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
what did thrill seekers do?
raced cars
drank heavily
formed gangs
teenagers had a reputation for being…
independant
rebellious
secretive
aggressive
how did a generation gap develop?
in the way teenagers dressed, behaved and spoke
who were famous figures that became emblems of teenage rebellion?
James Dean
Marlon Brando
in 1953, The Wild One, Marlon Brando plays…
a leader of a motorbike gang
how did businesses use teenagers?
- could sell all sorts of products
- targeted advertising to cash in on their growing purchasing power
what was rock n roll?
blended country and western and rhythm and blues music
how did rock n roll appeal to teens?
- strong rhythm and easy to dance to
- unpopular with older Americans
why might parents not approve of rock n roll?
lyrics contained sexual references and hanging in gangs and drinking
how was rock n roll seen as dangerous?
linked tot teenage crime and gang culture
how did radio stations and tv shows use rock n roll?
booked popular performers
how many Americans watched Elvis Presley?
82%
how much did tv ownership develop in households?
1948: 0.4%
1954: 55.7%
1958: 83.2%
what did the tv replace?
reading
radio
cinema
commercial sponsors on tv encouraged…
spending in the consumer society
what were most programmes?
game shows
sitcoms
soap operas
how did the tv control aspirations?
family purchases were often determined by what neighbours purchased and what was heavily advertised
what new sense was developed?
national American culture
