Curated OER
The 1950s:
Teens will get a kick out of this presentation, which provides a glimpse of the consumerism and rising pop culture of 1950's America. They will especially appreciate the discussion of "Teen culture" including the music of Elvis, the...
Curated OER
World War II: Causes And Consequences
Students discuss the U.S. economy, society, and politics in the years following World War II. They explore the boom in advertising during this period by reviewing print advertisements from the late 1940s and early 1950s. Students view...
Curated OER
World War II: Causes and Consequences
Tenth graders examine Hitler's occupation of Europe and the Allies' efforts to fight it. In this World War II lesson, 10th graders examine how World War II changed American society, especially for women. Students analyze a print ad...
Curated OER
1960s Word Search
In this social studies worksheet, students find the words that describe the world according to the 1960's. The answers are found at the bottom of the page.
Curated OER
Baby Boom and the Culture of the 1950's
Eleventh graders explain the causes, course, and consequences of the United States' role in World War II.
Curated OER
Post-War Suburbanization
Pupils research the suburbanization of post World War II America. They identify factors aiding suburban growth and assess the degree to which it impacted American life. Students view a documentary about the benefits of suburbanization...
![University of Illinois: Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb [Pdf] Graphic](https://d15y2dacu3jp90.cloudfront.net/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "University of Illinois: Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb [Pdf] Graphic")
City University of New York
University of Illinois: Levittown: Documents of an Ideal American Suburb [Pdf]
Source material for any study of the origins of suburbia, particularly the Levittown version of suburban perfection.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Modern Boom Family
This Wide Angle video explores the effects of economic prosperity and secularization on family structure and beliefs in Ireland.
American Chemical Society
The Pharmaceutical Century: The 1950s
This extensive review of the advances in medical research and technology in the 1950s credits the Cold War and Cold War thinking with promoting scientific research and government funding of that research, including medical issues. Find...
Other
Southwestern Academy: The 1950s: The Search for Consensus and Conformity [Pdf]
A good review of the culture of the 1950s including a look at big business at the time, the affluent society, and the beginnings of youthful rebellion.
Read Works
Read Works: Excerpt From "The Fifties": The Affluent Society
[Free Registration/Login Required] Abridged from the full text located at the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, this passage provides information about economic wealth of Americans living during the 1950's. Paired texts are...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1945 1980: The Baby Boom
Find out why there were so many babies born in the United States after World War II.
Other
Baby Boomer Head Quarters: The Boomer Numbers
This page, part of the many pages offered by Boomer Headquarters, has many valuable statistics collected from the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census along with interesting explanations of the numbers.
Independence Hall Association
U.s. History: Suburban Growth
Find out how many veterans returning from World War II were able to realize the American Dream of home ownership, and see how this resulted in the growth of suburban areas across the nation.