what were the 1950's like in North America?

Question

politics,fashion style, movies,economy, etc.

Answer 1

~Watch a few episodes of "Leave it to Beaver"

Answer 2

The '50's got off to a roaring start with the Korean War, a major conflict with N. Korea and China that very nearly resulted in nuclear war. It was a very sharp conflict that Truman was unable to end. Dwight D. Eisenhower promised, that if elected in '52, he would end the war. He did. He went to Korea and drew up an armistice that kept the N. Koreans north of the 38th parallel.
In 1953 the famous case Brown vs. the Board of Education was heard by the Supreme Court, which ruled that segregation in education was unconstitutional. Eisenhower sent federal troops to Alabama to enforce the law.
Senator Joe McCarthy was a drunk who had a hair across his *** about Communists in the State Department, in the government as a whole, and in Hollywood. His House Committee on Un-American Activities ruined the careers of many people. It was close to a reign of terror for a few years. Eventually he challenged the Pentagon, and he swiftly lost support.
In the movies Marilyn Monroe became extremely popular. Carey Grant was one of the biggest Hollywood actors, and Alfred Hitchcock one of the most famous directors. "North by Northwest" is a classic film from the period.
Fashion was quite conservative during this period, though oddly Playboy Magazine debuted in 1953. The first centerfold was Marilyn Monroe.
Labor unions were quite strong during this period, and the minimum wage in 1953, adjusted for inflation, was higher than the minimum wage in 2007. This was the period when millions of men used the GI bill to get college educations, and with them houses.
Beat poetry began in the 50's with Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" a landmark work. For a humorous look at beatniks, watch any rerun of the "Dobie Gillis Show"with Maynard G Krebs as the beatnik allergic to work.
By 1956 the civil rights movement reached a watershed with the refusal of Rosa Parks to sit in the back of the bus, for which she was arrested.
Racial relations were tense. Watch "West Side Story" for a look at racial relations in NYC during this period.
In music, Frank Sinatra was extremely popular, as was the cool jazz of Stan Getz and Gerry Mulligan. White musicians began imitating black performers and Elvis Presley became a huge star, initiating whites to Rock 'n Roll.