1. AMERICA IN THE FIFTIES

2. CHANGES IN THE WORKPLACE
1950’s: Rapid economic expansion after WWII
So What?
Majority of Americans in “White-collar” jobs
Businesses on the rise:
Advertising
Sales
Insurance
Communications
Expanding businesses:
“Conglomerates”: Define
Why were conglomerates growing?
Examples?
General Electric
Xerox
“Franchises”: Define
Why were franchises growing?
McDonald’s

3. POST-WWII CONGLOMERATES

4. Original Large-Scale Copier

5. Early GE Data Control Room

7. EARLY FRANCHISE

9. U.S. Fast-Food Distribution

10. CHANGES IN LIFESTYLE Social Conformity: More important in the 50’s
Why did they want everyone to be the same?
White-collar businesses wanted employees who were going to conform
They wanted “Company people”
They wanted people to “fit in” to company
Effect?
Companies reward conformity
Individuals are encouraged to conform and control their own individuality

11. SUBURBAN DAILY LIFE Large-scale exodus from urban to suburban areas
Why were people leaving the cities?
Baby Boom: desire to raise families in affordable areas
Growth of the auto industry
New highway networks
Surburbs offered “safe”, “healthy” environments for children, families
What’s new?
New homes
New schools
New conveniences: household appliances, etc.
New distractions: “automania”, TV shows
New leisure activities: sports, recreational activities

12. Interstate Highway Act, 1956

13. THE BABY BOOM When? 1946-64 Why? How big was it: Example:
Families started/reunited after WW II
New economic prosperity
“Affordability” of marriage
Medical advances: Examples?
DR. JONAS SALK: Polio vaccine
How big was it: Example:
1957: 1 birth every 7 seconds
Total #, 1957: 4,254,784 births
Philosophy: Family life revolved around the children
DR. SPOCK: Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care
Spock’s philosophy: Be lenient w/children
Examples:
Never spank your child
Never scold your child
Family meetings to allow children to express themselves
IS THIS A PROBLEM?

14. U.S. GENERATIONS, 1946-1994 1911-24: THE GREATEST GENERATION
: THE SILENT GENERATION
: THE BABY BOOMERS
: GENERATION X
’s: THE ECHO BOOMERS
Questions:
Why do you think generations are often given names?

15. U.S. BIRTHRATE

16. U.S. GENERATIONS

20. DR. BENJAMIN SPOCK

22. DR. JONAS SALK

23. WOMEN’S ROLES 50’s: Very limited Narrowly defined role:
Child rearing
Social / emotional support for husband
Very little chance for any “career”
Little encouragement to pursue goals
Mid-50’s: 1/5 of suburban wives were dissatisfied w/their lives
1960: 40% of women w/children between ages 6-17 held jobs; problem?
Yes
No real chance for advancement

24. CONSUMERISM DEFINE: WHY? New economic prosperity; people had $
New suburban lifestyle allowed “luxuries”
Americans wanted to be consumers
Growth of personal “credit”
1950: DINER’S CLUB – 1st credit card
1958: AMERICAN EXPRESS credit card company starts
Problem?
Personal debt grows in the 50’s
GROWS FROM $73 BILLION TO $179 BILLION
Growth of advertising:
Does what?
Creates needs where they don’t really exist
New products / industries encourage spending:
Home appliances
Cars
Etc.

25. EARLY TV MODELS

26. EARLY TV MODELS

27. MAJOR POST-WAR TV NETWORKS

28. Watch the following to get an example of life in the fifties:
It was the time of white picket fences and a stay at home mom in a dress. But all this conformity will have consequences in the future. Predict what you think could cause teens, college students and minorities to rebel in the future.