Nation in Trasition (1950s-1963)

Economics

Prosperity

Good times

white collar jobs

Office jobs

"suburban ideal"

The house

The car

The american dream family

the picket fence

consumerism

The us start buying from other nations.

The U.S changes to a production nation to a consumer nation.

reliance on foreign oil

Buying oil from other countries because of the need for oil for cars.

Domestic Devlopments

Interstate Highway System

designed to make it easier for suburbanites to commute to and from cities

Allowed people to work far from home

Advances in Medicine

antibiotics and vaccines

first full body xray

can do open heart surgery

Impact of Television/Mass Media

American Home

The TV became the centerpiece of the home

Tells what families were supposed to look like.

Politics

Presidential candidates can go live on radios and tv

Made people more aware of peaceful protesters and racial violences

Economy

Advertising became a huge thing on TV

Baby Boomer Generation

Culture

They are richer and were a more privileged generation

Teenagers

Economy

New customers

controlled large amounts of disposable income earned at part-time jobs

Influence of Automobile

Suburbia

Levittown

Moving from downtown and to the country

Fast Food

The first McDonalds opened in San Bernardino which had drive-in and drive-throughs.

Hotels

Were built when families started having cars to go far places and have a place to rest for a night or two.

Youth Culture

Beatniks

members of a social movement in the mid-20th century, who subscribed to an anti-materialistic lifestyle

Jack Kerouac introduced the phrase "Beat Generation"

Pop Music

Big bands started popping up

Helped the rise of teens becoming rebellious

Impact of Tennessee

Sun Studios

played a large role in Elvis Presley's early career

Elvis Presley

encouraging a feeling of youthful rebellion

appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show

B.B. King

established himself as a major figure in the blues music scene

JAX Records

influential in the creation of Southern soul and Memphis soul music.

Jackson, Tennesee

The first rock and roll song