Chapter 26: Culture of the 1950s

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the cultural developments of the 1950s in America, as discussed in Chapter 26.

World Bank

An international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries.

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

An organization created to promote international financial stability and economic growth.

Military industrial complex

The relationship between a nation's military and the defense industry that supplies it.

Eisenhower's farewell address

A speech warning about the dangers of the military industrial complex.

Sputnik

The first artificial Earth satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957.

National Defense Education Act

Legislation that increased funding for education, especially in science and math, in response to Sputnik.

GI Bill

Legislation that provided benefits to returning World War II veterans.

Veterans Administration (VA)

A government agency that provides services and benefits to military veterans.

Baby boom

A significant increase in birth rates following World War II, specifically from 1945 to 1964.

Polio vaccine

A vaccine developed by Jonas Salk in the 1950s that significantly reduced polio cases.

Consumerism

The preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods.

Beat generation

A literary movement of the 1950s characterized by a rejection of conventional values and exploration of alternative forms of expression.

Middle class values

The set of beliefs and habits associated with middle class life, often critiqued by the beats.

Leave It to Beaver

A popular television show in the 1950s that depicted a white middle-class family.

Father Knows Best

Another television series from the 1950s showcasing traditional family dynamics.

Rock and roll

A genre of popular music that originated in the United States in the late 1940s and became dominant in the 1950s.

Elvis Presley

An influential musician known as the 'King of Rock and Roll'.

FHA (Federal Housing Administration)

A government agency that insures loans made by approved lenders for residential mortgages.

Suburbs

Residential areas on the outskirts of a city where many Americans moved in the 1950s.

White flight

The phenomenon of white residents leaving urban areas for suburban communities.

National Interstate and Defense Highways Act

Legislation that funded the construction of an extensive highway system across the United States.

Sunbelt

A region in the southern United States characterized by a warm climate and economic growth.

Levittown

The first mass-produced suburb in the United States, built by William Levitt.

Urban renewal

Programs aimed at revitalizing deteriorating urban areas, often displacing existing residents.

Kerner Commission

A government commission that reported on race relations and the socio-economic divide in America.

Rebel Without a Cause

A movie that portrayed teenage angst and rebellion in the 1950s.

Jack Kerouac

A prominent writer of the Beat Generation, best known for his book