Culture of the 1950s
End of World War II
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As WWII came to an end with VE
Day on May 8, 1945 and VJ Day
on Sept. 2, 1945, U.S. soldiers
began returning home.
GI Bill - Created June 24, 1944
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To help soldiers returning home
after their service, the U.S.
government created the GI Bill
to help ease soldiers back into
everyday life.
Veterans were given monthly
stipend for higher education.
College education became an
expectation for children of
those who earned a college
degree from the GI Bill.
Suburbia
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The GI Bill also helped
veterans in other ways.
Four million veterans bought
homes with low interest
government loans.
Many moved to the outskirts of
the cities into the suburbs.
New houses created a record
demand for goods and
services which fueled the
economy.
Families could now afford a
house, cars, household
appliances, and a TV!
Families were living the
“American Dream.”
Television
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For the first time in history,
almost every 1950s family in
the U.S. owned a TV.
In 1952, TV Guide outsold
every other magazine.
The TV Dinner was introduced
in 1954 and altered America’s
eating habits.
TV became the center of
consumer culture.
Figure 27.3: The Television
Revolution, 1950–1994
Television Shows
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Shows like Leave it to Beaver, and I love
Lucy portrayed a perfect family life and
not the reality of everyday homes.
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Moms were always dressed up while
doing domestic chores.
Children were adventurous but obedient.
Dads never worked late, never lost their
temper, and knew all the right answers.
TV Westerns
Kitchen & Household Appliances
Electric stove
 Refrigerator/freezer
 Toaster
 Microwave
 Blender
 Washing machine
 Vacuum cleaner
 Sewing machine
 Dish Washer
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Popular Brands
 General Electric
 Hoover
 Whirlpool
Disney’s Carousel of Progress
Consumerism and Advertising
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Appliances, automobiles, and homes were marketed to consumers
both on television and in magazines.
Credit card companies encouraged “keeping up with the Jones’s”
by promoting buying on credit.
Booming Economy
Interstate Highways
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When General Eisenhower was fighting WWII in Germany, he saw the
success and military defense capability of the Autobahn.
As president of the U.S., he authorized the Federal-Aid Highway Act of
1956 which built an interstate highway system across the United States.
As of 2006, it has a total length of 46,876 miles. About one-third of all
miles driven in the country use the Interstate system. The cost of
construction has been estimated at $425 billion (in 2006), making it the
largest public works project in history.
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Odd numbered highways run North-South (I-5 on Pacific Coast, I-15, to I-95
on Atlantic Coast) while even numbered highways run East-West (I-10 in
Texas, I-20, to I-90 in North Dakota).
Fast Food
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Rise of franchises like
McDonald’s appealed to the
nation’s sense of conformity.
Consumers could eat the
same meal in their home
town as they could while
vacationing.
Families began to eat out
more often as their affluence
increased.
Sunbelt Migration
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With the addition of air conditioning units
for homes and public buildings, many
people moved to southern states where
temperatures are warmer.
Immigration from colder climates and
from Mexico also influenced the culture of
the Sunbelt states
Baby BOOM!
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Rapid domestic growth also lead to a baby
boom and expanding suburbanization.
In 1957, an American baby was born
every 10 seconds!
Why?
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More men in society due to end of WWII.
GI bill allows men to start a family. Married at a
younger age than their parents (1 in 3 women
married by age 19)
Medical science improved increasing the survival
rate of babies.
Prosperous economy encouraged parents to have
babies sooner (less likely to lose a job and not be
able to support a family).
Families
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The second best selling book behind
the Bible in 1946 was Dr. Spock’s
Common Sense Book of Baby and
Child Care.
He urged mothers to not work
outside the home, comfort crying
babies so that they wouldn’t feel
rejected, and encouraged less
spanking and scolding to create a
“democratic” family.
Role of middle class women
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Popular culture glorified marriage and
parenthood more than any other era.
Women were told to be “helpmates” to their
husband’s and full time mothers to their
children.
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Working women were called “a menace”
(Esquire)
The ideal wife was married at 16, raised 4
children, cooked and sewed, headed the PTA
and exercised to keep her figure. (Life)
Women’s roles continued…
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Education continued the “gender roles” trend.
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Girls learned typing and cooking while boys
took carpentry and business courses.
Guidance counselors cautioned women to not
“miss the boat” of marriage by pursuing higher
education.
2/3 of college women failed to get a degree.
Common joke was that they dropped out to get
their M.R.S. degree or their Ph. T (Putting
Hubby Through)
We’ve come a long way…
or have we??