1950s+Teenagers+ALEA

=Teenagers of the 1950s=

__**Five Points About How the 1950s Youth Emerged:**__
 * 1) During the 1950s, a new trend of music was just starting to emerge. In 1951, a radio D.J. known as Alan Freed was one of the first people to play this new music over live air. He was the first, however, to use the term "rock n' roll" to describe the music. Teenagers from all over were fans of this music. Even though it made the teenagers happy, it had quite the opposite effect on their parents.
 * Teenagers and youth during this time felt that they were being forgotten. For example, many of them complained that there was nothing angled at teenagers. For example, there were very few television and radio programs that teens felt they had a part of. This new sensation of rock n' roll gave the teenagers the feeling that the new music belonged to them.
 * 1) "Hipster Talk" became more popular during this era. This kind of talk was also known as slang. Adults of the generation dubbed the "new language" as a mix between street gangs, and beatniks.
 * Teenagers also took an immeadiate liking to this new talk as well. This was most likely because it gave the youth a sense of rebellion because they were not using everyday words that were familiar to the "status quo."
 * 1) Many rules against teens and youth were also put into place because of all these new trends. Adults felt they needed to rid of these new trends before the entire youth was in revolt. SOme of these rules included different dress codes for school, proper hair cuts, and the use of "hot rods" were mostly prohibited.
 * All of these new rules that the adults of the era were putting into place also helped the teenagers emerge as well. With all these new rules in place, many teenagers wanted to revolt to show their power as youth. This led to even more rebellion against the "status quo."
 * 1) Many of the adult movies and programs depicted teenagers as juvenile delinquents. This led to the difference between teenagers trying to make themselves recognized, and teenagers rebelling against their parents and other authority figures.
 * Teenagers during this day wanted to make a name for themselves. While the majority of the teenage crowd were juvenile delinquents, many of them were not. It seemed like half of the group did want to disobey their parents, but it also seemed like the other half wanted to be recognized as valuble members of society.
 * 1) During the 1950s, expectations for teenagers were much higher than they have ever been. Teens were encouraged to find a skill and teens were also more inclined to join college and provide for their families. This led to many teens seeking in rebellion.
 * As the expectations were higher during this time, more teens were seeking in rebellion. This is because much of the youth during that time wanted to live their lives how they wanted to live them. Not how their parents and authority figures wanted them to live their lives.

__**Primary Documents:**__ 1. Picture of 1950s Teenagers Caption: Many teenagers, like the ones in this picture, listened to what were known as "juke-boxes." These "juke-boxes" played music that teenagers likes. For example, rock n' roll was played on these machines a lot. This was a tool used to help the teenagers rebellion.

2. Transcript of Alan Freed from the Alan Freed Show (Personally recorded "air-check" by Alex Borsos) Freed replied: “Thank you very much, Brad Phillips. Well, hello everybody. Gee, we’ve been away so long—I just told my engineer, Pete Lee/Leigh, I didn’t know whether I—if I knew exactly what to say when we got back on the radio again. It’s sure grand to be back home again, and of course a tremendous vote of thanks to the ‘Crown Prince of Rock and Roll’— Paul Sherman, who did a magnificent job standing-in here, while we went down to catch a little sun on the sunny shores of Miami Beach, Florida, and it was really wonderful. It’s so grand to be back here again as we get all set to [sic] the big beat in popular music not only in America, but all around the world! SO—as we say—‘get your dancin’ shoes on and WELCOME to your Rock and Roll Party!”

Caption: Alan Freed was the first radio DJ to use the term "rock n' roll" on the radio. Above is an instance where Freed uses the term multiple times on his show. This was an example of teen rebellion because the teens own "brand" of music was being played on the radio. The term was also being used more and more frequently.

__**Explanation:**__ Teenagers of the 1950s were challenged greatly during the era of the 1950s. In the beginning, teenagers barely had a name for themselves. This problem was solved in a number of ways. For example, teenagers began using slang, new music, and teenage rebellion as tools to gain a name for themselves. For example, music was very important during the 1950s. For the most part, kids had to listen to the things their parents wanted to listen to. Adolescents were not allowed a say in what was being played on the radio. As years passed, however, this "un-written policy" was forever changed. A new trend in music, dubbed rock n' roll, was just beginning to come to the surface. Radio DJ Alan Freed was the first to use the term on the radio. This gave teenagers a sense of rebellion and freedom, because they now had music that was for them. It allowed them to be free from the control of their parents. This is what led to teenagers becoming identified as a part of normal society. It is funny to look back thinking that such a little thing that we all enjoy now changed the world for a whole generation of people back then. Without Rock n' Roll, the world would be shockingly different.


 * __Works Cited:__**
 * 1) Powers, Richard. "1950s Teenagers." //Social Dance at Stanford//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. .
 * 2) Cox, Erika. "Teenage Life in the 1950s - Fifties - The 1950s." //Fifties Sixties Fashion, TV, Movies, Hair, Food, Cars, 50's 60's Facts and History about 1950's and 1960's - Clip Art and Information//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. .
 * 3) Borsos, Alex. "Radio-History.com | WINS 1010 - Transcripts." //Angelfire: Welcome to Angelfire//. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Nov. 2011. .