Mass Culture and Family Life
Chapter 19, Section 3
I. The Culture of
Consumerism
A. Americans Spend More
1. Increased Family Income
2. Easy Credit
B. New Conveniences
1. Supermarkets
2. Home Appliances
II. Family Life in the Fifties
A. An Ideal Family
1. Nuclear Family
2. Women as homemakers
B. Revolved Around Children
1. Dr. Benjamin Spock
encouraged nurturing children
2. Parents spend more money
on kids
C. Religion
1. Church attendance rose
2. Dollar bill changed
D. Medical Advances
1. Antibiotics
2. Increased lifespan
III. Television Takes Center Stage
A. Programming reinforced
ideal of the 1950’s family
B. Enforced Mass National
Culture
IV. Rock-and-Roll Shakes the Nation
A. African-American Origins
B. Audience Widens
1. Elvis Presley kicked off the
craze with “Heartbreak
Hotel”
2. Symbol of American
youth culture