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Cultural Changes In The 1950's

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The United States is a country with ever-changing morals, social norms, and ideas. Triggered by significant events such as new laws or wars, the changes that occur usually result in altered attitudes towards existing morals, norms, and ideas. One of the country’s most important changes was the huge cultural shift among young people that took place during the 1960s which had an immense influence on society. The 1950s was a decade most do not pay much mind to due to it typically being seen as untroubled and quiet, although many things both good and bad, were growing under the surface. Sandwiched between the war-ravaged 1940s and the explosive 1960s, the 1950’s was a time of great growth and prosperity in many aspects. It was seen as “the calm before the storm of social chaos that swept over the country in the more contentious 1960s.” It was indeed a time we perceive as innocent, wholesome, and peaceful. The U.S. was recovering from World War II and GIs were coming home. They started new lives in suburban, middle class utopias hoping to achieve the American dream (Shmoop Editorial Team). Veterans reaped the benefits of the GI Bill which helped them return to daily civilian life. Because of a return to normality after years of a depression and war, GIs could go back to school, raise a healthy family, or even start a business. Couples were …show more content…

The differences in their lives were a result of a counterculture movement ignited by significant events such as the Vietnam war and Civil Rights Movement. Although the movement of the 60s is one that had a large impact, there have been countless other movements throughout history that have done the same. Positive effects such as an emphasis on individuality, the ability to challenge tradition, and free thinking are what made the youth of 1960s such a different bunch than those of the decade

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When World War II ended, the United States rejoiced with what they assumed their victory would determine; total peace, the discontinuation of Communism, the return of all the dearly missed soldiers, and greater equality for all, especially in the workplace. Much to the dismay of many citizens at home during the war, these aspirations were not exactly what they expected. In the near short years right after the war, there was much prosperity and many were perfectly content, but in these years, many had difficult times with the changes that occurred after the war. With these rough times came many fears of the conditions of the country, but many of these fears were greatly calmed through the work of the President Eisenhower in the 1950s. In the

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176 Words | 1 Pages

Many historians view the 1950s as an era of prosperity, conformity, and consensus, and view the 1960s as turbulences, protest, and disillusionment. I agree with many historians and their point of view to this era. Socially speaking, although the Civil Rights movement had started roughly around 1954, the 1960s was the period where the Civil Rights movement skyrocket. The 1950s were viewed as a prosperous and conformist for the reason of the development of the suburbs.

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377 Words | 2 Pages

Life in the 1920s and 1950s While some similarities were noticeable between the 1920s and the 1950s, the differences were striking. The 1920s was known as the beginning of modern America. The 1950s was known for its lucrative prosperity and anxiety. Both eras’ were similar in their economics. They differed in politics and society.

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1101 Words | 5 Pages

In Stephanie Coontz article title "What We Really Miss About The 1950s" Sourced by the book "Rereading America" she seeks to provide insight and critical analysis into why the 1950s are so highly esteemed today and why they are so missed. Coontz sees herself as being well equipped as well as suitably verse in the elements that configure the 1900s. She even goes as far as to use a personal experience from her life during that time to give the reader a deeper understanding into the societal norms that made up the 1950s. It is quickly made evident that Coontz takes her work serious and personal. In Coontz's analysis she used a multitude of factors surrounding the struggles as well as the triumphs experienced in the 50s and in doing so she gives a wide range

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1197 Words | 5 Pages

After World War 1, American society was rife with both conflict and opposing ideals. By this same token, traditional Americans had still stubbornly clung to their old puritanical traditions and small town life as manifested in the K.K.K. However, a new generation of Americans had reacted to the Great War with new political doctrines, debatable views of religion, and emerging social and artistic movements. New Heightened tensions had demonstrated how this new generation of Americans had reacted to the Great War. Disputes over religion, politics, and the arts had highlighted the division between modern and traditional Americans.

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After World War II, American society changed dramatically. One change was the GI Bill. This bill provided for veterans after the war. The benefits to this bill was low-cost mortgages, low-interest loans to start a business, cash payments for college, and one year of unemployment compensation. Another change was the population shift.

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958 Words | 4 Pages

The 1960s were a time of revolution and a time of civil rights, movements were being held left to right by very influential political and union leaders. During the 60s there was spectacular change but not all was good. It also kept the nation from turning on each other. Rebellions, wars and threats of nuclear warfare were in the voices of everyone. This was a time of racial and sexual identity.

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David Farber is the author or editor of three additional books on the 1960s and both David Farber and Beth Bailey are professors of American history at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, which suggests that the authors are well-acquainted and knowledgeable on the topic of post-Sputnik American education. It is important to note that because of the date of publication, 2001, Farber and Bailey’s book is a secondary source; which indicates that it offers different perspective, analysis, and conclusion on the 1960s. However, because it is a book published in 2001, is it unknown whether or not the authors had first-hand experience with the topics they were writing about—which could affect their particular school of thought or

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70 million children from the post-war baby boom became teenagers and young adults in the 60s. Under the young and charismatic Kennedy, America was spiralling into an increasing unemployment time where there was more than twice as many people unemployed in 1961 than there was in the 50s. This angered and frustrated youth. The ‘Make Love not War’ slogan became extremely popular, along with their hippie sense of style, drug uses and sexual behaviour. Their actions of turning to peace was due to their anger over the war in Vietnam, racism and the idea of getting well paid jobs.

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“J.F.K., Civil Rights, and the Cold War.” This was how one of my friends responded when I asked her what she thought of when I said, ‘the 1960s’. Indeed, all of these coincided in a time of great social and political turmoil in the United States, and also around the world. Although each is significant, the civil rights movement spearheaded much of the change during this decade and during those to come. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. serves as one of the hallmarks of the civil rights movement that followed the corruption and segregation that was still commonplace in white, Southern Baptist America.

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508 Words | 3 Pages

The 1960s was the beginning of a major cultural shift in the United States. The cultural shift that began in the 1960s is referred to as the 1960s counterculture. Counterculture is defined as “a way of life and set of attitudes opposed to or at variance with the prevailing social norm” (Google). Although it is hard to pinpoint one single thing that created this movement, it is evident that a major catalyst for this tolerant culture that emerged was that of the Woodstock Music Festival in August of 1969.

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1152 Words | 5 Pages

The American Living: Transporting from the year 1940 to 2016 American living has changed tremendously over the past years. Comparing the American living in the 1940’s to the American living to present, there have been great major events that have impacted America. This paper explores those major events and how they have impacted the American living economically, socially, politically and culturally during those eras. After the great depression in the 1930’s, where at least over 14 percent of Americans remained jobless, one important event has impacted the American living in a major way and that was World War II (Tindall, George Brown., and David E. Shi, 2013).

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1545 Words | 7 Pages

The Age of Conformity 1950’s America was a time where medicine, technology and music were becoming more and more advanced. From the manufacturing of cars, to the birth of corny sitcoms, America was very quickly becoming more futuristic. Looking back at the 1950s, it is easy to look over the years and notice the positive aspects of the developing decade, but if one takes a closer look, it wasn’t as perfect as it seemed. Teenage gangs were at an all time high as the new sounds of rock and roll encouraged violence, a war between Russia and the US was brewing and media influence was encouraging conformity rather than individualism.

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878 Words | 4 Pages

I believe that this question will cover the main points of the article, which are the changes happening in the 1950s in terms of social and economic aspects. The changes in 1950s were positive as compared to the decades before it, which is the Great Depression following with the instability of post-World War II. Moreover, it inspires my peers to talk about the difference between the 1950s and now, and how the differences contribute to people’s nostalgia for the 1950s as a better time. For example, while there may be social problems such as teen pregnancy and lower education, these problems were not serious since teenagers got married before the child was born, and men could get jobs that paid well even with high school or lower education.

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593 Words | 3 Pages

What We Really Miss About The 1950s In her essay, “What We Really Miss About the 1950s”, Stephany Coontz talks about the myth of the 1950s. She begins her argument by stating some reasons why the nostalgia for the 1950s exists. The main thing Americans miss about the those days is the stability. She acknowledges that this fallacy is not insane.

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