What were most advancements in the 1950's aimed at?

saving the consumer time and money,

eg. gas-powered lawn mower, dishwashers.

What did the new "need" for consumer products lead to?

consumer credit-

companies started offering credit cards (American Express, Visa, Master Card)

What stereotypes did the television encourage?

attitudes of women and minorities

When did the National Broadcasting begin?

1946

What was happening in music and in Hollywood in the 1950's?

rock 'n' roll - Elvis, the Temptations, Little Richard;

teenagers helped the movie industry to thrive.

Describe Levittown.

it was the first preassembled sprawling suburb

What was the Baby Boom?

1957 - 4.3 million children were born in that year;

because of the baby boom, there was a need for more hospitals, schools and jobs.

What role did automobiles play in the 1950's?

cars became necessary once you lived outside of the cities,

cars were a sign of leisure;

started drive-in movies, drive thru's (McDonalds), highways and street racing.

What type of literature was popular in the 1950's?

more fantastic, unusual ideas.

Describe bomb drills and bomb shelters.

• when the USSR first tested the H-bomb, hysteria increased in the US and people thought that we would be attacked;
• we practiced bomb drills , "duck and cover;"
• we build bomb shelters;
• people worried about fallout (the radiation left over from a nuclear blast).

Describe the U-2.

the U-2 was an American Spy Plane that was shot down over Russia;

the pilot of the U-2 was tortured until he admitted that we were spying;

Russia demanded an official apology, we refused at first, but we looked very bad.

What US president was elected in 1952?

President Dwight D. Eisenhower (nickname: Ike)

What was Eisenhower's new idea in foreign policy? And what did the policy create?

Massive retaliation: threatening the use of nuclear weapons to prevent future wars.

Created brinkmanship: the willingness to go to the brink (edge) of war to force the other side to back down.

What year was John Fitzgerald Kennedy elected and what played a large role in his being elected over Richard Nixon?

1960.

The television helped him get elected.

What was JFK's foreign policy?

New Frontier

What did JFK work to improve?

• cities (slums);
• education;
• improve civil rights.

Describe the supreme court case of Gideon v. Wainwright.

1963 - if you cannot afford an attorney, the court will provide you with one.

Describe the supreme court case of Mapp v. Ohio.

1961 - state governments can use evidence against you if illegally obtained.

Describe the supreme court case of Miranda v. Arizona.

1966 - must have constitutional rights read to you if you are going to be interrogated.

Describe the supreme court case of Engel v. Vitale.

1962 - outlaws prayer in public school.

Describe the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

1961 - Castro was in charge of Cuba;

          US gave weapons to anti-Castro Cubans;

          the plan was to have a revolt and get rid

            of Castro - it failed!!

The Bay of Pigs made JFK look weak.

What was the Berlin Wall?

What two countries did it separate?

1961 - because many East Germans were fleeing the country, a wall was built to keep them in.

It separated East and West Germany.

Very repressive.

What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?

1962 - Cuba allowed the Soviet Union to build missile bases (pointed at the US);

JFK ordered a blockade of Cuba;

We almost had a nuclear war, but Soviet Union backed down.

What was happening in Vietnam in 1962?

US sending $ and help to South Vietnam to keep them from becoming communist.

When and where and by whom was JFK assassinated?

Who shot JFK's assassin?

November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas by Lee Harvey Oswald.

Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald as he was being transported to a safer place.