random 1
What group experienced the strongest social conformity in the 1950s?
White suburban Americans
Why did conformity feel especially “safe” during the 1950s?
Cold War fears, especially fear of communism
What three forces helped make American culture more homogeneous in the 1950s?
Television, advertising, and middle-class movement to the suburbs
When was JFK assassinated?
November 22, 1963
How many national networks controlled most television programming?
Three
Name two common types of TV shows in the 1950s.
Situation comedies, westerns, quiz shows, or professional sports
Who called television a “vast wasteland,” and why was he concerned?
FCC chairman Newton Minnow; he was concerned children watched five or more hours a day
What values were reinforced by popular sitcoms like Leave It to Beaver?
Conservative, suburban, white middle-class family values
What is the NAACP?
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
What innovation made consumer purchasing easier and faster in the 1950s?
Plastic credit cards and suburban shopping centers
How did reading habits change despite the rise of television?
Americans read more than ever, especially paperback books
What musical genre became especially popular with teenagers?
Rock and roll
What two musical traditions influenced early rock and roll?
African American rhythm and blues and white country music
What were conglomerates, and when did they rise?
Large corporations owning diversified, unrelated companies; rose in the 1950s–1960s
What values did large corporations promote among workers?
Teamwork, loyalty, and conformity
What happened to small “mom-and-pop” stores during this period?
They declined as franchise businesses became dominant
Who criticized corporate conformity in The Organization Man (1956)?
William Whyte
What major labor union merger occurred in 1955?
AFL-CIO merger
What did Disneyland (opened in 1955) symbolize?
A new family-oriented consumer culture
According to Will Herberg, what role did religion play in postwar America?
A source of personal identity and social belonging, with increased tolerance
What book reinforced traditional family roles for women and mothers?
Baby and Child Care by Dr. Benjamin Spock
Which Supreme Court case overturned Plessy v. Ferguson in public education?
Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
What phrase did Brown II use that allowed delays in desegregation?
“With all deliberate speed”
What event showed the federal government enforcing desegregation in 1957?
The Little Rock Crisis
What protest demonstrated the power of nonviolent resistance and led to bus desegregation?
The Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956)