1950s+Teenagers+MSCW


 * Primary Sources:**



This Primary document illustrates the emerging 1950's fashions led by the teenage group. Post war, synthetic "drip dry" fabrics, such as nylon, orlon, and dacron became immensley popular because they could retain heat-set pleats after washing. Acrylic, polyester, triacetate, and spandex were also introduced during this time. This sparked a wave of new designers who created new designs and silhouettes that had more feminine shapes that commonly emphasized waists and rounded shoulders instead of straight, harsh shoulder pads. Although women had new fashion identities, men of this age group also made changes to their appearences. They began wearing clothes that rebelled from the normal outfits their parents wore, such as leather, skinny ties, tight trousers, and blue jeans. This opened American youth, and teens from around the world, into a new, unique age of fashion, led by and worn by the tennagers themselves.



This primary document is an advertisement for a three dimensional movie from the 1950s. It was important for industries, such as the movie industy, during this time, to produce the "next big thing" to attract customers into their theaters and away from their love affair with televisions. Their primary audience was teenagers becuase they were not working, therefore had the leisure time, yet still had the money, from allouences, to attend the showings. The specific film this document is advertising, Warner Bros. //House of Wax//, was the first 3-D feature with stereophonic sound in April, 1953. This new and interesting technology was successful, even being considered, by aficionados, the "golden era", and became a common place for teenagers to spend their time.


 * Facts:**

1. The music of the 1950s, listened to by teenagers, was unlike anything before it. At first, it was reffered to as "race music", a stem of rythm and blues, but is now know as rock'n'roll, which was coined by disc jockey Alan Freed. With stars such as Elvis Presly, Little Richard, and Jerry Lee Lewis, their audience, of primarily white teenagers, was encouraged to be free and rebellious. This caused many controversies within traditional American homes, in some cases records were even banned or smashed, but the teens retained their new identities.

2. Teenagers of the 1950s also experienced and indulged in the change in literature. The threat of nuclear war, and the need for more, "teen friendly", interesting stories caused authors to write, and teenagers to read more science fiction, fantasy, and beat movement based works. The science fiction genre included worlds ravaged by nuclear warfare and apocalyptic themes, and the fantasy stories ranged from far away lands to scenes from the authors wildest dreams. The beatnik authors on the other hand, wrote their stories to celebrate their non-conformity and anti-materialism and women authors wrote about feminism and humanism.

3. During the school year, sock hops were commonly held for the students. These sock hops were non-formal school dances, unlike proms which signified the end of high school and were accomponied by elegant dresses, suits, and corsages. Sock hops recieved their name from teenagers being encouraged to take off their shoes and dance in their socks or stockings, so they didnt damage the gymnasium or cafeteria floor within the school.These dances were very popular among teenagers, as it gave them a place to be with friends, listen to music (either records, sometimes accomponied by disc jockeys, or with live bands), and dance.

4. During the 1950s, teenagers created their own language. The slang confused those outside of their age group but united the teens across the country. Phrases such as ankle-biter, back seat bingo, or adding "ville" to the end of words (coolsville, squaresville, etc.), was a huge contrast to the preppy, conservitive, conformist America.

5. After soldiers returned from war, families began moving into the suburbs. This made owning a car a necessity so family members could travel into the city for jobs, but the teenagers, however, used cars differently. For teens in the 1950s, cars opened a whole new branch of activities to do in leisure time. They could now travel to meet friends that lived far away, "play" back seat bingo, or attend drive in movies. This added a new freedom to the age group who no longer had to stay close to home.


 * Paragraph:**

Before the 1950s, there was only grey space between childhood and adulthood, with no definition for the young adults in between. Everything, including television programs and advertising, was either for the children or adults, until this time period. The word "teenager" was first coined in the 1950s, as they emerged with their own identity. It can be said, that through the new fashions, music and activities, their innocence was lost as they strayed away from the conservative and conformist America. Many adults did not approve of the "new generation" of rebellious non-conformists and beatniks. Parents and authority figures would go to such extremes as banning or smashing rock'n'roll records, punishing boys with hair that touched their ears by expelling them from school, and limiting other freedoms to try to stop the rebellion. This only cause the teenagers to rebel more. Teens openly talked about sexual activities, which was taboo in the early 1900s, and wore "racy" fashions that shocked older community and family members. As teenagers gained their own age group, it was obvious that they were shedding their childhood innocence and moving into young adult or adult hood, but in their own, unique way, which would once become normal and acceptable.

Brenner, Sarah. "popular culture, post-World War II." Encyclopedia of American History: Postwar United States, 1946 to 1968 IX. (2010): n.pag. American History Online. Web. 15 Nov 2011. .
 * Work Cited:**

Giordano, Ralph G. "Sock Hop." Daily Life Through History ABC.CLIO (2011): n.pag. Daily Life Through History. Web. 15 Nov 2011. http://dailylife.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1561624?terms=sock hop.

Gomez, Andrea. "fashion, post-World War II." //Encyclopedia of American History: Postwar United States, 1946 to 1968// IX. (2010): n.pag. //American History Online//. Web. 15 Nov 2011. .

Sulisbury, Joyce. "Literature in the United States, 1940-59." Daily Life Through History ABC.CLIO (2011): n.pag. Daily Life Through History. Web. 15 Nov 2011. http://dailylife.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/1427155?terms=american 1950 literature.