The American Dream in the Post-War Era: 1956-1963. (The 1950's)

Rock and Roll

music that grew out of rhythm and blues and that became popular in the 1950. Helped break racial barriers.

Elvis

King of rock and roll and was seen as young fans idle. Parents and Older people didn't like him because of his sexual movements while preforming.

Jonas Salk

Developed the polio vaccine in 1952

Baby Boom

Dramatic rise in birth rates after world war 2. Healthy economy resulted in boom.

Fair Deal

Extension of the new deal. Included a federal health insurance program and funding for education. Congress didn't support it and some things didn't become laws. Created by Truman.

Car

provided a new way for people to travel and was seen as stylish and it led to the creation of jobs.

TV

New way of entertainment for people and helped elect Kennedy for president over Nixon. There were concerns about the violent content of shows for children. People learned about Joseph McCarthy and saw how he had bullying behavior.

James Dean

United States film actor whose moody rebellious roles made him a cult figure (1931-1955)

Beatniks

A United States youth subculture of the 1950s that rebelled against the horrors of middle class life. Focused on art and poetry, and self expression.

housewives

women working, cleaning and preparing for their children and husband. Part of the gender roles post ww2 and led to many protests in the 60's for women.

Sunbelt

states in the south and southwest that have a warm climate and tend to be politically conservative. The air conditioning made it more likely that people would move there.

Levittown

In 1947, William Levitt used mass production techniques to build inexpensive homes in surburban New York to help relieve the postwar housing shortage.

Dr. Spock

Was a 1950's doctor who told the whole baby boom generation how to raise their kids.

GI Bill

- law passed in 1944 to help returning veterans return to civilian life.

- provided money to veterans for education and jobs.

- Helped buy a home, farm, or business.

- Gave veterans unemployment benefits for 1 year, until they found a job.

Sputnik

The world's first space satellite, launched by the Soviet Union in 1957

Interstate highway act

1956 Eisenhower 20 yr plan to build 41,000 miles of highway, largest public works project in history

Bay of Pigs Invasion

It was to invade Cuba because Castro was gaining in victories and communism support and it was to slow him down. New York Times leaked the plan a week before it happened, but Kennedy denied it. Then a strike from the USA a week later failed on Cuba.

New Frontier

Kennedy's plan

- reduced taxes to fight unemployment

- provide federal aid to education

- health care plan for older Americans

- canceled government contracts to buy steel to reduce inflation

- minimum wage from $1 to $1.25

Peace Corps

JFK gets volunteers to help third world nations to prevent the spread of communism by getting rid of poverty in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Flexible Response

This involved strengthening conventional American forces so the nation would have other options than nuclear weapons in times of crisis.

Alliance for progress

Billions of dollars sent to Latin America to build hospitals, schools, roads, low-cost housing, and power plants. Kennedy administration plan. This would give money where in many other cases, money went to communists.

Cuban Missile crisis

Americans called to the invasion of Cuba, but Khrushchev (USSR) didn't like this and sent aids to Cuba. Missiles were ready from multiple countries from the soviets. Kennedy prepared for war. The missiles were aimed at the USA but were turned back. A pledge was sent from the soviets that they would not attack if the USA didn't invade Cuba.

Rachel Carson

United States biologist and activist remembered for her opposition to the use of pesticides (DDT) that were hazardous to wildlife.

Michael Harrington

Author who wrote The Other American. He alerted those in the mainstream to what he saw in the run-down and hidden communities of the country.

JFK

35th President of the United States, people loved him for his speeches and brought hope to the USA. Launched the peace corps and helped in Vietnam. Assassinated in 1963 in Dallas Texas.

Warren Commission

committee that investigated the assassination of President Kennedy

Lee Harvey Oswald

Assassinated JFK

Jack Ruby

Killed Lee Harvey Oswald 2 days after he was arrested for shooting JFK. Ruby, Killed Oswald while he was being transported to prison. Ruby's interaction led people to believe more than one person was involved in the JFK assassination.

Berlin Wall

A wall separating East and West Berlin built by East Germany in 1961 to keep citizens from escaping to the West. Wall fell in 1989.

Jack Kerouac

A key author of the Beat movement who helped define the movement with his books.

McDonalds

added a new type of culture to the USA with new inventions like fast food.

Taft-Hartley Act

This act limited the power in a labor union.

Conformity

Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Dick Clark and Ed Sullivan

Hosts of popular talk shows in this time.

white collar job

a job in a field not requiring work clothes or protective clothing

service sector

The sector of the economy that provides services-such as health care, banking, and education.

Earl Warren

Chief Justice (of Supreme Court) during the 1950's and 1960's and was influential on cases related to individual rights and freedoms.

Baker vs Carr

1962, 1 person equals 1 vote. Changed boundaries to account for population changes.

Mapp vs Ohio

1961, the 4th amendment (requirement for a search warrant) applies to state and local police.

Gideon vs Wainwright

1963, states must provide free lawyers to poor people for crimes.

Engel vs Vitale

1962, justices banned formal prayers and bible readings in schools.

Miranda vs Arizona

1966, requires police to inform suspects of their own rights.