1950's--A Cultural Journey

Welcome to the 1950s! Through this webquest you will be exploring the culture and trends of the 1950s. Remember to record what you find on your worksheet.

1. Congratulations! You have just been married.  That means that if you are a woman, you got your MRS Degree (get it, you are now Mrs. Whatever Your Husband's Last Name Is).  Ladies, take a look at this Home Economics textbook to find some tips on how to be the perfect housewife.  Remember, both of you have a very distinct role in your relationship.  Click here or here to make sure you know what your role is.  Ladies, if you go to work, you're destined for the Pink Collar Ghetto, learn about that here.

2. Time to move to the suburbs! You and your spouse have decided to buy a house in Levittown, PA. Look at the six different models and decide which one fits your style and needs best.

3. Cars are really important.  Check out this article on car culture.  You realize that you need a new car to park in your new garage.  In fact, you need two, one for getting to work, the other for tooling around the suburbs with the ankle biters.  Check out these classic cars and choose the one you would like to own.

4. To celebrate buying a new car you and your spouse decide to go to the drive-in for dinner and a movie. Click on the link above to read more about the drive-in.  Or click here.

5.  At the drive-in, you watch the movie of course, but you also get to know your spouse a little better in your new spacious backseat.  Statistics inform you that you are not alone.  Check those stats out here.  You are going to need names, check out the popular baby names here.

6.    You received a new TV as a wedding present. One of your favorite shows is I Love Lucy - you and your family never miss an episode! Watch the clip above from a classic episode.  In this episode, Lucy and Ethel demonstrate how women just aren't equipped with the ability to work.  After all, this is the 1950's and the women's place is in the home cooking the bacon not bringing it home.

7.  Advertising is becoming more widespread through the use of TV. One commercial you often see while watching I Love Lucy is this ad from their sponsor, Philip Morris, (if that link doesn't work, try here).  Don't miss them trying to sell you cigarettes using famous cartoon characters from The Flintstones, or try here.

8.  Variety shows are also popular during the 1950s and the Ed Sullivan Show is one of the best.  Elvis is a frequent guest on the Ed Sullivan Show. Click on this link or this one to watch a clip of Elvis on the show. Not all teenagers are allowed to watch Elvis though and his performances are often censored. Click on the link above to read more about censorship in the 1950s.

9. Fashion is an important part of the 1950s.  Check out the yearbook photos here, there, and over here to see what the fifties had to offer.  If those links don't work, check this one.

10. For his birthday your son wants to go to a baseball game. Click here to read more about sports and leisure time in the 1950s.

11.  At the game you realize, you don't understand half of what he is saying.  Consult this slang guide or this one to decipher his way of talking.  His fashion sense is changing also, and you are afraid he is becoming a "greaser".  Use this link to see if your suspicions are confirmed.

12. As exciting as it was, not everyone wants to conform to the mainstream culture. One outspoken group is the Beatniks. Click on the link to read more about where the word "beat" comes from. Also read a poem by Jack Kerouac, one of the most prominent members of the Beat Generation.

Congratulations!! You have completed the webquest - make sure to put your name on your worksheet.