Unit 9: The 1950s Vocab

Flashcard #1 \n**Term:** Consumerism \n**Definition:** A social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts, prevalent in the 1950s as post-war prosperity increased disposable incomes.

**Flashcard #2** \n**Term:** Franchises \n**Definition:** A system where private businesses are allowed to operate using the branding and business model of an established company, which grew significantly in the 1950s, leading to the proliferation of fast-food chains and retail stores.

**Flashcard #3** \n**Term:** Beatniks \n**Definition:** A social and artistic movement of the 1950s characterized by nonconformity and rejection of conventional societal norms, often associated with literature, jazz, and a bohemian lifestyle.

**Flashcard #4** \n**Term:** Suburb \n**Definition:** Residential communities that developed rapidly in the 1950s, often characterized by single-family homes, and symbolized the post-war ideal of family life.

**Flashcard #5** \n**Term:** Multinational Corporations \n**Definition:** Large companies that operate in multiple countries, which became more prominent in the 1950s as global trade expanded and businesses sought new markets.

**Flashcard #6** \n**Term:** Baby Boom \n**Definition:** A significant increase in birth rates following World War II, particularly in the late 1940s and into the 1950s, leading to a demographic shift.

**Flashcard #7** \n**Term:** Conformity \n**Definition:** The tendency to align attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors with the norms of a group, prevalent in 1950s America as societal expectations pushed for uniformity in lifestyle.

**Flashcard #8** \n**Term:** Generation Gap \n**Definition:** The differences in opinions and attitudes between one generation and another, which became increasingly evident in the 1950s as the youth began to reject parental norms.

**Flashcard #9** \n**Term:** Vaccination \n**Definition:** The process of administering vaccines to protect against diseases, which saw increased emphasis in the 1950s with campaigns against polio and other illnesses.

**Flashcard #10** \n**Term:** Planned Obsolescence \n**Definition:** A policy of producing consumer goods that are designed to be obsolete or unusable after a certain period, which became a common practice in the 1950s as companies sought to maximize profits through repeat sales.

**Flashcard #11** \n**Term:** White-Collar Jobs \n**Definition:** Occupations that typically involve working in offices and are associated with managerial and professional tasks, which expanded in the 1950s due to economic growth and the rise of service industries.

**Flashcard #12** \n**Term:** Affluent \n**Definition:** Having a great deal of money; wealthy, a term used to describe the growing middle class in the 1950s as many families experienced new economic prosperity.

**Flashcard #13** \n**Term:** Sputnik \n**Definition:** The first artificial Earth satellite launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, marking the beginning of the space race and substantially influencing American education and technology.

**Flashcard #14** \n**Term:** Censorship \n**Definition:** The suppression or prohibition of speech or writing deemed objectionable, which was a concern in the 1950s amid the rise of Cold War tensions.

**Flashcard #15** \n**Term:** Union Shops \n**Definition:** Workplaces where union membership is a requirement for employment, which had significant implications during the labor movements of the 1950s.