1. The Affluent Society 14-2

2. American Abundance 1950’s – a decade of prosperity
People in all income brackets were experiencing a rapid rise in incomes
New business techniques and technology allowed the production of many goods and services which raised the standard of living
People had disposable income and began buying new consumer goods.
Advertising helped fuel the spending spree

3. The Growth of Suburbia Bill Levitt Levittown, NY
Mass Produced hundreds of simple, similar looking homes
affordable, single family homes in the suburbs
2-3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, back and front yard
Many people felt the suburbs would provide a better life for their children

5. The Baby Boom
More than 65 million children were born between
Young couples who put off having kids until after the wars began to have families
GI benefits & Home prices
Popular culture on TV and advertising pushing family life, parenthood and large families

6. Changing Workplace
White collar jobs increased – a job in a field not requiring work clothes, like sales
Blue collar jobs decreased – a worker who performs manual labor
Multinational corporations – a large corporations that had overseas investments
Consumerism dominates the work place
Franchises (a person owns one or more stores of a larger chain of stores), corporations, business growths tremendously
Conformity also dominates the work place and society in how people dressed (fit a standard or authority)

7. started the computer revolution
Scientific Advances
Electronics & Aviation
transistor radio
Computers – ENIAC – made military calculations and the UNIVAC processed business data and
started the computer revolution
Jet airliners
Plastics, lightweight metals, jet engine, affordable travel for the masses
Medical Breakthroughs
Radiation treatments for cancer – chemotherapy
CPR
Pacemakers & artificial heart valves
Blood tests and antibiotics to fight tuberculosis
Vaccine for polio

8. The New Mass Media The rise of TV
Comedy, action, variety shows, quiz shows, sports broadcasts
Adapted from radio
I Love Lucy, The Ed Sullivan Show, The Lone Ranger, Dragnet
Hollywood lost viewers due to the TV
Radio began to feature more music, news, weather, talk shows and sports
Car radios!

9. New Music & Poetry Rock ‘n’ Roll
Born from Rhythm and Blues music, originally known as black music
Elvis Presley becomes the “King of Rock ‘N’ Roll”
Created a new group in society known as ‘teenagers’
United by their music, creates the first generation gap – cultural separation between child and parent

11. The Beat Movement
Highlighted a values gap in 1950’s – poets, writers and artists
Did not support the pop culture movements for its conformity and emptiness
Small, but laid the foundation for the counter culture of the 1960’s.
Jack Kerouac- On the Road
Allen Ginsberg - Howl

12. African American Entertainers
Struggled to find acceptance with a few exceptions
Influenced popular music around the world