The UNIVAC IThe first general-purpose electronic digital computer designed for business, the computer gained a lot of attention in the 1950s. The computer caught the public's attention when it was used in 1952 to predict the United States Presidential Election.
During the 1950s, technological innovations resulted in the rapid improvement of mass communication. By the end of the decade, television had replaced radio, newspapers, and magazines as the primary source of entertainment and information for most Americans. At the time, many TV programs were presented live.
What innovations came into widespread use in the 1950s? military-industrial complex.
Labor-saving devices such as fully automatic washers became far more prevalent in the 1950s, making life easier for housewives. The widespread use of refrigerators and freezers also eased the burden on housewives, as they did not have to go the market as often to buy perishable food items.
The 1950s were boomer years. The economy boomed, and everywhere individuals were feeling the need for family and security after arduous years of the war. So, in 1950s family life, there was also a marriage boom, birth rate boom, and housing boom.
The idea of teenagers as an independent age group between childhood and adulthood was birthed in the 1940s. In the 1950s, this group came into its own aided by their increased spending power, the ubiquity of the car, and the rise of high school as a world unto itself.
The 1950s People
- Dwight D. Eisenhower.
- Richard Nixon. Richard Nixon (1913–1994) was a Republican congressman from California whom Eisenhower chose as his vice-presidential running mate in 1952.
- Sherman Adams.
- John Foster Dulles.
- Adlai Stevenson.
- Nikita Khrushchev.
- Elvis Presley.
Ten Trends from the Fabulous Fifties
- Soda Fountains. If you wanted a cold, refreshing drink or ice cream back in the 50s, soda fountains were the new answer.
- Poodle Skirts.
- Sock Hops.
- The Conical Bra.
- Sideburns.
- Drive-In Theaters.
- Coonskin Caps.
- Hula Hoop.
1950-1955 - Historical Events. The Korean War was a war between the South and the North sides of Korea. The U.S. and several other U.N. representatives allied with the South, and the Soviet Union allied with the North.
North Korea invaded South Korea and U.S. troops were sent to help. Cuban Missile Crisis made us afraid that Cuba would launch nuclear missiles toward the U.S. and we would die a horrible death. Anti-Communist paranoia, commonly known as the “Red Scare†was led by Senator Joseph Mc Carthy and started the “witch hunts.â€
In the 1950's a specific style of music known as Rock 'n' Roll affected american society by influencing family lives, teenage behavior, and the civil rights movement. This decade helped to influence everything that we listen to on the radio today.
1953
- U.S. and North Korea sign armistice ending the Korean War.
- Marshal Tito is elected president of Yugoslavia.
- Josef Stalin dies.
- Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain crowned.
- USSR explodes a hydrogen bomb.
- Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay are the first to climb Mt. Everest.
Top 10 inventions from the 1950s still in use
- Mr. Potato Head (1952)
- Hula Hoop (1958)
- Barbie Doll (1959)
- McDonald's Corp. ( 1955)
- Credit card (1951)
- Bar code (1952)
- Super Glue (1951)
- Black box (1953)
Television and drive in movies became popular in the 1950s. Shows like "I love Lucy," "Mickey Mouse Club," and "The Twilight Zone" were among the most watched television shows. Popular sports were football and baseball, which could be played and watched on TV. Other activities were Frisbee and hula hooping.
Televisions had created an enormous effect on society overall. The advent of television in the 1950s completely reshaped how people spent their leisure time, how children behaved, and how the economy and social structure changed.
During this time, many of the genres that today's audiences are familiar with were developed – westerns, kids' shows, situation comedies, sketch comedies, game shows, dramas, news and sports programming.
During the 1950s, computers were primarily viewed as tools for solving complex math problems, and most people saw the computer as a calculator. Marketing was narrowly targeted, particularly because computers were extremely expensive.
Sports were as popular as ever in the 1950s. Baseball and boxing were huge, while football and golf were growing. The Yankees dominated the decade — as did my beloved Cleveland Browns. Rocky Marciano and Floyd Patterson were the boxing superstars of the 1950s.
Blues had a huge influence on mainstream American popular music in the 1950s with the enthusiastic playing styles of popular musicians like Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, departed from the melancholy aspects of blues and influenced Rock and roll music.
