Teenagers Flashcards
Why did teenagers lives change?
- There were many different reasons;
> science (the pill)
> economics (teenagers’ income continued to rise)
> politics (feminism, anti-Vietnam protests)
> individuals
What were the cultural influences on teenagers in the 1960s?
- Ranged from Rock and Roll idols such as Evils Presley, to movie idols such as James Dean and Marlon Brando.
- British teenagers changed the way they dressed and acted to match these idols
How did the consumer boom of the 1960s affect teenagers?
- allowed teenagers to develop their own style of music, clothes, hair cuts and even travel abroad
What financial power did teenagers possess in the 1960s?
- Teenagers had over £830 million to spend each year; this was enormous compared to previous generations of young people.
- Increasingly consumer goods were aimed at this market (scooters and fashion)
How did bands such as The Beatles and The Rolling Stones change young people’s behaviour?
-The message of much music at this time was that young people should not accept what authority told them, but rather they should find things out for themselves
How did young people express themselves more openly?
- Young people experimented more in terms of fashion
> the mini skirt became very popular in the 1960s
Which different sub cultures emerged in the 1960s?
- The Mods (sophisticated, scooters)
- The Rockers (Macho, motorcycles)
> these two groups often classed at places such as Brighton, and sparked moral panic in the country.
- other groups emerged later on, such as hippies and punks
How politically active were the young?
- Teenagers increasingly challenged political decision makers.
- In 1958 the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament was formed.
- There were many other protests in the 1960s focused on the Vietnam war
How was education organised in 1944 onwards?
- There was the Tripartite system which set up grammar schools, technical schools and secondary moderns.
- the standard of education in secondary moderns was often not very good, and competition to pass the 11 plus exam for the grammar schools was often very high
How did the Labour government attempt to introduce a fairer education system?
- Comprehensive schools were set up around Britain which allowed teenagers to access higher education, and prevent those who did not pass the 11 plus from feeling like failures
How did the government expand university education?
- Many new universities were set up after the war such as Essex and Warwick as well as 30 new polytechnics ( where both academic and vocational courses could be taught )
Why did student numbers in education increase?
- the local education authorities paid for students’ fees and gave them maintenance grants
What was growing up in the 1950s?
- Children were younger versions of their parents; they wore similar clothes, went to the same school, same routine, if they went to work they went to the same work place as their parents.
- Families tended to sit together and watch the same programmes
What 5 factors contributed to the change of youths?
- Unemployment was low so it was easier for even inexperienced school learners to find a job
- Wages increased faster than prices
- More effective birth control; smaller families, fewer children to feed and clothe
- Young people had more leisure time in which to spend their money. By the 1950s most working people worked 5 day weeks instead of 6
- Rise of trade unions helped to secure extra free time
How did teenagers in the 1950s ?
- CLOTHES: wore different styles of clothes from their parents
- MEETING PLACES: spent more time with each other, not with family
- MUSIC: skiffle bands, Rock ‘n’ roll, jazz
- FILMS: American influence- highlighted gap between teenagers and their parents.
- TEDDY BOYS: distinctive styles of clothing or music began to define sub groups e.g. Teddy boys were called so because of the Edwardian Style jackets
- GANGS: some wilder groups got reputations for being violent and troublesome
- DIVERSITY- depends on social background