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Period: to
1950's
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Truman orders construction of Hydrogen Bomb
The threat of the Soviet Union was dealt with through a constant expansion of our nuclear arsenal. The hydrogen bomb revolutionized nuclear technology and gave a decisive advantage to the United States in the perpetual arms race. -
Senator Joseph McCarthy
Senator Joseph McCarthy began what would later be known as a Communist witch hunt. Convinced of their infiltration into all facets of American society, McCarthy fostered paranoia for much of the decade over the television. On December 2, 1954, McCarthy was officially reprimanded by Congress for his substanceless accusations. -
Korean War begins
The United States entered the Korean War along with the UN in an effort to stop the advancing Communist army of North Korea and by extension the advancing hand of Soviet Russia. The Korean War epidomized the anti Communist foreign policy that defined the Cold War. During the War the military was desgregated for the first time. -
22nd Amendment Ratified
The 22nd amendment limits the Presidential term. It says that no person may be elected President for more then 2 terms. As recently as WWII President Roosevelt served 4 consecutive terms. This is significant as a major effort to limit presedential power. -
Brown vs Board of Education decision
In 1951, a class action suit was filed against the Board of Education of the City of Topeka, Kansas. 13 African American parents tried to enroll their kids in the the local "white schools" in the summer of 1950 but they were turned away.The United States Supreme Court declared that state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students were unconstitutional. -
Mutual Security Act
The Mutual Security Act was signed on October 10, 1951 by President Harry S. Truman.The act authorized nearly $7.5 billion for foreign military, economic, and technical foreign aid to American allies.The aid was created to strenghten Western Europe as the Cold War developed. This spending was justified under the theory that economic poverty would lead countries to turn Communist. -
I Love Lucy Premieres
The series originally ran from October 15, 1951 to May 6, 1957 on CBS.I Love Lucy was the most-watched show in the United States in four of its six seasons. The Lucy character challenged traditional female household roles. Lucy consistently found herself in situations where women were not commonly found in 1950s culture. The show contrasted much of the other pop culture of the time, notably Leave It To Beaver, which glorified a more traditional family structure. -
Eisenhower elected president
Dwight D. Eisenhower faced Democrat Adlai Stevenson. The election was dominated by issues revolving around the Cold War. The bloody stalemate that was the Korean War caused the public to turn against the current Democratic President Truman, which allowed Adlai the oppurtunity to run. Communist Revolution in China and the USSRs acquisition of nuclear weapon compounded public panic. Public fear of Communism ultimately led to the first election of a Republican in 20 years. -
Geneva Conference
The Geneva Confrence attempted to try to find a way to unify Korea. The Soviet Union, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, and the People's Republic of China were participants throughout the whole conference.No agreement was reached on transforming the Korean armistice into a permanent peace treaty. -
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man.Her actions sparked a citywide boycott of the bus system by blacks that lasted more than a year. The boycott resulted in the U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation on city buses. -
Emmett Till Case
Emmet Till was an African-American boy who was murdered in Mississippi at the age of 14 after allegedly flirting with a white woman.Till's disfigured body was found by two boys fishing in the Tallahatchie River. The two people who were responsible for Till's death were put on trial but not convicted. Emmet till's story is significant beacuase it shows that racism was still prevalent in America, particularly the South. -
Jackie Robinson retires
Jackie Robinson, the first baseball player to break the color barrier retired in an era still marred by rampant racial tensions. -
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. His debut album Elvis Presley reached #1 for ten weeks and permanently altered American music culture. -
Eisenhower re-elected
Eisenhower faced Adlai Stevenson again with similar results. Eisenhower had ended the unpopular Korean War. Both candidates avoided the issue of Civil Rights. -
Little Rock Nine
The Little Rock Nine were the nine African-American students involved in the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. The Arkansas National Guard was called to prevent the Nine from entering the school. On September 25, 1957 president Dwight D. Eisenhower sent the National Guard to escort the students into the school. This event showed how racism was still prevalent in America.
