History Soars at Pheonix  

Lecture Guide: Society & Culture of the 1950s

 

The 1950s was an era of _______________.

 

However, ____________________ struggled to conform to _________, ________________ culture.

 

And ______________ rebellion could only _________ for so long!

 

 

Minorities in the 1950s

 

Chinese Americans:

• Many ________ limiting the rights of Chinese Americans were ____________ lifted.

• ___________ increased, and a Chinese-American _____________ emerged

• Most Chinese-Americans chose to ____________ into American society

 

Native Americans:

• The government stopped supported Indian ________________

• Led to a loss of ________ and ______________ of many Native Americans

• The __________________ for Native Americans dropped

• Native Americans had a hard time adjusting to life in ____________ America

 

Japanese Americans:

• Following ______________ most had to ________ their lives ________

• Ongoing __________________ made it difficult to find _______ and _______.

• Most took jobs in ______________

 

Mexican Americans:

• During WWII U.S. government created the _______________

• Most Mexican Americans lived in _____________

• Faced discrimination in __________________________________

• In mid 1950s, government began _______________

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African Americans:

South:

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North:

• Segregation was __________ but still _________

• Blacks faced discrimination in ___________ & ______ opportunities

• White neighbors would not ______ or ______ to African Americans

• Black ___________ was more than _________ White unemployment

• Blacks earned ______ of what white workers earned

Civil Rights Movement Begins

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Women in the 1950s

• __________ promoted the idea that a woman’s job was only in the ________

• Women were expected to only be ________ & _________

• By late 1950s nearly ______ of young women in college _________ out before graduating

• Many women experienced _____ levels of ___________ (about _____ openly expressed ___________ with staying at home)

• In reality many _________ women worked (about 39% of women with school age children worked)

• Those who worked outside the home earned significantly ________ then men and primarily worked in __________ or __________.

 

 

Teenagers & Pop Culture

• Teens as ______________ had a major influence on ______________

• Many teens continued the trend of ____________ (watched mainstream _____ shows like _______________ and _______________; listened to pop music like _____________)

• While others began to challenge conformity (began to listen to _____________ and go to movies like _________________).

• The Beat Movement

  • A small ____________ of youth emerged

  • Supported ________________ and _______________

  • Inspired various art forms

  • Ex: Jack Kerouac’s On The Road

  • Became the ____________ for the 1960s ________________ movements