1950's Happy Days Essay

Throughout recent history, the fifties proved to be the most interesting to me because not only was it a time of great economic expansion; but it was also known as a period where current citizens and leaders of the United States frowned upon. The “Golden Age” proved to be one of the most outbreaking movements of the industrial age. This period in American history gave citizens of the United States access to a better standard of living, transformed American agriculture, and brought the rise of the suburban nation. Remarkably, the employment rate for women had skyrocketed during the year of 1955 proving that

During the 1950's, the United States experienced great change with the end of World War II, making it difficult to label the busy decade. America was the most powerful nation in the world and it was a time of complacency. The United States accepted two new states, Hawaii and Alaska (www.fifties.com). The science world boomed with new inventions; televisions broadcast nationally; rock n' roll was popular; commercial hotel and fast food chains became common; the car industry exploded; vaccinations for measles and polio were discovered; and birth control pills were introduced (Layman VII). Another event in the 1950’s was the ratification of the 21st Amendment, which limited presidents to two terms in office. The 1950's "baby

During the 1950’s many new cultural, political, and social standards were set that people conformed to. There was a new want for civil and equal rights to women and minorities, including things that seem so common now, like voting, and going to public schools. These are things that we do everyday now that many people were not allowed to do back then. Our political leaders saw this want for rights during this time period, and used that to their advantage. Many of them campaigned for equal rights and cultural and societal reform. Because of this during the 1950’s our country was changed forever, in a way that would benefit us still today. There were many problems along the way though, and although it was a bumpy road it’s a trip our country will

Back in 1950, most people lived in an urban city. Now, more than half of the United States population lives in the suburbs. (Doc. 2) People aren’t as friendly and outgoing as they were back then. In the 1950’s, everyone was friends with everyone. We don’t have as many neighborhood shops today. They can’t compete with the big chain stores and restaurants. (Doc. 3)

The 1950s was a huge time of change in the world. After World War ll, a record breaking 4 million babies were born each year, this time period became known as the Baby Boom. This rise in population was well needed, there was tons of factories made during the war that needed employees. The 1950s not only changed population, but it changed

The 1960’s was and important time in American history. Television became popular. John F. Kennedy was inaugurated as president and a few years later was assassinated. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was introduced. The psychedelic movement 1960’s. The Vietnam War. Despite all the things that was happening in the 1960’s it was still a great and bad time of that era.

The 1950’s was a time of great social change. The word, ‘teen-ager’ was recently coined and applied to people aged thirteen to nineteen. During this decade, people’s perception of youth and adolescents drastically changed as children became more rebellious. Previous to 1950. society consisted of two main stages of human development: children and adults. When the Baby Boom started in 1946, producing more babies, a new era of music, attitudes, practices, and dance began to appeal to kids that did not feel socially accepted by adults in society. This was the start of the teenage rebellion. With increased teenager presence came more disapproval because of rebellious behaviour. Teenagers were pitted against media, parents, and local authority. Teenagers started disobeying parents, getting expelled from school, and fighting back against authority. Indeed, the ‘50s were a time that saw upheavals towards the impact of the music, change of attitudes, new fashions, and new dances developed children into teenagers.

The fifties and sixties were completely different in so many ways; the times had changed a lot in the transition of decades. The types of music, for one, were in great contrast. By the sixties the rock-'n'-roll and pelvic thrusting of the fifties had transformed into the pop, rock and folk music of the likes of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. Teenagers changed a lot over the two decades a lot, too. The tight pant, leather jacket bodgies, with their greased hair, and the widgies, with their rope petticoats and flared dresses, were replaced by the teenagers of the Psychedelic era. These teenagers preferred the swirled shapes and bright colours, with their newly found mini-skirts, and for the guys it was paisley shirts.

The 1950s was a time of prosperity for many Americans. During this time the Cold War was occurring in which the threat of a nuclear bomb attack was looming over America and in addition, The Space Race against the Soviet Union was also occurring. The economy of America was doing well due to the amount of money that people had saved up during World War II and also because of the money that veterans were receiving from the government known as the GI Bill. Another booming thing that was occurring during the 1950s was the rate at which families were growing. Many people believed that they could not be happy if they were single and were also wanting to get married young so that they could avoid the “evils” of premarital sex. The booming economy

Perhaps the greatest controversy was rock and roll music and the splash of a new talent who was hated by most parents of the time...”Elvis Presley”. The 50’s were happiest when compared to the 1930’s great depression, 1940’s and World War, the social strife of the 1960’s and the pure indifference of the 1970’s.

The 50s are not totally “ happy” days. In American history the 1950s, was an era of war. T.V. shows were made, showing early childhood experiences in 1950s. These shows leave viewers with historical facts from the past. Not everyone was happy, a group of civilians and nonconformists pointed out the flaws in a suburb they believed had no moral, a government that was viciously with power. A lifestyle they believed was fundamentally repressed. America was still segregated. Regardless, the approach of the 1950s, these were unhappy days. Consistently measured against the Great Depression of the 1930s, the world war of the 1940s, the warfare of the 1960s, and the despair of the 1970s, the 1950s was a well known era.

This class will detail the effects of rock ‘n’ roll on the American society during the 1960s and how it shattered the 1950s “Good Ole Days” stereotype. This class will also address adolescents of the 1950s, how they set the stage for rock ‘n’ roll to make its appearance, and what made the people of the

As mentioned earlier, during the 1950s people were more likely to compare themselves to their neighbors and community. There was limited forms of media that everyone saw on a mass scale so most class groups would read or watch the same movies, books, etc. People would look out their

Welcome to an era filled with sock-hops, diners, and poodle skirts. But that's not all! Arguably the most important aspect of the 1950's was that it was also a time filled with the newly evolved genre of "rock 'n' roll", a type of music that resulted from a combination of rhythm and blues, gospel music, country, and jazz. Rock and roll completely revolutionized musical tastes and essentially changed the world, especially among the youth. Suddenly all across the nation, teenagers were able to listen to this new music and rebel from their parents in ways that they never could before.

The 1950’s were considered to be a time where life was full of bliss, who wouldn’t want to be untroubled? Life in the 1950’s was simple and structured, and now it seems as though the “Happy days” have disappeared. The 1950’s are considered “The Happy Days” because life was so well put together back then and now, it seems, it has all fallen apart. The 1950 TV shows, like Leave it to Beaver, has the American society believing that life was “perfect”. Seeing the shows makes one imagine that the family life was splendid, the style was flawless and modest, everyone got along, neighbors were friendly, and that the changes happening were for the best. In a way that was very true. People in the society knew their place; In a typical 1950’s family, the father and mother had specific roles they had to fulfill, and even the children had certain responsibilities. The men were the head of the household and usually worked to provide for the family. The women of the 1950’s society were stay at home moms, occasionally working a job as teachers or nurses. Men and women of that time were well mannered, clean, and classy. When the man and woman walked down the street, the man would walk on the outside or the road side to protect the woman from traffic. Men would also tip there hats as a kind gesture when they walked past a woman. Life just seemed to be in place in the 1950’s, yes, it wasn’t perfect, but it seemed much more put together than what society is like now.