The Fifties in the US; Memory, Pop Culture and Reality

In the 1950s Americans enjoyed a  booming economy and growing prosperity while the  US  was unchallenged as the most powerful country in the world, but there were problems ahead. By the end of the decade the country was divided internally over Civil Rights and the fight against Communism while the Cold War heated up externally. Yet many remember fondly a time of peace and prosperity, new cars and suburbia, Elvis and the beginning of Rock and Roll. New labor saving appliances flooded the market, professional sports were again popular while TV and technicolor were the next big thing. This class will look at both the good and the bad of the decade to determine if our fond nostalgia is justified.