Popular Culture Flashcards
What dominated popular culture after the war?
Cinema, radio, music and television
What popular term was used in the 1940s to describe young people (often with more leisure time and money than previous generations)?
Teenager
What did the term ‘teenager’ become associated with in the 1950s?
Rebelling against parents, society and authority.
Name two ‘teenage rebels’ from the 1950s.
James Dean and Marlin Brando
How did ‘teenagers’ mark themselves out?
Distinctive clothes and hairstyles from their parents and older generations
What two types of music were popular in the 1940s and 1950s.
1940s - beat music
1950s - rock and roll music
Name at least two popular rock and roll stars from the 1950
Elvis Presley, Bill Haley, Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Pat Boon, Jerry Lee Lewis
Why were parents so shocked by Elvis Presley?
Gyrating hips whilst dancing and sexy persona
What percentage of American homes had TVs in 1948 and 1958?
1948 - 0.4%
1958- 83.3%
How were TV channels paid for?
Sponsorship - commercial advertising (encouraged more American consumer spending)
What did American society watch on TV?
Game shows, sitcoms, soap operas, news reports etc. Family entertainment that all watched created a sense of a shared national American culture.
