Looking at America in the 1950's 

Business & the Economy

     The 1950's were a time of significant prosperity in American business. At this time, the American economy was the strongest in the world. By the end of the 1950's America's gross national product (an indicator of the nation's income) had grown to $482.7 billion. This success was not restricted to within the US borders, in fact, US-made products were highly sought after in many foreign markets. US exports of automobiles, furniture, and electronics boosted the country's exports to a new high.General Motors was a thriving American company whose products were respected globally. During this time, the federal government played a large role in the business and economy.

Education

The 1950s brought increased involvement in education by the government. State and local school boards demanded increased federal funding to meet the teacher and school shortages. In 1950 there were 166,473 existing elementary and secondary schools to educate over twenty-nine million students. At this time many babyboomers were enrolling in schools.

Fashion

     The 1950’s was an age of simplicity and conformity in the most complex way possible. Women’s fashions were ever-changing yet remained somewhat the same. Fashions accentuated the female body, and was tight, flattering, extravagant, yet simple looking. The hourglass shape was popular and clothing was often padded in areas to emphasize curves. Daywear was simple ad flowing, but at night, the true style of the 50’s came out. Tight, romantic sequined gowns in exotic hues and fabrics were popular night clothes for women. Men on the other hand, were in an age of conformity. Businessmen all wore the same grey suit with a blue or white collared shirt, a neatly tied tie, and a coat. Men almost always sported crew cuts, or something close to that. Of course, these were only work clothes – out of work, styles went crazy, from plaid shorts to crazy jackets. Men’s fashions did not undergo much change in the 50’s because due to the whole idea of conformity, fashions were not a big deal at all to men. Teen’s styles were very different than adult fashions. Boys sported a simple jean and t-shirt, while girls enjoyed tight, fitted tops and poodle skirts. These iconic fashions were all huge back then, and reflect the calm, simple way of life in the 50’s.

Film &  Theatre

     During the 50's the television emerged as an affordable form of entertainment available in the luxury of one's home. Because of this television revolution, fewer and fewer people were going to the movies. Ticket sales dropped drastically which forced the film companies to come up with new tactics to lure people away from their tv.s. These included 3-D and widescreen pictures. However, as the film industry woes continued, many movie actors transferred to star on t.v shows.

     Notable movie to emerge from the 50's include Godzilla , The Day the Earth Stood Still, North By Northwest (directed by Alfred Hitchcock)

Food &  Drink

     McDonalds was created in 1948 and offered a simple menu of burgers, milk shakes, and French fries. The idea behind opening franchises was to give people the opportunity to buy the same food in every restaurant. It was a breakthrough because it was affordable.  After the success of McDonalds, competition began to form, including Burger King.

Food was becoming more work-friendly because of the opening of fast food franchises and the creation of frozen meals and pre-prepared meals. These meals were known as TV Dinners.

The “cool” thing to do in the 1950s as a teenager was to hang out at the local McDonald’s or similar restaurants. Many different resources agree that hamburgers and French fries were the food of the decade.

Print Culture

      Having to compete with television and radio, newspapers were still the primary source for information for most Americans. Advertising revenues for newspapers and magazines increased, but their profits decreased due to the increase in production and distribution costs. Profit margins went down because of costs that were invested in new technology. By 1959 the number of daily newspapers declined by two percent from that of 1949.

     In 1954 newspaper vending machines first appear. In this same year Sports Illustrated first appeared and even today it is still a widely popular magazine. One year later the conservative political magazine, National Review, debuted.

Sports

     In the 1950’s many sports lost popularity and had to endure scandals. The skills of professionals were expected from amateurs and even children. Baseball was still the most popular and most played sport.

Music

The music of the 1950’s was new. The music of the 50’s was extreme. The music of the 50’s – was rock ‘n’ roll. According to famous musician Ray Charles, “when they get a couple of guitars together with a backbeat, that's rock and roll.” Rock was a mix of blues, rhythm, and pop. It was a way to stand out in an age of conformity, to express one’s inner feelings, and to rebel against standards of the past. Famous rockers included none other than the King of Rock, Elvis Presley, as well as Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and more. Rock was more than just music though – it was a pathway away from segregation. It was a vehicle to connect people of different races, genders, and ages. Rock ‘n’ roll was loud and differed greatly from the old styles of music. An artists fame came not from talent, but from “soul,” of how they could reflect their feelings in their music. Rock and Roll was one of the greatest inventions in the 50’s, and perfectly demonstrated how even in an age of seeming simplicity and conformity, the American people were striving to get ahead and stand out in a crowd.

"The Way We Lived" 

   No extreme breakthroughs were made during the 1950s. Families were stable, and the cities were secure. The US Economy was doing very well and many Americans began earning a lot of money. A highway system that linked all of America’s largest cities was also created which made travelling a lot easier. Car sales also shot up dramatically. 

This decade was also influenced very highly by the youth. Many famous toys were created, including the Frisbee, slinky, hula hoop, and silly putty. Many people began attending amusement parks and rock and roll was invented.

At this time, which was around the time of the Cold War, Americans began to fear war and began building bomb shelters near their homes. There was also a rise in fear of communism in the US. American women also began to become unsatisfied with their domestic roles as housewives and began working outside the home. Birth control and PlayBoy were invented. African Americans also began to protest discrimination. 

Government & Politics

In the 50's, The United States was still in the middle of the Cold War, which was basically a War against the Soviet Union. This influenced a new Red Scare, which many people will agree was largely initiated by Joseph McCarthey. McCarthey was a Senator from Wisconson. In order to gain power, he accused over 200 employees of the US  State Department of either being or sympathizing with communists. However, after a series of televised hearings, the public turned against McCarthey. Other big happenings in politics include possibilities of nuclear war, the Korean war, and the launching of Sputnik, a Soviet satellite and the first man-made satellite to get into orbit.

Law &  Justice

Racism was also beginning to be questioned in the 50's, a large case being the Emmet Till case, which was about a young 14-year-old African American boy from Chicago who had gone down to Mississippi to visit relatives, and who had been lynched by a group of local white males. The court hearing was extremely biased, and after an hour, the jury (who just so happened to be composed of all white males) declared the defendants not guilty. Till's murder became hugely controversial and was a big push towards working for Civil Rights. Also, as mentioned in the last section, The Red scare was a big deal, and created a lot of tension in the courts, and many people were put away for close to no reason. Alger Hiss was one man affected by the Red Scare.  Hiss was a high ranking government official who was accused of being a communist spy, and whose reputation has never truly recovered.

Religion

     In the 1950’s religion flourished. Books with religious themes became BestSellers. The Revised Standard Version Bible sold over 3 million copies. Politicians emphasized with the importance of Religion and the controversial words “Under God,” were added to the Pledge of Allegiance. The national motto also became “In God We Trust.” At the end of the decade it was noted that 63.6% of the population was associated with a religious group.  

     At the same time different sects of Christianity and other religions were feuding. Protestants and Roman Catholics had differences and there were occasional outbreaks of Anti-Semitism, such as the bombing of the temple in Atlanta during the civil rights movement.

General Facts about President Eisenhower 

Where I Lived:

• Abilene, Kansas
• Website:   White House Offical Biography

                          The Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum Research (All About Ike)

Date of Birth:

• October 14, 1890 in Denison,TX

Date of Death:

• March 26, 1969 in Gettysburg, PA

Political Views:

• I believe in the moderate Republican views of "Modern Republicanism"

Religious Views:

•  I am a follower of the Presbyterian church. 

Years Served as President:

• January 20, 1953-January 20, 1961

Occupations:

• Soldier, Army General, Chief of Staff of the US Army, President of Columbia University, US President

Interests/Hobbies:

• Photography
• Camping
• Bridge
• Painting
• Cooking
• Poker

Education:

Friends:

• Sherman Adams

• Richard Nixon

• Charles Wilson

• George Humphrey

Sports:

• Football

• Baseball

• Boxing

• Golf

• Fishing

• Hunting

• Horseback Riding

During my stint as president, the political, social and economic factors and challenges that I had to deal with (at home) included:

Political

• Getting re-elected

• Had to deal with the "Dump Nixon" campaign

Social

•  Supreme Court reversed the 1896 decision of allowing the segregation of schools.

Economic

• Broke a steel strike using former President Harry S. Truman’s tactic.

• Economic Recession in 1957.

• Decided military overspending was not an effective way of guaranteeing the nation’s defense capacity.

During my stint as president, the political, social and economic factors and challenges that I had to deal with (abroad) included:

Political

• U2 Crisis: A conference was scheduled to improve relations between the USSR and the USA, however, a few weeks before this was scheduled to take place, an American spy plane was captured in the airspace of the USSR. At first Eisenhower denied the spy plane, but the Soviet's provided evidence in the form of film and the pilot himself. The summit was cancelled.

• Nuclear Weaponry - after the drooping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both the Soviet Union and the USA began to develop stronger nuclear weapons, such as the Hyrdogen Bomb. In 1949 the Soviets dropped their wn atomic bomb, and in the 1950's, it seemed the the Soviet Union and USA  could go to war with nuclear weaponry.

• Fear swept over America in 1957 when the Soviets launched Sputnik into orbit, making the Soviets to first to launch a human-made satellite. It was now clear the Soviets were not too far behind in terms of technology and military. I  tried to reassure the american people, saying "does not raise my apprehensions, not one iota. I see nothing at this moment, at this stage of development, that is significant in that development as far as security is concerned." Sadly, not too many were reassured - a Soviet satellite was flying over the US, and nobody knew what it was carrying.
• After years of fighting in Korea, an armistice was signed, though neither side of the conflict was truly victorious.

Social

• Ending the lingering Korean crisis through truce talks in the aftermath of Joseph Stalin's death

• "Atoms for Peace" speech delivered at United Nations stating the necessity for nuclear research for peace-making purposes

• Dealing with the French forces fighting with indigenous Communists in Indochina. Eisenhower feared that a Communist victory would spark a surge of Communist uprising in neighboring countries.

• He was involved in SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) to subdue the expansion of Communist ideas emerging from North Vietnam and China

• Hungarian Uprising after Stalin's death

Economic

• Ensuring American control of the Middle Eastern oil revenues and denying Mohammad Mossadeq the ability to nationalize oil fields and refineries

•  

  Suez Crisis- Egyptian president, Gamal Abdel Nasser, had acted to nationalize the Suez Canal which would deny Europeans any supervision of the canal. This would have serious economic implications on the US

   

• Authorization of the construction of the St. Lawerence Seaway

Looking back at my presidential career, I had to wear several "hats."  Wearing these different "hats," these were my most significant achievements and failures:

Commander-in-Chief

 As Commander in Chief I urged the government to stay out of state policies

Chief Executive

As I reflect I remember all the vast new bureaucracies I created such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Chief Diplomat

On 5 January 1957, I announced that "the United States would use military force to defend the independence and territorial integrity of Middle Eastern states against communist aggression. Congress voted its approval two months later." (Esisenhower Doctrine). As Chief Diplomat, I  am both a National spokesperson as well as a World Leader. It is my duty to promote the ideas of America and represent the Nation, and I'm quite lucky in how the Congress does not fight against me like many other Presidents.

Ceremonial Head of State

To better connect with the American people, I threw the Ceremonial First Pitch at Griffith Stadium every year from 1953 to 1960.

Manager of the Economy 

I suggested that national security costs to be put against their economic effects on the nation. Due to this I made my secretary of treasury and budget director both members of the National Security Council.

Party Leader

Though I admit I am a weak leader, I am the Republican Party leader. I created solid links to Capitol Hill to build cooperation between my cabinet and staff.

National Leader

While I was president, I tried my hardest to set a good example for the rest of the country. If there's one thing I want the American people to do, it is to be more accepting an peaceful. That is why during my terms as President, I worked hard to end segregation, and even ordered it in the military. Also, I worked with other nations around the world to try to prevent any more war.

Favorite Quote About Me by a Famous Historian:

"Only a handful of men---Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Churchill, Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, and perhaps one or two more---had a greater role than he did in shaping the world of the mid-twentieth century." ---Stephen Ambrose

“If Wellington epitomizes the English gentleman, Eisenhower epitomizes the natural American gentleman.” – John Keegan

Other Favorites:

Favorite Foods:

Roast Stuffed Breast of Veal

Chicken Noodle Soup

English Rice Pudding

Favorite Flower:

Carnations

Favorite Books:

The Bible

Western Novels

Shakespeare

Positive Political Cartoon

Notice the order of the documents: GOP, then Domestic issues, then foreign issues. Many have praised Eisenhower for being so concerned about American foreign policy during a time where Communism was considered to have a "Domino effect" over countries

Negative Political Cartoon

Eisenhower is depicted as a by-standing firefighter watching a house go down in flames. The artist seeks to draw to attention to Eisenhower's passive leadership on the issue of the Civil Rights crisis.

Guiding Question Answer:

The Inaugural Address is a good tool when it comes to determining a president's plans, leadership style, and vision for the country: 

(10.30-12.57)

Notes:

• "We the people elect leaders not to rule, but to serve" 
• a nod toward the destructive potential of nuclear weapons
• very foreign-policy oriented
• lay the foundation for the passive leadership style that Eisenhower thought necessary for fostering peace

When considering the impact a single individual can have on the path of a nation, it is helpful to analyze specific examples. Through this lens, we look at America in the 1950's and it's leader, President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In America,  the 1950's market the beginning of the "baby boom". As more and more families began to see their soldiers return from war, an age of prosperity began and America adjusted to lifestyles, business, and culture in a time of peace. On the home front, change was abundant. Cars revolutionized the way Americans through about travel. Even the music of this era is very indicative of a "happy-go-lucky" mindset that many Americans had. With this wealth of post-war gaiety, President Eisenhower had very little impact on America. He ensured the economy was operating at a peace-time capacity and applauded the productivity of Americans saying it was the, "envy of the world"(Inaugural Address). However, he did steer America's foreign policy with much more of a stern hand....

The emergence of Communism created a fragile environment in which Eisenhower had to work. He believed that a rise of Communism in any given country would yield a "Domino effect" in surrounding countries. There was definite fear in America about this possibility, so one can argue that Eisenhower was instrumental in de-escalating the situation and providing peace of mind to Americans.

Another aspect of Eisenhower's leadership that cannot be overlooked is his genuinely likable personality. He presented himself as a trustworthy figurehead who sought to make the people happy. However, some may argue he failed to take definitive action for fear of losing public approval.

We believe that in the 1950s, the culture influenced America more than President Eisenhower influenced it. The 1950s was a time of change in America in terms of culture after the war. Americans began enjoying themselves more than before. Teenagers act like their age and everyone is having a good time.