If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.
You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!
MYP Unit Question: How did culture, events and leadership shape and reflect post-WWII America?
The 1950s
Plugin error: That plugin is not available.
Business & the Economy
In the 1950s, advertising was extensive. Advertisers tried to convince consumers that they needed their products. Advertisers believed that the consumers did not really know what they wanted. They could say what they wanted but could not really explain what it is. They also believed that the key to getting the consumers to purchase their products was to reach their irrational side of people that could control their buying habits. Also, research into the psychology of a consumer was directed. It was called motivational research (MR) to conduct experiments to uncover the the hidden sources of a consumer's appeal.
Credit was used excessively in the 1950s. It was called "buying on time" defined as paying for a large purchase in monthly installments. Credit was used to purchase new cars, electronic equipment, household goods, and appliances at a record pace. By 1956 nearly 20% of bank loans were to individual consumers. But with all this money circulating through the economy through increased consumer spending and the rise in employment and wages created inflation. Times became hard for families. For example, instead of beef being served, wives would cook horse meat instead (which was less enjoyable). But when the Korean War came along in June 1950, the government was determined to control the inflation. It established price ceilings for war goods and other necessities. Then in March 1953, price controls were lifted, and the economy went into a recession 1953-1954 which slowed price increases.
Big business "reigned supreme" in the 1950s. Big businesses such as AT&T earned huge successes such as AT&T being the first American corporation to have one million stock-holders. Also, the greatest real-estate deal in U.S. history occurred in 1957 when the Chrysler building was purchased for $66 million. General Motors was the largest company in the world, and the Bank of America was the largest financial institution. Small business boomed as well. Companies such as Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream, McDonald's, Church's Fried Chicken, Stouffer's Frozen Food, Oscar Meyer, Culligan, Gerber Baby Foods, Bic, TRW, and Holiday Inn all made significant business surges or introduced product breakthroughs during the 1950s.
Education
Education in the 1950s went through some extremely dramatic, paradigm shifting changes, most notably the end of the "separate but equal" policy, made official by the Plessy vs Ferguson case of 1896, regarding segregated schools. Separate but equal had been the official guideline for public schools, stating that though African Americans were required to be in special schools to be kept SEPARATE from Caucasians, the education that they were receiving was still EQUAL. This, as we all know, was not the case though. African American schools did not receive the same funding as white schools and did not receive the same standard of education that white schools did. However in 1951, 13 parents in Topeka Kansas filed a class action suit against Topeka's Board of Education, stating that their children were not receiving the same education as children in the white public schools. This case, along with five other similar cases in four different states, lasted til fall of 1953, where the United States Supreme Court ruled 9 - 0 that "seperate but equal" was not true and was deemed unconstitutional, stating that it violated the U.S. constitution's 14th amendment regarding the equal protection under the law of all citizens, including African Americans. This case, famously known as Brown vs. Board of Education, was a huge step forward for African Americans, one that helped to end the era of Jim Crow. Other segregated school incidents including in 1957 when Elizabeth Eckford became the first African American to enter the all - white school of Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas, causing huge riots and public demonstrations.
Fashion
The 1950s was an important decade in American Fashion. The Baby Boomers were entering their teens, making fashion a somewhat youth-driven phenoenon at the time. Therefore the interests of youth in the 1950s influenced the clothing they wore. Probably the best example of this is the leather jacket. Made popular by rock n roll artists, the leather jacket became a symbol of male adolecense in the 1950s. Another aspect of 1950s fashion was the introduction of new hairstyles. For the women and teenagers of the 1950s, this meant short, curly hair. Men of the 1950s did not change too much, but the youth culture of the fifties was known for their slicked back hair. This style required a lot of hair grease, which would give rise to the term "greaser". This look was worn by those who considered themeslves "rebels", and though it is no longer "in style" many refrences to it are still made in pop culture today. Another huge aspect for some youth women was simply their mothers. These were women who felt that women in general should stick to their pre-determined role in society, making an emphasis on being "ladylike" in order to remain socially acceptable.
Film and theater
During the 1950s there was a battle between television and movies. The film and theater productions of the era was trying its best to attract people to the theater and away from their television box. "Bigger" was an overused term corresponding to wide-screen techniques, panoramic effects, big-name stars, big casts, big sets, and big budgets. 3-D was even experienced for the first time in science-fiction and horror movies, and so were drive-in theaters and movies.
Most of the movies that were produced during the 1950s reflected historical epics and stories. For example, many events from the Bible were made into movie productions including "David and Bathsheba" in 1951 and "Solomon and Sheba" in 1959. Drama was especially noticeable during post-World War II. Most of them, however, were about teens and their frustrating lives dealing with peer pressure, delinquency, and love. Movies that reflected these themes included "The Wild One" in 1954 and "Rebel Without a Cause" in 1955.
Censorship in movies started off very strict. Many movies that even mentioned the word "virgin" were immediately banned. One of these movies included "The Moon Is Blue" in 1953. But over the years, censorship lightened up and "virgin" was acceptable along with scenes of sex, violence, and nudity. Most of the scenes exhibiting these themes were in movies under the category "The Woman's Picture," or as we call it today: "Chick flicks." These movies are mostly romantic, all fielding around love stories. Movies like these included "Magnificent Obsession" in 1954 and "An Affair to Remember" in 1957. These movies actually saved the careers of many female actresses such as Lana Turner, Jane Wyman, and June Allyson.
Musicals were a big part of film and theater in the 1950s. Broadway musicals such as "Annie Get Your Gun" in 1950, "Oklahoma!" in 1955, and "The King and I" in 1956 were enormously popular and can still be seen today. M-G-M also became a major contributor to the decade's musicals producing famous musicals such as "Singing in the Rain" in 1952 and "Gigi" in 1958 which won nine Academy Awards.
Print Culture
Print media dominated due to the tremendous energy in American Writing. The Nobel Prizes given to William Faulkner in 1950 and Ernest Hemingway in 1952 are the main factor of the encouragements for many Americans to write. The most famous novels during the time were The Old Man and the Sea by William Faulkner, The Naked and the Dead by Norman Mailer, which is a war novel inspired by World War II, The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, and On the Road by Jack Kerouac. The novel On the Road by Jack Kerouac and the poem "howl" by Allen Ginsberg were the the most famous Beat writings made, which were writings from a new groups of writers that opposed cultural standards, which is what many did (as a result of World War II). Many new American magazines were made in replacement for the old ones and most of the new ones were specialized magazines, including Sports Illustrated, Playboy, National Enquirer, and MAD Magazine. Many famous children books were made during the time by Dr. Seuss, including The Cat in the Hat, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Horton Hears a Who. Peanuts, which is a great comic strip made by Charles Schulz, was also introduced during the time as well.
Food & Drink
In the 1950s many food revolutions occurred. TV dinners were first created in 1953. America's newfound love for television seemed to go hand in hand with refrigeration (a technology improved upon immensely in the 50s). Unfortunately, TV dinners drew American families away from the dinner table and towards the sofa. Some Americans disliked the idea of not having a family meal and the distractions of television.
To go along with the newly created Interstate system, which sparked the new, fast-paced suburban lifestyle, fast food was created. The first Burger King restaurant opened in 1954 (the Whopper was created just a few years later) and McDonald's was franchised in 1955. Today, McDonald's owns almost 50% of the fast food market-share, while its rival Burger King holds less than half that. Fast food restaurants came up with devices to easily fry many pounds of potatoes at a time to provide for the needs of thousands of soldiers returning from Europe from WWII with a craving for the European treat “French fries”. Doctors deemed the fries and burgers very unhealthy, but for the most part, the public didn't listen. Along with apple pie and hot dogs, the hamburger took its place as a national food during the 1950's with the advent of fast food.
Despite (or possibly due to) America's craving for 50s fast food, diets became popular during the 50s. Since the debut of the “flapper” in the 1920s, being thin meant being youthful and healthy. Thus, many Americans followed advice from magazines, books, and radio advertisements giving them hundreds of “foolproof” new diet techniques. Today, the weight-loss industry is a very profitable one, but diseases like anorexia nervosa and bulimia have started to make some Americans more “fat-friendly.”
Sports & Games
During the 1950s almost all sports became desegregated; several sports endured scandals; the standards of professionals were imposed on amateurs and even children; antitrust exemptions were challenged; franchises moved with the population to the West Coast; new sports challenged old for an audience; and, most important, sports and television discovered they were made for each other.Major League Baseball and intercollegiate football. By the end of the decade the National Football League (NFL) dominated the airways in the fall, the National Basketball Association (NBA) filled the winter months with fast sports action, and the Professional Golf Association (PGA) and Professional Bowling Association were inspiring weekend athletes to join "Arnie's Army" and to emulate Don Carter.Ted Williams, the tremendous Boston Red Sox slugger, had spent time in the military in World War II and saw action in Korea as a fighter pilot. Williams missed more than three seasons during the most productive time in his career. He was not alone among the professional athletes in the military. Some athletes believed that their duty as a citizen came before their duty as a athlete.
(Warren Spah during the 1950's baseball season)
Music
One of the most famous and far-reaching types of music during the 1950s was rock 'n roll. Rock 'n roll started at the time when America was dealing with the issue of integrating schools-putting blacks with whites. Most of the students' parents were rioting against integration saying they did not want to share public facilities with blacks. The teens could not help but to start dancing to their parents' "jungle rhythms." This type of music is what united the blacks and whites to adopt a criterion for musical judgment that had not been widely accepted before.
But the teens accepted rock 'n roll a little too readily. A rock 'n roll singer only needed minimal talent to make himself, or herself, famous. As long as they had "soul" and could express themselves effectively then they made it to the ears of the widely accepting teenagers. To them, this music was a symbol of independence from their parents' musical tastes. So, when rock 'n roll came into play there was an obvious separation between the parents and their teen children-more specifically the students.
Rock 'n roll originally came from R&B music (or rhythm and blues music). But this type of music came in two forms: white and black. The black form originated form their ancestors in slavery. This music took on a white form when it reached out to the poor white families in the South. White R&B music was also called "hillbilly" music. However, black R&B music was not as popular when it was sung by a black individual. Record companies such as Sun Records made millions of dollars by having a white individual sing black music. This music sold so well because it had the right touch of innovation, energy, rhythm, and aura of sensuality that appealed to the younger audience. Famous white R&B singers include Carl Perkins (left) and Elvis Presley (right).
"The Way We Lived"
Much of 1950s culture revolved around having fun. The modern hula hoop was created in 1958 creating a short-lived, yet very pervasive fad, and in 1955, Walt Disney created a new era of entertainment with his modern amusement park, Disneyland. In addition, as the 1950s progressed, the car became the major way for Americans, suburbanites in particular, to enjoy themselves.
In response to the increasing number of vehicles on the road (8 million rolled out of the factories every year), President Dwight D Eisenhower initiated construction of the Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways. The Interstate Highway System remains the single largest public works project in American history and the largest highway system in the world (though soon to be rivaled by that of China). Eisenhower’s highways were an efficient way to move the 70% of America that owned a car throughout the country especially with the threat of the Soviet Union and a nuclear holocaust constantly looming overhead.
The Interstate System also led to the development suburbia and greatly enhanced the effects of urban sprawl. Suburbs often developed in areas where efficient, easy transportation existed. Many suburbs existed along streetcar lines and along the newly developed highway system. Commerce followed the mass population movement outside the cities. Shopping malls were first created in the 50s and large department stores were created including Hudson’s in Detroit (eventually becoming Target in part) and Macy’s in New York.
Government & Politics
American's fear of communism during the 1950s is often looked back on as having been fueled by naive generalization and paranoia. When understood in the context of the times, however, American fears were hardly naive. After World War II the Soviets had acted quickly to grab most of Eastern Europe. In 1949 China had fallen to the Communists. In June 1950 the United Nations intervened in the Korean border conflict, and the United States once again sent troops to war—this time to contain Communist aggression.At the end of World War II the Allied leaders had reached an agreement in which the Japanese occupying North Korea would surrender to the Soviets, the Japanese in the south to the Americans. Both the Soviet Union and the United States came to regard the Korean peninsula with increasing importance: each of the two superpowers fought a firm foothold in Asia from which it could hold influence over the region or at the very least contain the influence of its rival. At first Americans praised President Harry S Truman for committing U.S. troops to Korea to halt Communist aggression. But when UN forces led by Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur approached the Chinese border in pursuit of North Korean forces, the Chinese intervened. Mac Arthur's aggressive strategy of bringing the war to China was in direct conflict with Truman's policy of containment. Truman fired his general, touching off one of the fiercest debates on American international conduct the country had ever experienced. From then on the question of Communist intentions regarding American interests—and how America ought to respond—dominated an increasingly frightening political discourse.Americans entered the 1950s hurt people yet politicized as they had never been before in the twentieth century. They voted in record numbers in the 1952 elections, and, in proclaiming an electoral majority for Eisenhower over Democratic opponent Adlai Stevenson, they ushered in a watershed moment in American politics.
Leadership
Created at blabberize.com
Law & Justice
The 50s was a decade plagued with the rising fears of communism. Joseph McCarthy, Wisconsin senator, rose to power quickly in 1950. In a speech in West Virginia, he claimed that 205 communists had infiltrated the US State Department and that immediate action should be taken. He also claimed that Communist subversion led to the fall of China the previous year. After hearing the speech, the Senate ordered a hearing for McCarthy to provide proof of his accusations. He was unable to give any names or proof. Despite his obvious failure, McCarthy continued making outlandish claims. He believed Harry Truman and his administration covered up the Communist invasion and failed to stop Communist aggression. Many of his accusations triggered huge responses from the American public and sparked the “Red Scare.”
In 1953, he became chair of the Senate's Government Committee on Operations. He used this position to interrogate government workers and accuse them of being “card-carrying” Communists. Many “Communists” and “Communist sympathizers” lost their government jobs in the early 50s. McCarthy even attacked President Eisenhower’s policies, however Eisenhower was afraid to refute the claims of such a popular senator. In 1954, he criticized the army and deemed it was performing secret espionage operations in foreign countries. Finally, in 1955, McCarthyism was brought to an end when the Senate moved to censure Joseph McCarthy with a 67-22 vote.
The FBI was first created in 1908 under President Roosevelt. However, it gained more power during prohibition through the use of wiretapping and espionage under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover. When President Eisenhower took office, Hoover knew he could have more power as the director of the FBI and was free to due many more investigations. Throughout his reign and FBI director, Hoover was very popular with the American public as evidenced by their overwhelming support of the FBI's Top Ten Most Wanted list. Of the 122 criminals named to the list during the 1950s, 144 were captured and brought to justice. Most of these fugitives were captured by publicity—turned in by watchful, informed American citizens.
Religion
Many religious leaders had risen up during the 1950s.
Billy Graham rose up to make a spectacular revival in New York in 1957 in Madison Square Garden. He repeatedly sent out crusades to extend Christianity all throughout America. This revival attracted immense attention through not only American media—but internationally as well. Celebrities such as Richard Nixon, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Martin Luther King Jr. all sent their greetings and support for Graham’s crusades. However, these crusades only resulted with limited effects. But Graham himself conceded that all the enthusiasm and excitement he had generated did not affect the general public life of the great city. Bible sales and new church memberships were not much increased during the months of the crusade. He consoled himself by reminding people that he was interested in changing individuals.
The church was also involved with the black Americans’ efforts to gain constitutional rights. Martin Luther King Jr. was elected as the head. Also, leaders such as Reverend Charles K. Steele led bus boycotts such as Rosa Parks exhibited. Also, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), one of the leading civil rights organizations that helped end legal segregation, was formed. They took the civil rights movement into a moral controversy and even further into a Christian issue.
Positive Political Cartoon
Negative Political Cartoon
MYP Unit Question: How did culture, events and leadership shape and reflect post-WWII America?
Yes, this is the most important question of this project. At LEAST 3 paragraphs are needed. See your teacher if you need more direction.
The aftermath of World War II is evident in the 1950s in many ways through culture, events, and leadership. The United States finally got out of the Great Depression because of the war due to the need of industrial employment for the war, and as a result of the increase in employment, the economy was prosperous afterward. In addition to the increase in manufactured products, the economic boom increased the income for more Americans than ever before. In other words, not only were there more products to be purchased, but Americans also had the money to purchase them, which benefited the economy greatly. This ultimately allowed many changes, during the 1950s, to take place in culture and the "way we lived."
Since Americans had more money and they were willing to spend it on valuable products, advertisements worked harder into developing methods that would increase their profit since through these methods, they can convince Americans easily that their products are necessary. There was a change in fashion because the Baby Boomers were becoming teens, which meant that fashion was vital, and it needed to match their interests. Music like rock 'n roll became very popular since it symbolized independence to many teens. Film and theater did whatever they could do to get people to watch movies instead of television. Print culture created tremendous energy in American writing. Sports and games were broadcast on television, allowing a larger audience. There was also a rise in the fast food industry which then became a part of America for the years to come. Small business were booming but did not reach to the extent of big businesses. The culture could be characterized as having fun and enjoying themselves.
There were also many demands for change. Because of this new mindset of change and improvement segregation ended, and blacks and whites could be taught at the same school which gave blacks an equal education and opportunity. Religious leaders rose up to stand for African Americans' constitutional rights and created the civil rights movement. Additionally, there was a demand of security since there was great fear of communism, which was an important factor during the Korean War. Americans were extremely paranoid. One major reason included the control of Eastern Europe by the Soviet Union, and the Chinese becoming Communists after World War II. Due to what occurred after World War II and how it was a major reason for the formation of the 1950s, it is evident that culture, events, and leadership shape and reflect the United States after World War II.
Works Cited
"Advertising in the 1950s." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 84-85. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 8 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
Berg, Timothy. "Suburbs." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 780-783.
"Big vs. Small Businesses." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 89. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 8 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
"Black Church Leaders and Civil Rights." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 379-380. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 8 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
"Credit, Inflation, and Price Controls." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 91-92. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 8 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
Delman, Rob. "Burger King." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 677-678.
Edelman, Rob. "Highway System." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 775-777.
Gianoulis, Tina. "Amusement Parks." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 768-769.
Gianoulis, Tina. "Diets." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 774-775.
Gianoulis, Tina. "TV Dinners." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 680-682.
"J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 237-239.
"McCarthy, Joseph Raymond." West's Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Shirelle Phelps and Jeffrey Lehman. 2nd ed. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale, 2005. 8-9.
"Movies." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 41-44. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 2 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
"Rock 'n' Roll." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 47-49. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 5 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
Schnakenberg, Robert E. "French Fries." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 678-679.
"The Billy Graham New York Crusade, 1957." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 378-379. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Gale. INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. 8 June 2010 <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/start.do?p=GVRL&u=lom_inac>.
"The Ten Most Wanted." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 247-248.
"The 1950s Business and the Economy." UXL American Decades. Ed. Julie L. Carnagie, et al. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: UXL, 2003.
"The 1950s: Sports: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001.
"1950s: Print Culture." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 3: 1940s-1950s. Detroit: UXL, 2002.
Plugin error: That plugin is not available.
(Warren Spah during the 1950's baseball season)
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.