1. The 1950s - “Anxiety, Alienation, and Social Unrest” “Conservatism, Complacency, and Contentment” OR www.buschistory.net Topic 24

2. The Baby Boom It seems to me that every other young housewife I see is pregnant. --British visitor to America, 1958 1957  1 baby born every 7 seconds

3. More students = more schools

4. Where will the boomers live? What industries will also boom? SUBURBIA Sameness? Conformity?

6. Credit Cards…….Manufacturing…….Debt

7. The Car Culture Car registrations: 1945  25,000,000 1960  60,000,000 Car registrations: 1945  25,000,000 1960  60,000,000 2-family cars doubles from 1951-1958 2-family cars doubles from 1951-1958 1956 Interstate Highway Act  largest public works project in American history largest public works project in American history $32 billion. 41,000 miles of new highways built.

8. Cars, Cars, and Cars Suburbia Shopping Centers Drive In theaters, Diners, Motels Amusement Parks – Disney Land Opened 1955

9. Television 1946  7,000 TV sets in the U. S. 1950  50,000,000 TV sets in the U. S. 1946  7,000 TV sets in the U. S. 1950  50,000,000 TV sets in the U. S. Values and Lessons

10. Teen Culture 1951  A Catcher in the Rye 1951  A Catcher in the Rye The Beats – Jack Kerouac “On the Road” The Beats – Jack Kerouac “On the Road” A Counter Culture resisted conformity A Counter Culture resisted conformity 1955 The Wild One 1953

11. Scientific Advances and more 1951 -- First IBM Mainframe Computer 1951 -- First IBM Mainframe Computer 1953 -- DNA Structure Discovered 1953 -- DNA Structure Discovered 1954 -- Salk Vaccine Tested for Polio 1954 -- Salk Vaccine Tested for Polio 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. Nuclear Power Plant 1957 -- First Commercial U. S. Nuclear Power Plant 1958 -- NASA Created 1958 -- NASA Created 1959 -- Press Conference of the First 7 American Astronauts 1959 -- Press Conference of the First 7 American Astronauts

12. More 50’s images

13. From Eisenhower to JFK In 1961, Eisenhower warned of the military-industrial complex John F. Kennedy beat Richard Nixon in the 1960 elections, winning by only 120,000 votes Kennedy - The Higher Education Act of 1963, Area Redeveloping Act, Manpower Retraining Act, and Peace Corps The New Frontier – Kennedy had plans to stimulate the economy and challenge poverty – Supported Medicare, federal aid to education and urban renewal – Wages were raised from $1 to $1.25 per hour –

14. Cold War under JFK Increased involvement in Vietnam JFK’s views shifted from aggressive containment to making peace between U.S and USSR – Built up American nuclear and conventional weapons system, defensive spending increased dramatically – Covert use of the CIA, sent more advisors, okayed the assassination of Pres. Diem. Due to massive poverty in Latin America, Kennedy established the Alliance for Progress Pledged to land on the Moon.

15. New Years Day 1959- Castro seizes power He turns to Soviet Union after U.S cuts off economic aid – Castro joins the Cuban Communist Party – Sold sugar to Soviets and nationalized American- owned oil companies Eisenhower boycotts Cuba Kennedy takes over Eisenhower’s plan for Cuba, - secretly arming and training wealthy Cuban exiles 1,400 counter- revolutionaries at the Bay of Pigs Castro knew about the invasion and crushed it. Bay of Pigs – April 17, 1961

16. The Cuban Missile Crisis - Oct. 15-28, 1962 After the Bay of Pigs, Castro became concerned about future U.S invasions Asked Soviets for military aid, Khrushchev sent a large amount of weaponry (including nuclear missiles) Kennedy demands removal of missiles and orders a naval blockade of military equipment shipped to Cuba Khrushchev removes missiles in exchange for the acknowledge of Cuban sovereignty and a promise to not invade the island

17. John F. Kennedy Is Assassinated November 22, 1963