Life in the 1950s
The 1950s are largely considered ‚happy days.‛ To what extent (economically, socially,
politically) should we consider that to be an accurate statement?
Directions: Use your history textbook (p. 847-863) and the internet to answer the following
questions about the cultural, economic, and social aspects of the 1950s. The final assessment
will be a ‚Tic Tac Toe‛ assignment found on separate sheet.
The Growth of the Suburbs
1. What are the suburbs? Why did suburbs expand in the 1950s?
2. How did the growth of the suburbs help make race relations worse? Use these websites to
answer the question:
a. http://www.detroityes.com/webisodes/2002/8mile/021106-04-8mile-berlin-wall.htm
b. http://detroit1701.org/Black-WhiteWall.htm
Medical Advances
3. What were some of the medical advances of the 1950s?
4. Who was Dr. Benjamin Spock?
What advice did he give parents regarding child rearing?
Women’s Roles
5. How did women’s roles and opportunities in the 1950s differ from women’s roles today?
6. Do you think that life of a typical suburban homemaker during the 1950s was fulfilling or
not? Explain your opinion.
Automobile Culture
7. Why did automobile sales surge in the 1950s?
8. What was the cost of automobiles in the 1950s? (list 3 examples).
9. What was the Interstate Highway Act/system?
10. What positive and negative effects did automobiles have on American life in the 1950s?
Literature: The Beat Movement
11. What was the ‚Beat Movement?‛
12. What were the movement’s chief characteristics?
13. Who were the most famous Beat writers? What were their literary works?
14. Why do you think so many young Americans were attracted to the Beat Movement?
Rise of Television
15. What were some of the most popular show produced during the 1950s?
16. What kinds of subjects (themes) did television tend to present during the 1950s?
17. Who were some of the most popular actors and actresses of the 1950s?
18. What does Newton Minow mean by his statement that TV is a vast wasteland? Do you agree?
Explain.
Music: Rock ‘n’ Roll
19. What were rock’s chief characteristics?
20. Who helped to popularize rock ‘n’ roll?
21. Who were some of the most important and popular rock singers of the 1950s?
22. Based on Elvis Presley’s song titles (Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, Love
Me Tender, etc.) what do you think were teenager’s concerns in the 1950s? What concerns of
the current generation are reflected in today’s popular music?
Slang
23. What were some of the slang expressions of the 1950s? Identify 3.
Fads
24. What were some of the fads/trends of the 1950s? Identify 3.
Fashion
25. What were the fashion styles for males, females, and teens (of both genders) in the 1950s?
Miscellaneous:
Tell me something you didn’t know about the 195os…
26. List 3 facts about the social or cultural aspects of the 1950s that you didn’t know prior
to your study of the topic?
Tic Tac Toe Assignment: Using your textbooks (chapters 26 & 27) and/or the internet (credible
websites, such as school subscribed databases) complete 3 of the following assignments. You must
do the center square.
Create a Poster detailing 3 new
consumer products and/or
businesses of the 1950s.
Create a Political Cartoon on a
fad or popular trend of the
1950s.
Create a Diagram illustrating
experiences of African, Native
Americans and Hispanics during
the 1950s.
Create a Map of Europe and Asia
illustrating which countries
were communist and which were
capitalist. Be sure to label.
Create an Interview for a TV
variety show with a 1950s
singer/musician, athlete (e.g.
Jackie Robinson and Pee Wee
Reese) or movie star.
Create a Chart listing the
causes and effects of
McCarthyism.
Create a Fashion Page for a
newspaper illustrating trends
for men, women, and teens.
Create a Journal with at least
3 entries, as if you were a
teenager during the 1950s.
Include reactions to pop
culture as well as political
and world events.
Create an Advertisement for a
home in a new suburban
community. Include home
amenities, as well as access to
interstate highways, and
remember what kind of person
you are trying to attract to
the neighborhood.
Rubric
Poster –
5: includes info and pictures of 3 consumer
products/businesses. Is well thought out
and organized in a creative manner.
4: Includes information but not pictures
for all 3 consumer products/businesses. Is
well thought out and organized in a
creative manner.
3: Includes some information and a picture
for 2 products/businesses.
1: includes information on 1
product/business.
Map –
5: Includes main places of both sides
Communist/Capitalist
4: Includes some countries/places from both
sides.
3: Is one sided and fails to show countries
listed on one side of the Iron Curtain.
1: includes one country for each side.
Political Cartoon –
5: Includes strong detailed information
about a fad of the 50s
4:Includes strong information on a fad
3: Includes weak information on the fad
1 Includes no pertinent information on the
fad
Chart –
5: Includes
McCarthyism
4: Includes
3: Provides
both.
1: Provides
Diagram –
5: Fully illustrates the similarities and
differences between the groups treatment.
4: attempts to illustrate the similarities
3: provides similarities or differences,
information is not in Venn Diagram (or
comparable) form
Journal –
5: Detailed Journal including strong info
about political/world events and pop
culture
4: Journal including info about
political/world events and pop culture
3: journal only discusses pop culture or
political/world events
1: journal with irrelevant details
complete causes and effects of
some causes and effects.
causes or effects, but not
1 cause and/or 1 effect.
Mock Interview –
5: Includes key information about the life
and accomplishments of the selected
celebrity. Is appropriate to the time
period.
4: Includes information about the life and
accomplishments of the selected celebrity.
Is appropriate to the time period.
3: Fails to include some key points re; the
celebrity. Is not appropriate to the time
period.
1: Includes barely any information about
the celebrity chosen.
Fashion Page –
5: Creates a creative page full of details
on fashion for men, women and teens.
4: Creates a page with some details on
fashion for men, women, and teens.
3: Page only provides information on one
gender. Lacks detail and creativity.
1:Page consists of one outfit with little
or no detail.
Advertisement –
5: Complete advertisement with extremely
relevant and clever details
4: Advertisement fails to include a major
detail
3: Advertisement mentions home without
providing any details.
1: advertisement is vague and absent of any
detail