The Fifties

The Fifties, based on the acclaimed best selling book by David Halberstam, is an in-depth examination of the decade of the 1950s. Blending interviews with archival footage, it creates a vivid portrait of an era that defined the image of the American way of life. Fraught with nostalgia and a yearning for a simpler time, memories of the 1950s evoke an idealistic, innocent image of a time before the turbulence of the 1960s. The Fifties looks beyond the image of the 1950s to the realities of the decade. In doing so, it reveals the 1950s as an era as turbulent as any other, one that portended the explosion of the 1960s. From hula-hoops to McCarthyism, split-level tract houses to atomic anxieties, The Fifties provides a comprehensive study of a fascinating era in American history. The Fifties would be useful for classes on American History, Women's History, The History of Science and Technology, Economics, and Cultural History. It is appropriate for middle school, high school and college.

The Road to the Sixties

The Road to the Sixties describes America's progression through the 1950s both physically and ideologically. The era of big, flashy cars, fast food and Levittown indicated a more profound change in the American way of life. The ease of mobility and desire for speed was reflected in consumer goods, lifestyle changes, and pop culture. The birth of the McDonald Brothers' hamburger ushered in a new concept in dining-fast service and little choice, reflecting the larger attitude of big business. General Motors' emphasis on design over function and planned obsolescence ignored the future of the automobile market, and a little imported Bug began to eat away at American car makers' market share.

Discussion Questions

  1. In the 1950s, Congress passed the Federal Aid Highway Act. How did this act change America's mobility and the American way of life?

  2. What was the role of the new suburban communities in this new way of life?

  3. The McDonald Brothers ran a small hamburger stand in California. How did these two brothers revolutionize the restaurant business? Would the impact of the McDonald Brothers have been as great without the influence of Ray Kroc?

  4. How was the concept of the McDonald restaurant like "Levittown on a Bun?"

  5. Successful ideas, such as the McDonald restaurant chain, are usually the right ideas for the right times. How did the culture of the 1950s provide an environment conducive to the success of fast foods such as McDonald's?

  6. Why is the automobile the "hallmark of the fifties?"

  7. How were cars status symbols in the 1950s? Are they still status symbols today? Why was, or is, so much emphasis placed on the type of car a person drives?

  8. The Ford Edsel was one of the largest flops in automotive history. What was the problem with the Edsel, and why did it fail? What did the rejection of the Edsel demonstrate about the American consumer?

  9. The Corvair was one of the most dangerous cars ever sold in America. How did the Corvair and Ralph Nadar expose the design flaws of the auto industry?

  10. In 1957, The Soviet Union launched a satellite called Sputnik. Why did this small satellite, no larger than a melon, incite such concern and hysteria in the United States?
Extended Activities

  1. Design an advertisement for the McDonald Brothers hamburger stand. Remember, no one has ever tasted McDonald hamburgers before. How would your advertisement convince consumers to try the new product?

  2. Using some of the cultural images of the 1950s, design a car and an advertisement for the car. What would your designs emphasize? How would your car and advertisement differ if you were given the same assignment for the 1990s?

Air Dates

Classroom Materials