Prosperity and Change Objective: Summarize changes in American life during the 1950s.

Consumer Society Economy grew rapidly Economy grew rapidly High standard of living – higher economic comfort due to affluence (greater wealth) High standard of living – higher economic comfort due to affluence (greater wealth) More products to choose from; many purchased on credit More products to choose from; many purchased on credit Market for cars was growing; automakers tried to outdo each other with bigger, faster, and flashier cars Market for cars was growing; automakers tried to outdo each other with bigger, faster, and flashier cars

TV and American Culture 1949 – more than 900,000 households had tvs 1949 – more than 900,000 households had tvs Small screens and grainy black-and-white pictures Small screens and grainy black-and-white pictures 6.5 million sets were made each year in the 1950s 6.5 million sets were made each year in the 1950s Television becomes the main source of entertainment; Movie attendance dropped as people stayed home and watched television Television becomes the main source of entertainment; Movie attendance dropped as people stayed home and watched television

Rock ‘n’ Roll Grew from the rhythm- and-blues music Grew from the rhythm- and-blues music Elvis Presley becomes an idol to millions of Americans Elvis Presley becomes an idol to millions of Americans

Medical Advances Antibiotics and vaccines helped control diseases Antibiotics and vaccines helped control diseases First safe and effective vaccine to fight Polio – a disease that could leave people paralyzed – is developed First safe and effective vaccine to fight Polio – a disease that could leave people paralyzed – is developed 1955 – large number of school children begin receiving vaccine; almost completely eliminates Polio 1955 – large number of school children begin receiving vaccine; almost completely eliminates Polio

Expanding Suburbs More housing needed following WWII More housing needed following WWII Homes built in planned communities outside of the big cities – suburbs Homes built in planned communities outside of the big cities – suburbs Levittown – used assembly line techniques to build mass produced houses that were so cheap many people could afford to buy them Levittown – used assembly line techniques to build mass produced houses that were so cheap many people could afford to buy them Builders often would not sell to minorities Builders often would not sell to minorities

Problems Technology helped economy to grow; computers are created Technology helped economy to grow; computers are created More than 1 in 5 people lived in poverty More than 1 in 5 people lived in poverty Small farms could not keep up with large farms using new technologies to grow food Small farms could not keep up with large farms using new technologies to grow food Coal industry not doing well Coal industry not doing well Many people moved out of the cities to the suburbs; this left the poor behind Many people moved out of the cities to the suburbs; this left the poor behind

African Americans and Latinos moved to the cities looking for work; few good jobs in the cities for the poor African Americans and Latinos moved to the cities looking for work; few good jobs in the cities for the poor Factories moved to the suburbs and hired fewer people because of new technologies Factories moved to the suburbs and hired fewer people because of new technologies Discrimination, crime, and violence were problems Discrimination, crime, and violence were problems

Social Critics Materialism is criticized (people spend a lot of time and effort collecting money or things) Materialism is criticized (people spend a lot of time and effort collecting money or things) Important problems like poverty were being ignored Important problems like poverty were being ignored

Summary and Activity Why were small farms not doing well? Why were small farms not doing well? How did life in the inner city differ from life in the suburbs during the 1950s? How did life in the inner city differ from life in the suburbs during the 1950s? How did entertainment change during the 1950s? How did entertainment change during the 1950s? Activity suggestions: illustrate how entertainment changed