The most beautiful era in AmericaGirls in long polka dot dresses, perfectly curled hair and bright red lipstick painted on their lips. Guys with straight hair, plain white t-shirts and rugged black leather jackets. Music blared from the speakers, bouncing off the walls. Elvis Presley's voice filled everyone's ears as girls and boys danced the night away. The 1950s: a whirlwind of Rock N' Roll, Peace and Love. A time full of laughter, good music and a booming economy. The 1950s are considered the “greatest time period in America.” With the end of the Korean War and soldiers returning home with money in their pockets to spend, the economy boomed, prices fell, and housing became available to middle-class Americans. Thousands of inventions were thought of, built, published, and created into things that changed America forever. Music was one of the most iconic cultures for the United States in the 1950s. Rockabilly, a cross between soft, sweet melodies and the great lyrics of rock and roll. These events, and many others, made the 1950s an American era that will never be forgotten. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In the early 1900s, America and thousands of soldiers fought to help our ally gain freedom. The Korean War ended on July 27, 1953. The war took place on the Korean Peninsula. The United States assisted South Korea in the war against its neighbor - North Korea. American officials worked to create some sort of armistice with North Korea. They feared the war would spread to Russia and China – some feared World War III. Five million soldiers and civilians died during the war. The North Korean army numbered 135,000 men; South Korea had 95,000 in the 1950s. In total, 1,500,000 Chinese and Koreans were killed in the war. 85,720 American soldiers were sent to aid South Korea. In 1953 the war cost the United States $30 billion; $341 billion in modern currency (2011). Once the war ended in July 1953, thousands of soldiers returned home to Korea with money in their pockets to spend. During the war, suburbs were introduced for the first time. Along with falling home prices, homes were purchased, families moved, and America became a wealthy and happy country. Since the economy was stable, many families decided to have children. Between 1950 and 1959, 70 million children were born. The Korean War was great for the American economy. The Korean War was a tragic event, with thousands of soldiers wounded and killed. However, the war gave America a great economic boost, giving thousands of families home and peace. Hundreds of inventions are created every year. During the 1950s many things were created that changed America forever. Cars had begun to fill the streets, dozens of different types of cars. One type of car that was on the road was the 57' Chevy. This iconic model was created by General Motors. The car was launched on the market in September 1956. Three cars were produced: the luxurious “Bel Air”, considered an automotive icon. The mid-range “Two-Ten” and “One-Fifty”. The '57 Chevy is a classic, luxury car. The car had many special features including: surround sound, seat belts and much more. The '57 Chevy was called a “street machine” or “hot rod,” a 1957 term. The car, restored, is worth $100,000 (1990). General Motors produced 62,751 '57 Chevys. Millions of Americans have a credit card. There are hundredsof thousands of different credit cards. The credit card was invented by Edward Bellamy in 1887. In 1950, the first modern credit card was introduced. In 1949, Frank X. McNamara thought of a way to allow customers to have a single credit card that could be used at multiple stores. McNamara spoke with two colleagues and created Diners Club Credit Card Company. Diners Club credit cards were distributed in 1950 to 200 people (most were friends and acquaintances). They were accepted at fourteen restaurants in New York. The concept grew rapidly; at the end of 1950 there were 20,000 users of the Diners Club Credit Card. Television was one of the best inventions ever created. He helped modernize America. Colorful programming was invented by John Logie Baird. On June 25, 1951, CBS broadcast the first truly commercial color television program. No one could watch it on their black and white televisions. The first color program was a variety show called “Premiere.” The show featured celebrities such as Ed Sullivan, Garry Moore, Faye Emerson, Arthur Godfrey, Sam Leverson, Robert Aida and Isabel Bigley. The “Premiere” aired from 4:35 to 5:34 p.m. It reached only four cities: Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington DC. The colors were not true to reality. The program was a success. On June 27, 1951, CBS began airing the first regularly scheduled color television series, "The World Is Yours!" With Ivan T. Sanderson. He was a Scottish naturalist. The program was about Ivan talking about artifacts and animals from travels. "The world is yours!" airing from 4.30pm to 5pm. On August 11, 1951, CBS aired the first color baseball game. The game was between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. Hundreds of wonderful inventions were created in 1900. One of the most iconic things about the 1950s was the music. Elvis Presley; the face of Rock 'N Roll. Elvis was born on January 8, 1935. His full name was Elvis Aaron Presley. He is also known as "the king of rock and roll" or simply "the king". Elvis Presley is considered the most significant cultural icon of the 20th century. Elvis was a singer and an actor. He grew up in East Tupelo, Mississippi. As a teenager, the Presleys moved to Memphis. Elvis was a self-taught musician. In 1956 "Heartbreak Hotel" became King's first number one hit. He became a national sensation. Elvis was then drafted into the Army (GI) until 1960. Elvis Aaron Presley, or the King, died on August 16, 1977; Elvis was 42 years old. Dancing was a very iconic part of the 1950s. Most of the dances were similar to swing. Many dances copied the Philadelphia kids when Dick Clark convinced ABC to broadcast his show nationally, becoming American Bandstand. The program was a show that televised teenagers dancing and popular music for teenagers. The walk was one of many popular dances in this period. It was a form of line dancing, like most dances of the 1950s. The Jitterbug, Cha-Cha, and Lindy Hop were other popular dance types in this era. There were dozens of dances, including those from the classic musical Grease. During this period there were many famous dances; including the Andrews sisters, Eddie Fisher and Elvis Presley. The music and dance of the 1950s was very rebellious and independent. Some people call it “dirty dancing”. Dance was a big part of the culture in the 1950s. Rockabilly was one of the first styles of Rock and Roll. This musical style was created in the 1950s in the United States, especially in the South. Rockabilly had a Western style of music. The rockabilly genre was a mix of country with rhythm and blues which.
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