The Fifties and Sixties
AP United States History
The 1950’s were a time of phenomenal prosperity for the American people. This increased wealth was
spurred on by pent-up consumer demand, a “baby boom” and the rapid growth of the suburbs. But
beneath the surface of affluence lay a strong current of fear and anxiety. Not too far removed from
the Great Depression, many individuals wondered if this economic growth would last. They also feared
the threat that communism seemed to present both internally (the “commies” would take over the
country) and externally (the Soviets would drop a nuclear bomb.)
In this struggle against the U.S.S.R., many Americans believed that they enjoyed a moral superiority.
However this belief was contradicted by the legal discrimination suffered by African-Americans in
the South. By law they were segregated from whites in schools and public facilities. By law they were
also prevented from voting by poll taxes and literacy tests. These practices were shaken by the
landmark Supreme Court case of “Brown v. Board of Education.” This case would inspire many and led
to the birth of the Civil Rights Movement.
The next decade started with incredible optimism. A young, attractive and energetic president
seemed to be speaking to the new generations of America when he said in his inauguration speech:
Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been
passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this country, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard
and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage…Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill,
that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to
assure the survival and success of liberty.
This statement inspired many Americans to believe that the nation could make a positive change in the
world. This belief was embodied by both Kennedy’s “New Frontier” program and Lyndon B. Johnson’s
“Great Society.”
Unfortunately, this positive outlook would not survive the decade as racial strife, the controversy
over the war in Vietnam and increased student activism began to question commonly held beliefs and
the status quo. The 60’s left the country deeply troubled and questioning its future.
ID’s
Rosa Parks
Desegregation
Baby Boom
Billy Graham
Beatniks
The “Beat “Generation
Birmingham Marches
Great Society
Brown v Board of Education
Jim Crow Laws
Sun Belt
The Feminine Mystique
Little Rock 9
Jack Kerouac
Civil Rights Acts
Students for a Democratic Society
Levittown
Thurgood Marshall
Rust Belt
sit-ins
“rock and roll”
Montgomery Bus boycott
Martin Luther King, Jr.
New Frontier
“Hippies”
Generation Gap
Flower Power
Kent State
Woodstock
Black Power
Textbook references: American Pageant: pages 862-867, 890-897, 902-908, 909-911, 916-927, and
928-937. Zinn, pages 443-462
Monday, April 13: We will introduce the 1950’s by identifying key words from this time period. We
will also start to identify the changes created by the Baby Boomers.
Tuesday, Wednesday, April 14, 15: We will discuss the factors that led to the economic boom
that started during this time, as well as the impact of consumerism on America. This will include a
discussion of the role of teenagers and Females
Thursday, Friday, April 16, 17: We will analyze how the Plessy v Ferguson decision led to the Jim
Crow Laws which made segregation legal in the South. We will describe how the Brown v. Board of
Education would result in the start of the Civil Rights Movement. For Friday: Complete “President
Eisenhower intervenes in Little Rock.”
Monday, Tuesday, April 20, 21: We will discuss the struggles of the Civil Rights movement during
the 1960’s. This will include the Freedom Riders, Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream speech.” and
Selma. For Tuesday: Read Zinn and answer questions.
Wednesday, Thursday, April 22, 23: The Progressivism of Kennedy and Johnson. Evaluate the
success and failure of their respective social programs on America. Did they work to include all
Americans? Did these policies have short-term or long-term affects?
Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, April, 24, 27, 28: The counterculture Sixties and the separation
of the generations. We will investigate the factors that led to the creation of a new group of
politically active individuals.
Wednesday, April 29: Unit Test