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N.A.T.O is Created
After signing the Norh Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (or North Atlantic Alliance) was created. It is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 North American and European countries. Political Event -
Berlin Airlfit is Stopped
The massive program of airlifting supplies of essential goods to West Berliners undertaken from June 1948 to September 1949. This program was undertaken when the Soviet Union blocked all rail, water, and road routes through the Soviet zone to the Western sectors of Berlin. -
Levittowns are created.
The most famous American postwar suburban development, was a household name, the “Exhibit A” of suburbia. Levittowns were first created in 1947 and it came on the eve of the baby boom and just before the 1948 Housing Bill liberalized lending. It allowed anyone to buy a home with 5 percent down and extended mortgage terms to 30 years. It becomes a home lifestyle that the husband would go to work and the wife would stay home and take care of the children if they had any. Social & Economic Event -
First Dunkin' Donuts Franchise Location is Opened
The first franchise location was opened in Quincy, Massachusetts by William Rosenberg. -
Youth Culture Begins
The ’50s was a time when teens tried to distance themselves from the culture of their parents, teenagers turned Rock-n-Roll artists like Elvis Presley and youth-oriented television programs and movies. Social Event -
An Economic Boom Occurs
After WWII ended and American soldiers returned home, the United States had an economic boom. More jobs were created especially white-collar jobs, with the number of those jobs rivaling blue-collar jobs. There was also an increased mindset in Consumerism in the United States, with more families spending more money different kitchen appliances and entertainment technology. One thing many families bought are TV's, as they became main type of mass entertainment instead of radio. Economic Event -
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Important Events that Occurred During the 1950's
These events will either be Economic, Social, Political, and/or Environmental. -
Alger Hiss Convicted of Espionage
Alger HIss was an American government official who helped create the United Nations. He was most famous for being convicted of spying for the Soviet Union. -
The Chinese Civil War Ends
It was a three-way battle from the Kuomintang (KMT)-led government of the Republic of China (ROC) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) fighting to be the supreme power in the country. It had begun all the way back in April 1927. Political Event -
Postwar Baby Boom Begins
This period was marked by a significant increase in birth rate in the United States after World War II. This generation lasted from 1946 to 1964. Social Event -
22nd Amendment is Ratified
The amendment prohibits any individual who has been elected president twice from being elected again. Political Event -
Rosenbergs Convicted of Spying
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were convicted of espionage for their role in passing atomic secrets to the Soviets during and after World War II. Political Event -
KFC's First Franchise Location is Opened
Kentucky Fried Chicken's first franchise location was opened in Salt Lake City, Utah by Colonel Harland Sanders -
Eisenhower's "New Look" Into Effect
This name was given to the national security policy of the United States during the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower, balancing the Cold War military commitments of the United States with the nation's financial resources. Political Event -
Playboy's First Magazine Releases
Playboy is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The first cover model on a Playboy magazine was actually Marilyn Monroe, one of America’s most popular actresses, models, singers, and sex symbols of the 50s and 60s. -
Jonas Salk finds Vaccine for Polio
The American physician exclaimed on radio stations that he had created a vaccine that cured the Poliovirus that had plagued lots of people for many years. Environmental & Social -
Rosenbergs Executed for their Crimes
Julie and Ethel Rosenbergs were sentenced to death and were executed for spying for the Soviet Union. Political Event -
Seduction of the Innocent is Released
The book was written by American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham, warning that comic books are negative literature for teens to be reading and that it causes juvenile delinquency. Social Event -
Geneva Conference Ends
A meeting held in Geneva, Switzerland during the Cold War between the “Big Four,” which consisted of Dwight Eisenhower of the United States, Prime Minister Anthony Eden of Britain, Premier Nikolai A. Bulganin of the Soviet Union, and Prime Minister Edgar Faure of France. The conference started on April 26, 1954. They agreed for the French to withdraw troops from northern Vietnam. -
HUAC in Action during Communist Scares
The HUAC was created by the United States to investigate alleged disloyalty and rebel activities on the part of private citizens, public employees and organizations suspected of having Communist ties. This organization gave McCarthyism, a period of intense anti-Communist suspicion in the United States from the late ’40s to 1954, lots of popularity in the U.S. Political Event -
First Mcdonald's Franchise Opened
The first Mcdonald's franchise location was opened in Des Plaines, Illinois by salesman Ray Kroc. -
Disneyland Opens
Walt Disney opened a 160-acre amusement park in Anaheim, California, which was worth $17 million at the time. What a wise investment that was almost 65 years ago. Social & Economic Event -
United States drops H-Bomb over Bikini Atoll
The first H-bomb was detonated on the tiny island of Namu in the Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. Tests showed that the bomb exploded at about 15,000 feet, far more powerful than other H-bombs previously tested. It was a huge step for the U.S. in the arms race against the Soviet Union, who also was trying to create an H-bomb themselves. Political Event -
Federal Highway Act is Passed
The law passed in 1956 allocated $26 billion to pay for a 41,000-mile network of interstate highways that would span the United States. Economic & Political Event -
The Kitchen Debate
A discussion between U.S. President Richard Nixon and Soviet Union Premier Nikita Khruschev about the merits of capitalism and communism -
GI Bill Expires
The GI bill, which helped veterans of World War II, expired on July, 25, 1956. It established hospitals, made low-interest mortgages available and granted stipends covering tuition and expenses for veterans attending college or trade schools. Political & Social Event -
Jackie Robinson plays his Final MLB Game
Jackie Robinson was a professional baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Not only was he the first African-American player, but he was also a great baseball player. It shows since he was inducted into Cooperstown Baseball of Fame. Robinson was an inspiration for young athletes who were of a minority who strived to do great things. -
Suez Crisis Ends
After over a year of fighting between Egypt against a mix of Israel, France, and Great Britain, the Suez Crisis came to an end with Egypt gaining full control of the Suez Canal. It started on July 26, 1956, when Egyptian President Gamal Abdal Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, which was under Britain's and France's control. This led to the fighting in which Britain, France, and Israel pulled their troops, making Egypt victorious. Britain and France lost all of their influence over the Canal. -
Civil Rights Act of 1957 is Signed
President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law this act, which established the Civil Rights Division in the Justice Department and empowered federal officials to prosecute individuals that conspired to deny or abridge another citizen's right to vote. Political Event -
The Space Race
It was a competition between the Soviet Union and the United States on who would get to the moon first. This started when the Soviet Union sent Sputnik I, the first artificial satellite, into space. -
Beatniks and Jack Kerouac on the Spotlight
Beatniks was media stereotype prevalent throughout the late 1940s, 1950s to mid-1960s that displayed the more superficial aspects of the Beat Generation literary movement. Kerouac was an American novelist and poet known for his broad vision and influential work. A stylish personality reflected in his work which is a blend of issues ranging from poverty, drugs, and traveling to jazz, spirituality, and Buddhism. Social & Environmental Event -
Two Toys Become Top Sellers
The hula hoop was a popular and cheap toy for both boys and girls, selling 20 million hula hoops to Americans in 6 months. It seemed like every young girl wanted a Barbie doll because 300,000 Barbie dolls that were sold in the first year of hitting shelves. Social Event -
Pizza Hut's First Franchise Location is Opened
Pizza Hut's first franchise was opened in Topeka, Kansas by brothers Dan and Frank Carney -
National Defense Act Is Signed Into Law
It was a legislative initiative that established the legitimacy of federal funding of higher education and made substantial funds available for low-cost student loans, boosting public and private colleges and universities. Politcial, Economic & Social Event -
The Cold War
The Cold War was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western World and the communist countries of Eastern Europe, mainly the United States and the Soviet Union. Key documents that escalated the conflict between these two world powers were the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. It even intensified the U.S. conflict in Vietnam. The Cold War was said to start right after the end of WWII in 1946 and last until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Political Event.
