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1950s

1950s . Conformity and Consumerism. GI Bill. Created June 24, 1944. Created to help ease soldiers back into every day life . Gave job priority to veterans , 52 weeks of unemployment benefits , monthly allowances , and low interest loans. GI Bill Continued….

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1950s

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  1. 1950s Conformity and Consumerism

  2. GI Bill. Created June 24, 1944 • Created to help ease soldiers back into every day life. • Gave job priority to veterans, 52 weeks of unemploymentbenefits, monthly allowances, and low interest loans.

  3. GI Bill Continued… • Four millionveterans bought homes with low interest government loans. • Rapid domestic growth leads to a BABY BOOM and expanding suburbanization. This creates a record demand for new goods and services which fuels the economy.

  4. Fertility rate ( # of births per 1,000 women) peaked at 123 in 1957. An American baby was born every 7 seconds. • Why? • More men in society returning after WWII. • GI bill allows men to start a family. Married at a younger age then their parents • Medical science improved - increasing the survival rate of babies. • Good economy ( no fear of loosing a job and not being able to support the family) Baby BOOM!

  5. Role of middle class women • Popular culture glorified marriage and parenthood more then any other era. • Women were told to be “helpmates” to their husbands and full time mothers to their children • “A woman isn’t a woman until she is married and had children.” (The Tender Trap) • Working women were called “a menace” (Esquire) • The ideal wife was married at 16, raised 4 children, cooked and sewed, headed the PTA and exercised to keep her size 12 figure(Life)

  6. Conformity In Housing

  7. Levittown, PA

  8. Levittown, PA

  9. Levittown, PA

  10. What do you notice about Levittown from the pictures?

  11. Consumerism

  12. TV ownership rose as the cost of owning them dropped. • In 1952 TV Guide outsold every other magazine. • The TV Dinner was introduced in 1954 and altered America’s eating habits. • TV became the center of consumer culture. Television

  13. Advertizing – TV dinners

  14. I Love Lucy Leave It to Beaver Honeymooners Father Knows Best Television

  15. Television continued… • Shows like “Leave it to Beaver”, and “I love Lucy” portrayed a perfect family life and not the reality of everyday homes. • Moms were always pretty and doing domestic things • Children were adventurous but obedient • Dads never worked late, never lost their temper and knew all the right answers.

  16. I Love Lucy – Chocolate Factory (poking fun at gender roles) • http://www.schooltube.com/video/04b72f25fdc37c64128c/Job%20Switching%20Pt%202/3 Clips

  17. Appliances, cars and homes were marketed to consumers both on television and in magazines. • Companies advertised “keeping up with the Jones” by buying on credit. • Rise of franchises like McDonalds appealed to the nations sense of conformity. Consumerism and Advertising

  18. Advertising continued… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et0GocBFrKo&feature=related I Love Lucy – Vitameatavegimin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AZK2-Tfc84

  19. The Automobile

  20. Youth Culture Rock and Roll

  21. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj0Rz-uP4Mk&feature=kp Elvis Presley

  22. Counter Culture Beatniks

  23. Jack Kerouac introduced the phrase "Beat Generation" in 1948, generalizing from his social circle to characterize the underground, anti-conformist youth gathering in New York

  24. The movement eventually becomes centralized in San Francisco.

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