How Important Was Changes In Culture 1955-63 Flashcards
What significant event marked a new dimension of the SSR in 1961?
The launch of Sputnik
Sputnik was the first artificial Earth satellite, launched by the Soviet Union.
What technological advancements were prominent in the 1960s?
Non-stick coatings and computers
These advancements significantly influenced daily life and various industries.
What societal changes did the 1960s bring regarding teenagers?
Teenagers became a new consumer group with significant influence
This period saw the rise of youth culture and its impact on marketing and media.
What characterized the suburban lifestyle during the 1950s and 1960s?
Uniformity and lack of diversity
Suburbs were predominantly white, with limited representation of Black Americans.
What demographic trend occurred in the US after the economic depression and war?
The baby boom generation emerged
Young couples married and had children, leading to rapid population growth.
How was the ideal middle-class woman depicted in 1956 by Life magazine?
As 32 years old, pretty, popular, a mother of four, and married at 16
This portrayal emphasized traditional gender roles and domesticity.
What was the reception of suburban life in US films during the late 1950s?
Suburban life was largely unpopular and often flopped at the box office
Films like ‘No Down Payment’ failed to attract audiences.
Which film won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1958?
The Bridge on the River Kwai
This film depicted British troops in a Japanese prison camp.
What was the theme of the film ‘Rebel Without a Cause’?
The struggles of young people in 1950s suburbia
It was a significant film that resonated with the youth of the time.
What was a key feature of US television programming in the 1950s?
The situation comedy or ‘sitcom’
Sitcoms often depicted idealized suburban family life.
What were the two most popular sitcoms of the 1950s?
- I Love Lucy
- Father Knows Best
These shows reflected and reinforced suburban family ideals.
What was the premise of ‘Father Knows Best’?
Life in a new suburb centered around the Anderson family
The show depicted a typical middle-class family without political references.
What was the significance of ‘I Love Lucy’ in television history?
It featured one of the only starring roles for a woman in the 1950s
Lucille Ball’s character represented domestic life and humor.
What does the term ‘Counterculture’ refer to?
An alternative culture that criticized traditional American values
The US counterculture of the 1960s promoted new ideas in religion, music, and social norms.
What was the most popular game show from 1955 to 1992?
$64,000 Question, which began in June 1955.
Sponsored by cosmetic firm Revion.
Who was an early star contestant on the $64,000 Question?
Charles van Doren, who was initially perceived as a genius until it was revealed he had been given the questions beforehand.
What limited opportunities existed for black American actors in film and television during this period?
They often appeared in minor subservient roles, such as the butler Rochester in The Jack Benny Show.
Who was the first black American actor to win the Best Actor Academy Award?
Sidney Poitier, for his role in Lilies of the Field in 1963.
What was one of the USA’s most popular television shows from 1961 to 1966?
The Dick Van Dyke Show.
Who is the artist behind the song that became the first major hit number 1 on the US Billboard charts?
James Nas
The song is nicknamed ‘Rebel u’.
In what year did Elvis Presley become a major national popular music star?
1956
What cultural movement developed in the USA in 1958?
Beatnik culture
Who founded Motown Records?
Berry Gordy in 1961
What was a significant stimulus to consumer spending in the 1950s and early 1960s?
The advertising industry
It persuaded new consumers to buy more.
What was a major aspect of advertising during the 1950s?
The development of television
By the early 1960s, what percentage of US homes possessed a television?
Almost every US home
How much did television companies’ advertising revenue grow by in the 1950s?
1000 percent
How much did advertisers spend annually during the 1950s and early 1960s?
$10 billion
What financial power did teenagers have in the 1950s?
They received money from parents and many had part-time jobs.
What cultural changes contributed to the rise of teenage culture in the 1950s?
Increased independence and financial power
Teenagers benefited from the availability of cars and fast food.
What film captured the mood of teenage rebellion in the 1950s?
The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando
What was the theme of the film ‘Rebel Without a Cause’?
Teenage alienation
What did Margaret Mead claim about the growing disrespect for teachers?
It was due to rapid changes in US society.
What shocking findings did Alfred Kinsey publish in his studies?
95 percent of males had been sexually active by age 15
Similar findings were revealed for females.
What idea did Kinsey’s work fuel regarding teenagers?
It suggested that the current generation of teenagers was very different from previous generations who allegedly respected their parents and conformed with adult society.
What did Fredric Wertham claim in ‘Seduction of the Innocent’?
He claimed that comic books helped corrupt the young through inappropriate depictions of sexual content or by presenting views counter to traditional family life.
What action did 13 states take by 1955 regarding comic books?
They passed laws regulating the sale of comic books and censoring depictions of inappropriate behavior.
What was the significance of the 1955 Time magazine edition ‘Teenagers on the Rampage’?
It highlighted the emerging teenage culture and its challenges.
What is the ‘7th stream’ of American popular music?
Rock and roll, which matured by 1965, emerged from six other streams: pop, black pop, country pop, jazz, folk, and gospel.
Who coined the term ‘rock’n’roll’?
Alan Freed on the radio station WINS in New York City in 1954.
What was the first successful rock’n’roll record?
It was ‘Shake Rattle and Roll’ by Big Joe Turner in 1954.
Which song by Chuck Berry was produced in 1954?
‘Johnny B. Goode’.
What was the impact of racial discrimination on rock’n’roll?
Rock’n’roll music only really took off when performed by white artists due to racial discrimination, particularly in the Old South.
What was the significance of Bill Haley and the Comets’ ‘Rock Around the Clock’?
It became a nationwide success and was featured in the film ‘The Blackboard Jungle’ about teenage rebellion.
Who was the first national teenage idol of rock’n’roll?
Elvis Presley, whose first number one hit was ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ in 1955.
What was the reaction to Elvis Presley’s performance style?
His dance moves were considered too provocative for American television audiences.
What did Jack Gould’s New York Times article suggest about Elvis Presley?
It noted that Presley had become a rallying point for teenagers in a culture undergoing frantic transition.
What factors contributed to the independence of teenagers in the 1950s?
Financial independence, access to automobiles, and exposure to new ideas through various media.
What was the Beatnik culture known for?
The Beatnik culture was known for experimenting with drugs, rejecting affluent society, interest in Asian religions, and opposition to the arms race.
What clothing style did Beatniks typically wear?
Beatniks wore berets, loose pullovers, and were often seen in coffee bars.
Who first used the term ‘beat’ and when?
The term ‘beat’ was first used by novelist Jack Kerouac in 1948.
What does the term ‘beatnik’ link to?
The term ‘beatnik’ links ‘beat’ with part of the Russian word ‘sputnik’, the space satellite launched in 1957.
Which authors were key figures in the Beatnik culture?
Key figures included Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and Lucien Carr.
What is Jack Kerouac’s notable work?
Jack Kerouac’s notable work is ‘On the Road’, published in 1957, detailing his travels across the USA.
How did Beatnik culture influence music?
Beatnik culture helped develop the popularity of rhythm and blues and folk music, attracting artists like Bob Dylan.
What did Beatnik culture evolve into?
Beatnik culture eventually evolved into the hippie counterculture and the protest movements of the 1960s.
What was the median income for non-white families in 1953?
In 1953, the median income for non-white families was significantly lower than that of white families.
What were the Jim Crow Laws?
Jim Crow Laws were laws that enforced legal segregation in the Old South after 1877.
