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Conformity
• Why did people in the 1950s conform?– Need for Stability after WW2 and
G.D.– Did not want to be “Un-American” –
Era of Communist Hunt
Morality
• Fairly Strict Society
• Rebellion was not acceptable
• Surge in Religion – felt good indicator of Anti-Communist– Added “Under God” to the Pledge of
Allegiance
• Gender Roles strongly held
FASHION• Prior to the 1950’s, teen clothing
very reserved/ proper but to some extent that changed in the 50’s.
• Guys – Hair longer w/ sideburns and slicked back
with grease. – Jeans– Leather jackets (collar turned up to be
“cool”)
• Girls– Ponytails– Pedal pushers, Scarves. – Poodle Skirts popular because
• 1) Easier dancing, being spun around letting the skirt twirled.
• 2) skirt was loose and free, a sign of freedom.
Youth Culture• EMPHASIS ON YOUTH IN 1950s!• Drive-in movies – Good for dates• Sock Hops – informal HS dance
• Fast food restaurants • TV in 90% of homes by 1959
The Music• ROCK N’ Roll
– evolved in the 1950's from rhythm and blues,
• Electric Guitars• strong rhythm• youth-oriented lyrics.
– Allowed Teenagers to break out of the mainstream conservative American middle class mold.
Rise of Television
• Before 1952 – freeze on any new TV stations so industry had time to plan for expansion and problems
• 1952-56, station #s jumped from 108 to 500
• Programs usually broadcasted live
• Favorites: Mickey Mouse Club, I Love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver
Changes in TV• On-The Scene Reporting
• Game Shows – offered large cash prizes
• Businesses spent $$$ on TV Advertising– $170 million in 1950– $1 billion by 1955– $2 billion by 1960
• TV Guide = HUGE magazine, TV Dinners created so did not have to miss favorite show
The Beatniks
• Sought a higher consciousness – Zen Buddhism, music, sometimes drugs
• Went against the dress/mentality of the 1950s… attracted Media attention and imaginations of college students.
• Subculture that expressed the social and literary nonconformity of artists and poets
• non-materialistic lives
•Shunned regular work