1. American Culture in the 1950s US History Standards: SSUSH21 The student will explain economic growth and its impact on the United States, 1945-1970. a. Describe the baby boom and its impact as shown by Levittown and the Interstate Highway Act. b. Describe the impact television has had on American culture; include the presidential debates (Kennedy/Nixon,1960) and news coverage of the Civil Rights Movement. c. Analyze the impact of technology on American life.

2. The Interstate Highway System http://www.history.com/shows/modern-marvels/videos/keep-it-moving#keep-it-moving

3. Facts about the Interstate Highway System Distance: 46,837 miles Largest public works project in history Cost: Estimated $25 billion over 12 years Total Cost was $114 billion over 35 years Numbering System: – North/South routes have odd numbers – East/West routes have even numbers Why did Eisenhower want to build it? Would be useful in a nuclear attack

4. What were some of the downsides of the Interstate Highway System?

5. Consumer Culture in the 1950s The 1950s witnessed a huge expansion of the middle class with disposable income and a desire for the American dream Americans had access to easy credit and new forms of recreation with which to spend their ample leisure time

6. Examples of Consumer Culture in the 1950s

7. Television in the 1950s

8. In the 1940s, tvs were for rich people By 1960, nearly every American home had one Attendance at movies dropped Advertisers spent $10 billion per year by the mid 1950s In addition to sitcoms, people also watched game shows, televangelists, and sports

9. The Television Revolution, 1950–1994

10. Television in the 1950s

11. The Rise of the Teenager By 1950s middle class youths were expect to finish high school The economic prosperity of the time period allowed more kids to enroll in college Teenagers had more free time and more independence (cars) Generation gap develops between teens and their parents One of the sources of conflict was Rock and Roll – music which blended black rhythm and blues with white bluegrass and country styles to create a new style of music Cleveland DJ Alan Freed called the new style of music Rock and Roll

12. Elvis Presley

13. Teenage Rebellion in Rebel Without a Cause Rebellion among teens was marked with the release of Rebel Without a Cause