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Decade - 1950s
The 1950s was the decade that started on January 1, 1950, and ended on December 31, 1959. The most notable events in the 1950s include the Korean War (1950-1953) and the launch of the satellite, "Sputnik 1" (1957).
2,658 Questions
The murder of Emment Till
The 1950's extremely different from our time. Their fashion, music, education, and entertainment was very diverse. Their fashion was diverse because the ladies wore nice clothes. They had nice long skirts and they always had to wear blouses. Some of the men wore leather jackets and extremely tight jeans. Those type of men were called greasers.
List three similarities of the Salem Witch Trials to the Red Scare of the 1950s?
The Red Scare of the 1950s has been called a modern witch hunt. People were accused and convicted of Communism based on tenuous evidence like the witch trials; mass hysteria caused people to believe things that were ridiculous; and everyone realized how stupid it had been too late, lives had already been ruined.
Where can i find a 1950's nyc subway token holder?
Try eBay - there are several merchants that have one currently for sale or bid.
What was life like in the 1950s?
Not nearly as idyllic as Happy Days and similar shows would have you believe. There was a lot of tension and fear, with the Cold War and worries about Communism, and also a recession during the decade that nobody wanted to talk about. The fact that there was another war (Korea) following World War II, which was supposed to be the "war to end all wars", was a major disappointment to many people. The A-bomb (atomic weapons) and later the H-bomb (thermonuclear weapons) were supposed to be deterrents against any future warfare. That didn't happen.
The Civil Rights Movement and Women's Liberation were in their infancy, the Gay Rights movement didn't even exist, marijuana was considered a "dangerous narcotic", and there were numerous restrictive laws against nearly everything that came to be accepted in later years (interracial marriage, cohabitation, divorce on grounds other than adultery, recreational and non-missionary styles of sex, open discussions about sex and relationships). Cigarette smoking was considered harmless, and driving drunk was actually a legitimate legal defense, if one got into an accident.
Life was rough in the 1950s. At school students would get beat with shoes, rulers, sticks, and hands if they were punished. Only some kids from each neighborhood went to school. Some Catholic school had uniforms but the public schools didn't.
What did senator Joseph McCarthy have to do with the Red Scare of the 1950s?
Joseph McCarthy was a Senator who ruined the careers of many people by calling them Communists, or "Reds," without sufficient proof.
In 1950, anti-communist hysteria began to emerge in the USA as encouraged by the actions of Senator Joe McCarthy who began accusing high-ranking US officials of being communists, or of selling secrets to the Russians. Some government employees were found guilty of passing on secrets about the Atom Bomb. But McCarthy eventually lost popularity, and then power, as his accusations grew wilder and cruder each day. All of this simply served to increase tension between the two superpowers, the US and the Soviet Union.
At the same time as McCarthy's denunciations, the House Un-American Activities Committee was also active. Many actors and writers were brought in before the Committee, and their lives ruined by threats and accusations. There were some Hollywood writers who were out of work for years because of these actions. They had been placed on a "blacklist" and studios were afraid to be connected with them.
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Senator McCarthy, a Republican from Wisconsin, was Chairman of the US Senate Permanent Sub-Committee on Investigations. He is viewed as a leading figure of the "Red Scare" of the 1950s. His committee, however, was not involved in the Hollywood Blacklist. McCarthy's committee was focused on supposed communists in the State Department, the Department of Defense, and other federal agencies.
The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) is the group identified with the Hollywood Blacklist. Or more properly, their investigations into supposed communists in Hollywood led the movie industry to establish the Blacklist as proof of their sincerity in fighting the supposed communists.
Senator McCarthy's activities are frequently confused with those of the HUAC. Richard Nixon was a member of HUAC while a member of the US House of Representatives.
The movie Julie & Julia (2009) is about the chef Julia Child and stars Meryl Streep. Julia's husband Paul Child, played by Stanley Tucci, is a state department official who was questioned by McCarthy's committee investigators and found innocent. Nonetheless the threat of investigation was often used to intimidate witnesses.
This incident involved the crash on March 12, 1960, of a B-47 bomber from Little Rock Air Force Base on an early morning training mission. According to an online posting of historic Arkansas Gazette accounts, the plane exploded shortly after takeoff, raining debris across a wide area. But much of the wreckage -- and the crew -- fell on two neighborhoods not far from the State Capitol building.
According to the newspaper accounts, three of the crew of four died in the accident, as did two people in houses. The nose of the plane landed in Allsopp Park, and the plane's engines were scattered as if dropped like bombs. Fiery wreckage landed on and destroyed the residence of a woman named Grove or Groves. She escaped the inferno almost unhurt, but her tenant, a young man who lived in the attic, perished. One dead crewman lay on a driveway, and another on a school playground. One injured crewman survived thanks to his partly open parachute by landing in a tree.
One story goes that a crowd gathered in the street to look at the hellish scene. Someone mentioned that a nuclear weapon might have fallen with the wreckage of the aircraft (which was not the case). Just to be safe, the onlookers took a few steps back.
This writer lived as a child in the country several miles outside the city. The morning of the explosion and crash, a small roll of very thin tin foil showed up in our front yard. Trees in other parts of the city were full of this foil. It reportedly was radar-jamming material dispersed during the explosion. According to one of the Gazette stories, some witnesses were confused about whether one or two planes were involved because of the aerial disintegration of the bomber during the explosion.
Some of this account is from memory, but most detail was found after a search today in the extensive historic newspaper accounts posted on the following Web site: http://www.arkansasties.com/Pulaski/Structures6/PlaneCrash1960.htm
The names of the crew, the addresses and locations where debris fell, etc., can be found in the text posted there. Answer: I was a KC-97 pilot on that date, and the a/c in question was scheduled to be our receiver that day. The co-pilot of the B-47 was a neighbor of mine. We had just started engines when I saw the explosion; at first, I thought someone had fired a flare, but then saw the big pieces coming out of the explosion. An inbound LogAir C-46 saw the explosion above him, and described where various pieces where hitting, in relation to the capitol building. We could see the huge smoke plume from the base. Needless to say, we did not launch that day. The reason that a mid-air was suspected was that the external fuel tanks were built by the Beechcraft Company, and someone saw the i.d. on the piece of tank. There were NO nuclear weapons involved. It was a normal training flight. Don Sproule donsprl@aol.com
Were did most immigrants come from in the 1950s?
Most immigrants came from Asia and the European areas of the world.
WHAT is the value of a 1 dollar bill from the 1950's?
You need to supply more information, including the bill's condition and series letter. In general so many of these notes were saved prior to their replacement with Federal Reserve Notes that they are only worth $1.25 to $1.50.
Why did the world population increase in the 1950's?
World population dramatically increased in the 1950s because of low mortality due to health improvements in developing countries (where most of the growth was) and still high fertility which was common in traditional societies. (look up: Demographic transition theory)
What was a toy kitchen cabinet play set in 1950s including a miniature roll Scott Toilet Tissue?
It was probably a My Merry set. Hope that helps.
Child's rights and roles in the family around the 1900's and 1950's?
Being a child in the 1950's was very different from being a child in the 2000's.
First and foremost you were taught to be, "seen and not heard". And they meant it! Manners were an important lesson to be learned. Talk back........not to my mother. The only "rights" you had back then were the rights your parents gave you.
Little girls wore dresses and little boys pants. Our shoes were practical and worn with very unattractive brown knee socks and it was a rare child who wore "fancy shoes". We were a rarity, I think, and allowed to wear denim jeans and jackets because of the chores we had to do. But only for chores.
We went to church and school and were expected to be well behaved. If not you were punished at home as well as the punishment you might be handed out at school. We played tag and jump rope and I remember that sidewalk skating, with skates that clamped on your shoes, was very popular. Mother worked a full time job. A benefit of that job was a Christmas party for the children.
What happened to the world gift company popular in the 1970's?
Not an answer but the same question that I would like to know... I have many pieces that my mother in law sold in the 50s... they have the engraving on the bottom, World Gift...
I am a former World Gift Distributor/Manager. I left the company in the late seventies and it was still very active at that time. It is my hope that someone will be able to answer the question; it was a great concept for it's time and introduced many imported items to the country. The exceptional thing about selling was that we knew how the items were made, something about the people who handcrafted them (most), how to use them in your home and stories behind the items. How many times can you learn this much about something you buy now? The company was headquartered In Dallas, Texas at 425 Regal Row. The founder was Dick Kelly. Perhaps this information may help someone else in their search.
I WOULD LIKE TO ADD: I also was a 'rep' and sold these items. I, myself, collected a lot of 'chandi'?? It was Indian brass plated in nickel and then carved. It never needed polishing. I have a huge beautiful collection and the funny thing is I can find no reference whatsoever to Chandi, pronounced 'shandee' anywhere on eBay or the net. Does anyone at all know anything about these items? Thank you
What is a 1941 mint D quarter worth?
Retail prices range from $3 if well worn up to $5 if almost uncirculated.
What is a musical written after 1920?
There are many Wicked, The 25th anual puttman spelling Bee, Avenue Q, Legally Blonde, Young Frankenstein And Rent. Thse are just a few of the more recent musicals but there are many more.
I believe that the CS stands for Culinary Specialist. You're on the right track, Aggie, he's a cook but back then the rating was 'Commissaryman' and the rank would be First Class Petty Officer. I can't seem to find a picture of the badge, but there would have been an eagle above the insignia with three chevrons below.
There are five that still exist today. There IS NO evidence that one came before the other, however I would lean toward QM's.
Boatswain's Mates, Quartermaster, Gunner's Mate, Master-at-Arms, Cook (now Culinary Specialists [CS]).
This is just one resource and is the ONLY OFFICIAL site:
http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq78-1.htm#anchor88073
What two superpowers were involved in the Cold War?
The people that were involved in the cold war was the Soviet Union, Communist world, and the non-communist world (The US and the USSR)
What caused backyard bomb shelters to be built in early 1950?
bombing raids, i guess Uh, please check your history - the U.S. was never bombed during the 1950s. There was however great fear that the Soviet Union might attack the U.S. with its nuclear weapons, so people prepared for the worst by stockpiling food and water in underground bunkers.
What was life like during the 1950's?
I suggest you get the late David Halberstam's book on the subject. Ebay usually has his stuff, although as he recently died the price might be up slightly Phil
What was the most significant event or project of the 1950S?
Wow. Where to start. I suppose the biggest would be the launch of the Russian Sputnik satellite that started the whole Space Race. The Cold War with Russia started. Eisenhower was advised to start looking seriously at developing Solar power; instead he decided to embark on a nuclear program instead. Television sets started to appear in more "average" homes. The I love Lucy show started. The CIA was thought to have started a project called MK Ultra that was about mind control experiments using LSD. James Dean released his only 3 films. The first commercial nuclear power station was opened at Windscale, England. Everything was covered in sparkly red naugahide. The Korean War started. The French started the Vietnam War and handed over the responsibility to the Americans. Kruschev became premier of Russia and would be the one to play nuclear holocasust brinksmanship with Kennedy over the Cuban Missile Crisis. Stalin, the Premier of Russia since the death of Lenin and the only man to have killed more Russians than Hitler, died in 1953.
What did a new home cost in 1977?
My husband and I were married in 1975 and purchased our first home in 1976. This was a 1800 sq foot ranch style on 2/3rds acre with beautiful view for 57,500.00. That home now is worth about 600,000.00
the space race started when the soviet union union launched Sputnik into space.
