Following the second World War, the United States was seeking a period of peace. Fortunately, they got what they wanted, as the 1950's brought peace and prosperity. Soldiers returned home from war, and immediately looked to marry. Newlywed men and women moved into the suburbs, or the suburban area surrounding a city, and began to form families.
This influx of couples were having children had a considerable effect on the birth rate at that time. For this reason, it is said that during the 1950's, there was a 'baby boom'. A baby boom is a period marked by significant increase in birth rate. Between 1944 and 1961, 65 million children were born in the United States. In addition, the average age of marriage dropped 2 years, from age 22 to age 20, and couples were eager to have children as soon as they married.
These young families tended to follow a similar path in terms of the family structure. Now in the suburbs, kids would often have opportunities to engage in learning music and playing sports after their school day was over. So, the mothers were responsible for staying home and taking care of the children, while the fathers would work and earn money to support the family.
What's really interesting to me about this is how gender roles were taught to kids from a young age. For example, toy stores had separate toys for boys and girls that helped ingrain gender roles even more. Also, the media portrayed stay-at-home moms, and working dads, like the "Leave it to Beaver" TV show.
ReplyDeleteThis baby boom skyrocketed sales for diaper services, baby food bottlers, and other baby-related merchandise. Additionally, the booming home sales resulted in increased production and purchasing of furniture, appliances, and cars. Schools even had to adapt to the mass influx of children by opening new schools, increasing the size of old schools, and extending school hours.
ReplyDeleteA concept that came from the baby boom and increase of suburbs was "keeping up with the Joneses." This feeling of Americans led them to buy all sort of new "life necessities" such as the TV, radio, and refrigerator. This took place in the beginning of the consumer era. The consumer era has somewhat carried over to today.
ReplyDeleteThe numbers in particular are insane; ONE child was born every SEVEN seconds. The main factors were government encouragement, marriages following the war, and increases in encouragement from popular culture, as Ryan pointed out, such as "Keeping Up With the Joneses." The Baby Boom was a very interesting period in American History, and crazy to think about in today's day and age.
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