1950s Culture

Kellie Nicholls

2.23.2010

Period E

1950’s Culture

The American dream of the 1950s began with people returning to their families and seeing each other for the first time in years. As many began to go back to work, new jobs opened up and allowed for people to have millions more employed. Franchises, or companies that offer similar products in many locations, became hugely popular including McDonalds and Macys.

As for the suburban lifestyle, the baby boom contributed to a population explosion and birthrates soared to 4,308,000 infants born in the year 1957 alone. The biggest factor contributing to the baby boom was the advances in medicine and childcare. Many new drugs were discovered that helped to rid the country of disease such as typhoid fever. Dr. Jonas Stalk developed a vaccine for polio that saved millions from getting the crippling disease. As well as children, women became a primary focus of a lot of media. The role of the homemaker or mother was glorified in the popular magazines.

As far as leisure went in the 1950s, there were many new inventions that gave children and adults new things to play with. Many new sports arose in the 1950s including fishing, bowling, and boating. There were also many more fans for sports like baseball, basketball, and football. Reading became a huge leisurely activity as women began to read more “do-it-yourself” manuals for cooking and building projects. As well, comic books were created for children to enjoy.

There was also a huge boost in the automobile industry as more people needed a car for transportation from their suburban homes. Highways were created across the country as more people began to drive. Teenagers also took to the roads, giving them a sense of freedom.

The 1950s brought new ideas and inventions to the table and helped to shape the world as we know it today.