The Development Of The USA (1929-2000) - Social Changes 1950-2000 Flashcards
What were the four main areas of change?
Television/ film
Music
Technology
Literature
“Ever changing youth culture”
Who were Beatniks?
Teenagers who didn’t follow the convention of their peers. Drop outs
What was the most important element of teenagers?
Own identity
What changed the attitudes of teenagers?
More spending money - $10 a week - consumerism targeted at teenagers
Fear of nuclear war - “Enjoy today”
Influence of films and music
Who were hippies?
Grew long hair, wore distinctive clothes and developed an alternative lifestyle
Travelled around the country in buses and vans
Wore flowers in their hair as a symbol of freedom
Make love not war
Refused to work
Handed flowers to police
Experimented in drugs such as LSD
Middle class
What were the swinging sixties?
Emerging protest singers, such as Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix
Beach Boys
Young distanced form older generations
Young demanded greater freedom in clothes, music and social life
What was the role of universities in student protest?
1960s - rise in student protests for civil rights in NI
Students wanted a greater say in education
End college rules/ restrictions
Students for a Democratic Society - set up in 1959, 100,000 members by 1960 - key role in protest movement
What was King’s role in Student protests?
First experience of protest in civil rights
1964 - student marches and rallies for civil rights
White students supporters sit ins and freedom rides and marches
What was the role of the Vietnamese War in student protests?
1968 - 14,000 casualties - protest grew
1969 - 70,000 marched on Washington and burned draft cards
Anti-war reached peak in 1968-1970
1968 - 400,000 students protested
Students called up to fight
Questioned US involvement and use of napalm
4 May 1970 - Kentucky State University - 4 killed and 2 million striked
In the 1950s, who were popular artists and songs?
Elvis Presley with Hound Hog and Heartbreak Hotel
What type of music was popular in the 1950s and who did it influence?
Rock and roll
Gave teenagers their own music to listen to
The more parents disliked new music, the more propulsar it became with teenagers
Elvis was successful among teenagers
Parents and teachers didn’t like his sensual style of performing, tight jeans or his permanent sheer
He influenced the young in their attitude to authority and appearance
What artists were propulsar in the 1960s?
The Beatles
Rolling Stones
The Beach Boys
Bob Dylan
What type of music was popular in the 1960s and who did it influence?
British groups took the USA by storm
Protest songs
Hard rock
The Beach Boys gained popularity for their close vocal harmonies and lyrics
They reflected a South Californian youth culture of cars, romance and surfing
Shocked middle class white parents over their teenagers lack of respect for law and their anger
Encouraged teenage crime
Who were popular artists in the 1970s onwards?
The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Led Zeppelin, Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z
Why was Disco popular from the 1970s?
Reaction to the domination of rock music.
Particularly popular with women and teenagers hanging out
Dance moves
E.g Donna Summer/ the Bee Gees
Why was Heavy metal popular from the 1970s?
Characterised by amplifier distortion and long guitar solos associated with aggression and masculinity
E.g Led Zeppelin
Why were influential solo artists popular from the 1970s?
Bruce Springsteen was popular because his music focussed on the struggles of ordinary people such as the working classes
Whitney Houston’s
Why were rap and hip hop popular from the 1970s?
Developed from disco music, product of high unemployment among young black Americans
About inner city problems
Popular with white people as well
Talked about ghettos and police
E.g Will Smith/ Jay-Z
What were the changes in cinema?
Drive ins first opened in the 1930s, became popular in the 1950s. Approx 4,000 across USA
Multiplexes first opened in 1963 - more than 3 screens for viewing
What was the reaction to drive ins and multiplexes?
Families could watch a movie and take care of their children at the same time
Teenagers with cars used drive ins for dates
Gained a reputation of being immoral and labelled passion pits by the media
Multiplexes increased accessibility to watch a movie - demonstrates popularity
What were developments of the anti-hero?
E.g Marilyn Munroe
Rise of anti-heroes came about in the late 1940s/ early 1950s
What was the reaction to anti-heroes such as Ava Gardner/ Kim Novak/ James Dean/ Paul Newman?
New and exciting symbols of rebellion
Lack of traditional heroic qualities such as idealism and courage
Response to audience demand
What were changed in Blockbusters?
1970s
Jaws (1975)
Indiana Jones - Steven Spielberg
Star Wars (1977) / ET (1982) - George Lucas
High-profile actors or producers
What was the reaction to blockbusters?
Films with international audiences had special effects technology, soundtracks, high-paid stars
VCR encouraged film hire and home viewing