Consumer Culture in America: 1950s Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What were Americans caught up in?

economic boom

What were material goods equated with?

Wealth

Education

Success (correct)

Happiness

What allows Americans to keep up with their neighbors?

credit

What was the first credit card?

Diner's Club Card Signup and view all the answers

What marketing strategy convinces American consumers they need new and better products?

planned obsolescence Signup and view all the answers

Critics claimed Americans were becoming a _____ society.

throwaway Signup and view all the answers

What was the number of TV sets by 1960?

50,000,000 Signup and view all the answers

Name examples of traditional American TV shows.

Superman, The Lone Ranger Signup and view all the answers

What are examples of family shows portraying middle-class suburban life?

I Love Lucy, The Donna Reed Show, The Kramdens, The Honeymooners Signup and view all the answers

Who questioned the behavioral norms of adolescents in the 1950s?

The Beatniks Signup and view all the answers

What were the behavioral norms of adolescents in the 1950s?

Obey authority, control your emotions, don't make waves, fit in with the group, non sexual Signup and view all the answers

Name shows that depict juvenile delinquency.

The Wild One, Rebel without a Cause Signup and view all the answers

What new musical genre was influenced by rhythm and blues?

Rock n Roll Signup and view all the answers

Who were the rockers of the 50s?

Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry Signup and view all the answers

When does Rock n Roll music debut?

1951 Signup and view all the answers

What term is used for Rock n Roll?

race music Signup and view all the answers

How many books were sold per day?

1 million Signup and view all the answers

What was the number of national TV networks?

3 Signup and view all the answers

Name popular genres of TV shows in the 1950s.

sitcoms, westerns, quiz shows, sports Signup and view all the answers

What was TV criticized for causing?

a Vast Wasteland Signup and view all the answers

What fueled the consumerism binge of Americans?

Credit cards and malls Signup and view all the answers

What shift was seen from 'mom and pop' locally owned businesses?

nationally held franchises Signup and view all the answers

How did mass media reinforce traditional roles?

It reinforced the traditional ideal of wife and mother. Signup and view all the answers

What was the struggle against conformity in the 1950s?

individualism Signup and view all the answers

What did Americans want in their government?

increased social spending, people are tired of overlooking problems that were associated with poverty Signup and view all the answers

Who were the beatniks?

those who rebel against the constraints of societal norms, were against values of the Great Depression and WWII generation Signup and view all the answers

Who were the writers who embodied the 'beat' message?

Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, William S. Burroughs Signup and view all the answers

Where were the centers of the 'Beatnik' Generation?

San Francisco and Greenwich Village, NY Signup and view all the answers

Who criticized the youth?

John Clellan Holms Signup and view all the answers

What did the beatniks seek through Eastern philosophy?

high consciousness Signup and view all the answers

How did the beatniks heavily influence the 1960s?

counter-culture of the 1960s 'hippies' Signup and view all the answers

What was the result of the GI Bill?

more white-collar jobs than blue-collar Signup and view all the answers

What were the AFL and CIO?

Big Unions that provide conservative industrial jobs that now earn middle-class income Signup and view all the answers

What exploded during the 1950s?

suburbs, cars, schools, family vacations Signup and view all the answers

By what year were there more white-collar jobs than blue-collar in the US?

1956 Signup and view all the answers

What defines the ideal modern woman?

married, cooked, cared for family, joins PTA, leads Campfire Girls, entertains guests, and works out on trampoline Signup and view all the answers

What defines the ideal 1950s man?

provider, protector, boss of house Signup and view all the answers

Who wrote The Organization Man?

William H. Whyte Jr. Signup and view all the answers

What does The Organization Man define?

the middle-class suburban male as the societal ideal Signup and view all the answers

Who conducted a study on sexual behaviors during the 1950s?

Dr. Alfred Kinsey Signup and view all the answers

Churches become less interested in _ but more interested in __.

doctrine, socialization Signup and view all the answers

Who is the author of Life is Worth Living?

Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen Signup and view all the answers

Who is the author of The Power of Positive Thinking?

Norman Vincent Peale Signup and view all the answers

Who warned against the evils of Communism?

Rev. Billy Graham Signup and view all the answers

Name examples of religious movies.

The Robe, The Ten Commandments, Ben Hur Signup and view all the answers

What did Brown vs. Board of Education overturn?

Plessy v. Ferguson and the 'separate but equal' Signup and view all the answers

What year was Brown vs. Board of Education?

1954 Signup and view all the answers

What was declared unconstitutional regarding public schools?

segregation of children in public schools Signup and view all the answers

States are ordered to ______.

integrate Signup and view all the answers

Who was ordered by a Montgomery bus driver to give up her seat?

Rosa Parks Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Economic Landscape

The 1950s experienced an economic boom, greatly influencing American lifestyles.
Material goods became synonymous with success as consumer culture flourished.
The rise of credit allowed consumers to maintain appearances and keep up with their neighbors.

Consumer Innovations

The Diner's Club Card emerged as the first credit card, revolutionizing spending.
Planned obsolescence became a marketing strategy persuading consumers to frequently upgrade products.
Critics labeled Americans as part of a "throwaway" society due to disposable consumer habits.

Television and Entertainment

By 1960, approximately 50 million TV sets were in use across the U.S.
Traditional American television examples included shows like Superman and The Lone Ranger.
Family-centric sitcoms like I Love Lucy and The Honeymooners depicted middle-class suburban life.

Youth Culture and Rebellion

The Beatniks challenged adolescent norms, questioning authority and conformity.
Popular films such as The Wild One and Rebel Without a Cause showcased themes of juvenile delinquency.
Music genres like Rock n Roll, debuting in 1951, drew from rhythm and blues influences.

Prominent Figures in Rock n Roll

Artists such as Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry became iconic figures of the Rock n Roll movement.
The term "race music" was used to describe early Rock n Roll.

Publishing and Media

An estimated 1 million books were sold daily during this period, reflecting a booming reading culture.
There were three national TV networks, showcasing a variety of genres like sitcoms, westerns, quiz shows, and sports.
Television faced criticism for being a "Vast Wasteland," reflecting concerns over media content.

Shifts in Consumer Behavior

Credit cards and shopping malls fueled rampant consumerism in American culture.
A transition from locally-owned "mom and pop" businesses to nationally held franchises occurred.
Traditional roles of women as wives and mothers were reinforced through mass media representation.

A struggle for individualism marked the 1950s, reflecting a desire to resist conformity.
Americans increasingly demanded enhanced social spending and attention to poverty-related issues.
Beatniks rebelled against societal norms and sought enlightenment through Eastern philosophies and sometimes drug use.

Literary Voices of the Beat Generation

Notable writers such as Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg epitomized the beat message.
San Francisco and Greenwich Village, NY became the centers of the Beatnik Generation.
John Clellan Holms was critical of youth culture during this period.

Changes in Employment

Post-GI Bill led to more white-collar jobs surpassing blue-collar jobs, particularly by 1956.
Major unions like AFL and CIO supported the workforce, providing industrial jobs with middle-class incomes.

Family Dynamics and Societal Expectations

The ideal modern woman of the 1950s was portrayed as married, nurturing, and community-oriented.
The ideal man was depicted as the family provider and protector.
William H. Whyte Jr. authored "The Organization Man," defining the middle-class male as a societal standard.

Religious Influences

Dr. Alfred Kinsey conducted influential studies on sexual behaviors in the 1950s.
Churches became less focused on doctrine and more on socializing within communities.
Prominent figures like Catholic Bishop Fulton J. Sheen and Norman Vincent Peale authored motivational works, contributing to religious discourse.

Civil Rights Movements

Brown v. Board of Education (1954) overturned the "separate but equal" doctrine, declaring school segregation unconstitutional.
The ruling aimed to integrate public schools, addressing systemic racial discrimination.
Rosa Parks became a significant symbol of the civil rights movement after refusing to give up her bus seat.

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Description

Test your knowledge on the consumer culture that blossomed in the 1950s America. This quiz covers economic shifts, innovations in spending such as credit cards, and the impact of television on entertainment. Explore how these changes influenced American lifestyles during this dynamic decade.