American Culture in the 1950s

The 1950s was a time of major economic growth. Significant advances in medicine and technology helped along the significant baby boom (a drastic incline in population)- as well as it brought many new employment opportunities. Some inventions included: computer modems, Corvettes, solar batteries, credit cards, polio vaccines, Coca Cola, hydrogen bombs, microchips, robots, solar cells, transistor radios, video recorders, and video tapes.

Music was very popular in the 1950s. The major, sweeping trend was rock n' roll, predominantly Elvis Presley. Country music, blues, and R&B were music genres that were growing in popularity at the same time. Some popular musicians included Gary Cooper, Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, and William Holden.

Other forms of entertainment also boomed, especially TV. On an average, children aged 10-16 watched about 6 hours of TV daily. Some of the most popular TV shows included: I Love Lucy, The Twilight Zone, Walt Disney, American Bandstand, etc.

Society developed a new uniformist identity, and revisited old views. In this decade, Americans were viewed as conservative and highly materialistic.Teenagers were viewed differently. Instead of being viewed as just children, these teens became an important part of society because people realzed that these teens will become the future voters and consumers of society. Since the '50s were right after the war, pre-war gender stereotypes were brought back. This time was marked by a large boost in targeting women in the media, spreading the idea that women's role is to be the housewife and that she must serve the husband, who is the breadmaker and the head of the house.

Some of the major icons of the 1950s include: Elvis Presley, Coca Cola, Silly Putty, I Love Lucy, Playboy, Marilyn Monroe, Frankie Avalon, Matchbox Cars, television, and hydrogen bombs.

In conclusion, the 1950s was a time of the new post-war era. It was a time in which American society's culture changed, and was heavily shaped by the aftermath of WWII, Cold War conflicts and other international affairs.

-Nicole Pavlovsky