The 1950s in America was a time that brought about simplicity and perfection amongst the American society. The “all-American Dream” with the flawless family, which was emphasized by the constraints, and expectations that were demanded by the American Republican era of Eisenhower, would pave way for manifesting changes of the 1960s. Through the emphasis of media and societal expectations and political and wartime upheaval, Americans would fit the cookie cutter mold that would breed the fighters and lovers of the 1960s. The era of I love Lucy, Leave it to Beaver and Father knows Best, brought about a time where family values were necessary, family life was wonderful and no one was worrying about politics and the Cold War. These families had the molds of women constrained in the home, men bringing home the bacon and all in the homes of white middle class families. Women in the 1950s were often depicted as dependent on men and were encouraged to get married young. (Bloom and Breines, 6) It took large media input from movie stars like Marilyn Monroe, to influence many women to join the workforce and reject the “traditional feminine roles”. (Bloom and Breines 6) This mold would be challenged by the introduction of the Birth Control pill in 1954 and the growing unhappiness of women who would seek to break the walls that trapped their mothers. (Bloom and Breines, 5) More women would venture out of the homes and into the workplace between the two decades, “from 25 percent in 1950to 32 percent in 1960”. (Bloom and Breines, 5) The introduction of the Birth Control pill allowed for women to avoid unwanted pregnancies or even marriages and encouraged the sexual liberation that would be seen in the sixties. Society in the fifties held ex... ... middle of paper ... ...experimenting with drugs and sex, which became a substance and visceral liberation. Works Cited Bloom, Alexander, and Wini Breines. "Takin' It to the Streets": A Sixties Reader. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 2011. Print. Bradley, Becky . "1950-1959." American Cultural History. Lone Star College- Kingwood Library, 1998. Web. 7 Feb. 2011. The Century, America's Time Unpinned 1965-1970s. Perf. Peter Jennings, Roger Goodman. ABC Video, Buena Vista, 1999. DVD. Goodwin, Susan and Becky Bradley . "1960-1969." American Cultural History. Lone Star College-Kingwood Library, 1999. Web. 7 Feb. 2011 "Jazz In America: The National Jazz Curriculum." Jazz in America. The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. . Spivey, Donald. "1950s." History of the Sixties. University of Miami, Coral Gables. 24 Jan. 2012. Lecture.
Eibling, Harold H., et al., eds. History of Our United States. 2nd edition. River Forest, Ill: Laidlaw Brothers, 1968.
Divine, Robert A. America past and Present. 10th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education/Longman, 2013. 245. Print.
The 1950s seemed like a perfect decade. The rise of suburbs outside cities led to an expansion of the middle class, thus allowing more Americans to enjoy the luxuries of life. The rise of these suburbs also allowed the middle class to buy houses with land that used to only be owned by more wealthy inhabitants. Towns like Levittown-one of the first suburbs- were divided in such a way that every house looked the same (“Family Structures”). Any imperfections were looked upon as unfavorable to the community as a whole. Due to these values, people today think of the 1950s as a clean cut and model decade. This is a simplistic perception because underneath the surface, events that took place outside the United States actually had a direct effect on our own country’s history. The rise of Communism in Russia struck fear into the hearts of the American people because it seemed to challenge their supposedly superior way of life.
Freedom Rides, Vietnam, and Social activism among the youths of America have left the 60’s with a very profound effect on our society. Without question, the decade of the 1960’s was one of the most controversial in American History. Throughout this period of social unrest, anti-war attitudes were gaining prevalence in a peace-loving subculture, and individuals began to question certain aspects of governmental policy and authority. This was the decade of peace and war, optimism and despair, cultural turbulence and frustration.
.... "American Cultural History - 1930-1939." LSC-Kingwood Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Mar. 2011. .
Kallen, Stuart . A Cultural History of the United States through the Decades: The 1950's . San Diego, CA: Lucent books, Inc. , 1999. Print.
The fifties era was an era of consensus and order. As a family, there was a certain image to live up to in order fit into the American dream; however, a family only had to appear American and while it may be argued that Doris Goodwin succeeded in life because she grew up in a typical household in the fifties, that is not the case, and in fact, Goodwin’s life in the fifties did not live up to the stereotypical idea of the fifties time period. The image of being American during the fifties was based on consensus which was seen through the typical American neighborhood. All families were religious, the dads went to work while the moms stayed home and the children were at school, and each family had a favorite baseball team; however, it was not the idea of consensus that allowed Goodwin to succeed in life. (Anderson Class note, “Life at Home in the 50’s” 3 April 2014; Anderson Class notes, “Book Discussion” 8 April 2014)
"American Cultural History." American Cultural History. Lone Star College, June 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
The 1950s were really a staging point for times to come. To some they were the good old days and to others they were a time of transition. Whatever position one takes on this timeframe it is important to note that these where one of the most important times in the twentieth century as they helped to prepare America for the politicians, cultural leaders, and social transformations that were to come.
As the Fifties came to a close and the Sixties arrived in America, so too did the impact of the events from decades past arrive in the collective consciousness of Americans which showed in the type of political activism that American’s in the Sixties displayed. As the lingering effects of World War II has lessened, the strong feeling of ensuring that such an event not happen again pervaded in the American public’s consciousness, and its way of life. While the Fifties showed the United States look for ways to be able to retain a feeling of normalcy, and direct its efforts towards recovering from the financial, and psychological damage that the war brought, the Sixties, showed American’s gravitating towards actions that dealt with self-improvement, and an inward looking approach to everyday life. The political activism of the Sixties marks a much more individualistic approach even as political protests featured mass actions.
Throughout time the United States has changed, whether it is hairstyles, clothing styles or all around consciousness, the people of this fantastic era represent the patriotic lifestyle of the 1960’s. The appearance of the youth in the 1960’s was different than that of any era that came before, and many of the styles that originated then are still seen today, thirty years later. As one takes a look back upon the sixties one must remember that, unlike today, it was imbedded in a society of war, assassination, and political mutiny.
Farber, David, and Beth Bailey. The Columbia Guide to America in the 1960s. New York: Columbia University Press, 2001.
As shown in my essay, those who grew up during the 1950s experienced one of the most dominant decades in American history. This is because of the many different types of media that were available to them. The people of the 1950s saw the development of rock and roll music, which helped them escape the seriousness of reality and let loose. Rock and roll music succeeded in appealing to teenagers because of its exciting back beat, its urgent call to dance, and the action of its lyrics. The people of the 1950s also saw the rise of new technology advancements. The introduction of the television was one of the most popular products during this period of time. The aspect of early television that can never be recaptured is the combined sense of astonishment
The late 1960s were full of societal, medical, and historical advances that we still see present today. Traces of fashion’s boldness, classic entertainment pieces, medical breakthroughs, useful inventions, and historical friction still can be seen in society today. Although time and technology have enhanced the topics of this paper, the fact remains that the late 60s were a time that many found, and still find, appealing and exciting.
The 1950s was a time when conformity held supreme in the culture at large. Issues such as women 's rights were thrown to the back as people tried to remain in the popular form of a family. These issues being put off only caused the prolonging of the tumultuous 1960s that would soon