, conversations, dress, possessions, perhaps even blood types are almost precisely like yours. ”

Generation Gap û û û û Marked differences between teenagers and parents began to emerge Beat generation Ducktail haircuts Television portrayed “juvenile delinquents” Marlon Brando- The Wild One James Dean- Rebel Without a Cause J. D. Salinger- The Catcher in the Rye