The 50s Flashcards
What is Modern Republicanism
When Eisenhower wanted to get rid of the socialism of the New Deal, balance budget, and reduce government regulation
Economic prosperity =
Our GNP
What happened to our GNP
It more than doubled
How many Americans were earning a middle class income
60%
Automation in the work place =
Productivity was UP
Nuclear energy….
Provided cheap energy to thousands
Blue collar =
Manufacturing jobs (this decreased)
White collar=
Managers, professional, and service jobs (this increased)
Pink-collar=
Nursing, teaching, retail, sales, and low-level clerical work (traditionally filled by woman)
What act was passed that banned ex-convicts from holding union office, required frequent elections, and regulated union fund investments
Landrum-Griffin Act
What Union strength up or down
It’s going up
People making more money =
More geographic mobility
Suburbs=
Outskirts of a city but not the country
What were most houses in the suburbs were often
Planned communities
What were planned communities called
Levittowns
What act helped extend the Highway system
The highway act
What was the largest public works project in American history
The highway act
How many miles of highways were built and how much did it cost
41,000 miles and $32 billion
What is this time period known as when people got married earlier and had bigger families
The baby boom
Did the number of working mothers increase or decrease
Increased
What was the phrase that made sure you had as many modern conveniences as your neighbor
“Keeping up with the joneses”
What was a way the US bragged about our appliances
Kitchen debates
Who was apart of kitchen debated
Richard Nixon and the Soviet premier Nikita Khrushchev
What did many people join during this time
PTAs, scouring, little league sports, and religious activities
What was a popular family activity
Watching TV
By the end of the 50s, how many households owned at least one TV
46 million
What did TV advertising do
Influence consumer habits- businesses would sponsor entire shows
What shows were popular
Sporting events, quiz shows, situation comedies
How were some quiz shows rigged
Charles Van Doren was given answers because producers hoped popular contests would drive ratings
What did leisure activities glamorize
Rebellion
Movies=
Made fun of everything associated with the American way of life
What were the writers that challenged the middle class called
The beats
What did teenagers listen to
Rock and roll
Who was rock and roll popular with
African Americans
Who made the term rock and roll on
Alan Freed
Who had a big part in rock n roll
Elvis Presley
What show was Elvis on
The Ed Sullivan Show
What did some people fear rock n roll would promote
Anti-social behavior
Rock and roll helped set up..
Civil rights movement
