Pop Culture 1930s Flashcards
what were the expectations of a young person before the war?
forced to take life seriously
what would a young man be expected to do before the war?
- leave school
- find a job or join the army to earn money for family
what would a young woman be expected to do before the war?
- leave school
- get a traditional woman job
- get married and have children
what was not particularly common before the war?
graduating high school then going to college
how many students completed school?
less than 2/3
why did teens have limited freedom and little influence
decisions were made by older generation
how were changing expectations part of the American dream?
next generation more successful than the previous one
what did parents no longer insisted to do?
force their children to get a job to support the family at 14-15 years old
what did parents insist?
children finish high school and often paid them to go to college
why did parents expectations changed?
went through the Great Depression and world war so keen their children make most of their opportunities
teenagers had more…
leisure time and spending power
how much did the average teen spend a week in 1957?
$10-$15
-$1 to $2 in early 1940s
how much was the annual spending power?
$10 billion in 1950 to $25 billion in 1959
what did teenagers spend money on?
music
cars
fashion
alcohol
what was the image of teenage boys?
thrill seekers
