1950s Context 1950s Context

Rebel Without A CauseRebel Without A Cause

Economic BoomEconomic Boom

The 1950s in the United States of The 1950s in the United States of America were marked with a sharp America were marked with a sharp rise in the economy for the first time rise in the economy for the first time in almost 30 years and return to the in almost 30 years and return to the 1920s-type 1920s-type consumer societyconsumer society built on built on credit and boom-times, as well as the credit and boom-times, as well as the baby boom from returning GIs who baby boom from returning GIs who went to college under the G.I. Bill went to college under the G.I. Bill and settled in suburban America. and settled in suburban America.

The Ideal FamilyThe Ideal Family

Advertising - consumerismAdvertising - consumerism

1950s Homemaker1950s Homemaker

Reduction in Internal ConflictReduction in Internal Conflict

Most of the internal conflicts that had Most of the internal conflicts that had developed in earlier decades like developed in earlier decades like women's rights, civil rights, women's rights, civil rights, imperialism, and war were relatively imperialism, and war were relatively suppressed or neglected during this suppressed or neglected during this time as a world returning from the time as a world returning from the brink hoped to see a more consistent brink hoped to see a more consistent way of lifeway of life

1950s American Family1950s American Family

External conflictExternal conflict

The 1950s were also marked with a The 1950s were also marked with a rapid rise in conflict between the rapid rise in conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union United States and the Soviet Union that would heighten the that would heighten the Cold War to to an unprecedented level which would an unprecedented level which would include the Arms Race, Space Race, include the Arms Race, Space Race, McCarthyism, and Korean War. McCarthyism, and Korean War.

The Cold War – Arms RaceThe Cold War – Arms Race

Developments in ScienceDevelopments in Science

Polio vaccine in 1955. Polio vaccine in 1955. The first organ transplants are done The first organ transplants are done

in Boston and Paris in 1954. in Boston and Paris in 1954. Francis Crick and James D. Watson Francis Crick and James D. Watson

discover the helical structure of DNAdiscover the helical structure of DNA

Rock and RollRock and Roll

Traditional pop music reaches its Traditional pop music reaches its climax; early rock and roll music climax; early rock and roll music (with Elvis Presley in the lead) was (with Elvis Presley in the lead) was embraced by teenagers/youth embraced by teenagers/youth culture while generally dismissed or culture while generally dismissed or condemned by older generations. condemned by older generations.

1950s Culture1950s Culture

Popular television Popular television programs in the programs in the U.S. include U.S. include Texaco Texaco Star, TheaterStar, Theater, , Arthur Godfrey's Arthur Godfrey's Talent ScoutsTalent Scouts, , I I Love LucyLove Lucy, , The The $64,000 Question$64,000 Question, , and and GunsmokeGunsmoke. .

1950s Culture1950s Culture

Brylcreem and Brylcreem and other hair tonics other hair tonics have a period of have a period of popularity popularity

Television replaces Television replaces radio as the radio as the dominant mass dominant mass medium in medium in industrialized industrialized countries countries

DelinquentsDelinquents

Juvenile Juvenile delinquency said to delinquency said to be at be at unprecedented unprecedented epidemic epidemic proportions in USA, proportions in USA, though some see though some see this era as this era as relatively low in relatively low in crime compared to crime compared to today. today.

TeenagersTeenagers

Teenagers would Teenagers would become an become an economic force in economic force in the 1950s. Part the 1950s. Part time jobs would time jobs would fund entertainment fund entertainment purchases purchases

Youth CultureYouth Culture

Teen demand for movies that reflected Teen demand for movies that reflected their outlook on life became a burgeoning their outlook on life became a burgeoning genre in the 1950s. Many were genre in the 1950s. Many were exploitative, sensationalizing the stories exploitative, sensationalizing the stories about juvenile delinquents. However, a about juvenile delinquents. However, a number of films attempted to offer an number of films attempted to offer an insightful portrayal of out-of-control kids insightful portrayal of out-of-control kids from the right side of the tracks, like from the right side of the tracks, like Rebel Rebel Without a CauseWithout a Cause starring James Dean and starring James Dean and Natalie Wood Natalie Wood

1950s Rebellion1950s Rebellion Rebel Without a Rebel Without a

CauseCause (1955) is a film (1955) is a film that sympathetically that sympathetically views rebellious, views rebellious, American, middle-American, middle-class youth. The tale class youth. The tale of youthful defiance of youthful defiance provides a look at the provides a look at the world of the world of the conformist mid-1950s conformist mid-1950s from the perspective from the perspective of the main of the main adolescent male adolescent male charactercharacter

New Young StarsNew Young Stars

Movie StillsMovie Stills

Troubled LivesTroubled Lives

All three leading All three leading stars, who stars, who experienced experienced troubled lives of troubled lives of their own, suffered their own, suffered premature deaths premature deaths under unusual and under unusual and tragic tragic circumstances circumstances