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Second Red Scare (approximately 1947-1957)
The fear that communist countires would overthrow the US government and destroy democracy. Inspired anti-foreign sentiments and war hysteria. -
"Baby Boomer" generation is born
Born after World War 2. Would be larger than their parents' generation and would have more influence in the social and political climate in future decades. -
Communist "Witch Hunt" Begins
An extension of "McCarthyism," a fascist idealogy that was brought about by John McCarthy in the early 20th century. The "Witch Hunt" refered to the culture of accusing others of being communists and promoting anti-foreign mass hysteria. -
Period: to
Nifty Fifties
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USCSSIOCIC was founded
"The United States Senate Special Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce" was devoted to investigating gangs and mobs. This caused the decline of organized crime that had become more common during the 1920's because of Prohibition. -
Construction of a Hydrogen Bomb Announced
Harry S. Truman authorized the Hydrogen Bomb to be built in response to the Soviet's recent atomic bomb. Its construction marked the beginning of the arms race between the US and Russia that was characteristic of the Cold War. -
"The Lonely Crowd" Released
A sociological analysis done by David Reisman, published in response to the growing enphasis on conformity caused by the Second Red Scare. He argued that fear of communism and the resulting fear of looking anti-American was harmful and toxic to individuals. -
Korean War begins
A war between North and South Korea where the United States defended South Korea in the interest of defending them from communism. -
First "Peanuts" Cartoon
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Color TV Introduced
Revolutionized entertainment -
First Modern Credit Card
Called the "Diners Club." Allowed people to use credit to purchase things and pay for them with money later. This is different from the credit cards used before the Great Depression, which weakened the economy. -
Treaty of San Franscisco Signed
Our peace treaty with Japan that marked the official end of World War 2. -
New York City atom bomb drill
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B-52 Stratofortress flies
The United States flies the B-52 Stratofortress, a long-range strategic bomber, for the first time. -
President's Power Limited
The U.S. Supreme Court limits the power of the President to seize private business and steel mills. -
Democratic National Convention
Elected the Eisenhower and Nixon ballot on a platform that advocated a strong national defense, security against the Soviet Union, the repeal of the Taft-Harley Act, equal employment opportunity for minorities, and public assistance for the disabled. -
U.S explodes first hydrogen bomb
As a test, the US explodes their first hydrogen bomb, built in response to the Soviet Union's atomic research. -
The Crucible is performed by the American playwright Arthur Miller
The Crucible was written by American playwright Arthur Miller. It was inspired by the events of the first and second Red Scare, which consisted of mass hysteria against communism and showed an alarming resembance to the Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century. -
Eisenhower inaugurated for second term
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First Nationwide Television Coverage
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"Chance of Peace" speech
President Eisenhower delivers his "Chance for Peace" speech to the National Association of Newspaper Editors after the Russian dictator Joseph Stalin's death. -
First Chevrolet Corvette
The first Chevrolet Corvette is built in Flint, Michigan. It was one of the first show cars to be produced, priced higher than most other cars. -
Korean War "ends"
Fighting halted in the Korean War in 1953. However, no peace treaty was ever signed. The armistice that was signed was meant to be a temporary measure to end conflict. Because no treaty was ever formally signed, fighting can resume at any time. -
CIA coup overthrows Iranian government
After suspicions that the Iranian government leaned towards communism and the influence of the Soviet Union, the US organized a coup to overthrow the government. The goal was to establish better trade relations with a valuable source of oil while also constructing a Western-friendly government in the East. -
The United States returns to West Germany for 382 ships
The United States returns to West Germany for 382 ships it had captured during World War II. -
Elvis' first demo is recorded
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First Miss America Pageant Broadcast
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Soviet h-bomb detonation
The first H-Bomb was detonated in the Pacific Ocean in 1952 by the Soviet Union. It was built on the way to thermonuclear technology that would put the Soviet Union ahead in the Cold War. -
First US Nuclear Power School
The US Navy established the first nuclear power school at Submarine Base, New London, Connecticut. -
Little Richard released "Tutti Frutti."
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Martin Luther King's house bombed
In Montgomery, Alabama, a group of radical racists threw a stick of dynamite into Civil Rights Activist Martin Luther King's house. To this day, no one has been prosecuted for the crime. -
Frst American woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics
On February 2, 1956, figure skater Tenley Albright became the first American Woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Italy. She won despite having an ankle injury. -
Brown vs. Board of Education decision
The supreme court decided that segregation was unconstitutional in the "Brown vs. Board of Education" case. -
End of a 156-day strike at Westinghouse Electric Corp.
Union workers ended a strike at Westinghouse Electric Corp. The strike had begun after the company's sales and profits decreased dramatically, taking with them the quality of work environment. -
"Daily Worker" discontinued
The "Daily Worker" was a newspaper published in New York by the Communist Party USA. The newspaper was not popular in the midst of McCarthyism and prevailing WW2 sentiments, and was discontinued. It was resumed in 1958 under the name "The Worker." -
US Supreme court ended race segregation on buses.
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A new series of atomic tests began in the Pacific
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First known airborne US hydrogen bomb tested
The bomb was tested over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific. -
US Federal Highway Act.
Signed by President Eisenhower, the US Federal Highway Act authorized the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways. The construction was funded with tax money. People agreed to the bill because they were told that taxes on fuel and automobiles would help to increase their national defense against communism. -
Steel Strike of 1956
650,000 US steel workers went on strike to protest poor working conditions and low wages. The strike was settled on July 28th. -
Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" and "Don't Be Cruel" reached #1.
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White Mob protests school desegregation in Mansfield, Texas.
White mobs attempted to stop black students from enrolling in Mansfield High School, Texas by blocking their way into the school and harming several students. While not as famous as the Little Rock incident, it still shows that racism and prejudice prevailed strongly in the South. -
U.S. Air Force Bell X-2 crashed
The US Air Force Bell X-2 was a rocket powered research aircraft. It was the fastest and highest-flying plane owned by the US. It was built to explore flight charactaristics and to see what the limit was for aeronautic vehicles. -
1st video recording on magnetic tape was nationally televised
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Suez Canal Crisis
Egypt had nationalized the Suez Canal, making it much more difficult to travel through. Israel invaded Egypt, as a result, soon joined by France and the United Kingdom. This damaged the US' relationship with all three countries. The tensions between the world powers threatened the relative world peace. -
Eisenhower-Nixon ticket won the presidency
The Eisenhower-Nixon republican ticket beat Democrat Adlai E. Stevenson. Eisenhower was elected for his second term in office. -
Montgomery, Alabama removed race-based bus seat assignments.
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Eisenhower inaugurated for second term
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Pacific Coast Stock Exchange formed
The Pacific Coast Stock Exchange was formed when the SF Stock Exchange and the Los Angeles Stock Exchange Merged. -
Earthquake hits the SF Bay Area
An earthquake hit the SF Bay Area in California. It c aused extensive damage to many public buildings, including Mary's Help Hospital. Reparations were expensive and proved to be a blow to the economy. -
1st Sodium Nuclear Reactor operated.
A pioneering nuclear power plant that would attempt to revolutionize power and energy in the US. -
Last broadcast of "I Love Lucy" on CBS-TV.
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Hurricane Audrey hits Louisiana and Texas.
Hurricane Audrey killed over 500 in coastal Louisiana and Texas. -
Leroy E. Burney reported direct link between smoking and lung cancer.
Leroy E. Burney, a US surgeon general, reported that there was a direct correlation between smoking and cancer. This sparked several "anti-smoking" campaigns that would continue into the 21st centruy. -
Work begins on San Francisco’s Central Freeway with construction costs at $7.8 million. It opened in 1959.
The San Francisco Central Freeway is an elevated freway that stretches for about 1 mile. It connects major parts of the cities and has made transportation easier within the city. -
Edsel released
The Edsel was a luxury car created by Ford Motor Company. Despite its innovative design and high prospects, it sold poorly. Since, the word "Edsel" has become synonymous with commercial failure. -
The Little Rock 9 forced away from Little Rock Central High School
The Little Rock 9 was a group of 9 black students who were the first to attempt to integrate into Little Rock Central High School. White protesters formed a mob so violent that the National Guard had to escort them away for their own safety. Later, on September 24, the students would get into the school with the assistance of federal troops under the command of President Eisenhower. -
Hattie Cotton Elementary School dynamited
Hattie Cotton Elementary School in Nashville, Tennessee was one of the schools that implimented the "stairstep plan." In this plan, a select few black students would be integrated into the first grade. This would continue until all 12 grades were fully integrated. The night after desegregation began, a stick of dynamite placed by an angry protester blew up a wing of the school. The violent incident quelled many of the protesters, and no more violence erupted at the school. -
Pres. Eisenhower met with Arkansas Gov. Faubus in Rhode Island. Gov. Faubus agree to cooperate with the president’s decisions regarding the high schools of Little Rock.
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"Rainier" tested in Nevada Desert
"Rainer" was the code name for an American underground nuclear test. Its first test was done in the Nevada Desert. -
"In God We Trust" appears on US paper currency.
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Federal Troops withdrawn from Little Rock, Arkansas
After integration was complete, the federal troops placed for the student's protection were removed from Little Rock, Arkansas. While racism and violence were still prevalent, it had de-escalated to the point where federal intervention was no longer necessary. -
Elvis Presley given a draft notice to join US Army
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More than 45 million American households have TV sets
Shows the shift from radio to video. Appearances mattered more than ever, and attractiveness began to be a prerequisite for success. -
The Recession of 1958
The Recession of 1958 was also known as The Eisenhower Recession. In 1958, the world economy as a whole sharply declined. A decreased amount of sales in the automobile industry, a crash in the housing market, and a gradual decrease in production of capital goods were all major causes. The recession forced about 5 million people out of work. -
Richard Nixon assaulted by protesters in Peru
Vice President Richard Nixon is assaulted by protesters in Peru as he makes a goodwill tour of South and Latin American. -
The Hula Hoop was created
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U.S. Gross National Product is $468.3 billion
The standard of living has improved greatly for most middle class people, and the US has been established as one of the world's largest powers. -
Unemployment is 6.6%
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Fidel Castro gains control of Cuba
Fidel Castro, a communist leader, overthrows the Cuban government. This sparks panic and war hysteria in the US, as communism is now practically in our backyard. -
Walt Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty” released
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The Day The Music Died
A plane crash kills singers Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. Richardson (The Big Bopper). -
The first Grammy Awards is held.
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Iran & US sign economic treaty.
Iran & US sign economic treaty. Iraq & USSR sign economic/technical treaty. Israeli Knesset agrees to weapon sales to West Germany. -
The average American worker earns $91.53 a week.
Large improvement from the previous decades; despite many drops in the economy, the average American is still better off than their parents were before them. -
Transportation Percentages
31.3% of all domestic passenger travel was by railroad; 27.7% by bus; and 38% by air.
