The 1950s are noted in United States history as a time of both compliance and conformity and also of rebellion. Major U.S. events during the decade included: Pre-Colonial America For details, see the main Pre-Colonial America article. ...

• The Korean War (1950-1953);
• The Second World War hero and retired Army Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower as President in 1952 and his subsequent re-election in 1956;
• The Red Scare and anti-Communist concerns of the McCarthy era;
• The U.S. reaction to the 1957 launch by the Soviet Union of the Sputnik satellite, a major milepost of the Cold War.

Compliance and attempts at social perfection were hallmarks of the 1950s domestic scene, where the two-parent families in which the father worked in industry and the mother remained home as a homemaker were idealized in television programs such as Leave it to Beaver. Social undercurrents subverting this view were seen in movements such as beat poetry, rock and roll music, and in motion pictures such as Rebel Without a Cause, starring 1950s icon James Dean. In fact, Dean and rock star Elvis Presley are almost universally seen as 1950s icons, as is motion picture actress Marilyn Monroe. Television became almost universally available in the United States by the end of the decade, and its social effects have been debated from then until now. Jump to: navigation, search The Korean War (Korean: 한국전쟁/韓國戰爭), from June 25, 1950 to July 27, 1953, was a conflict between North Korea and South Korea. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Jump to: navigation, search General is a high military rank, used by nearly every country in the world. ... Jump to: navigation, search Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... Jump to: navigation, search The President of the United States (often abbreviated POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1952 was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Jump to: navigation, search 1956 was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jump to: navigation, search This article contains information that has not been verified. ... Communism - Wikipedia /**/ @import /w/skins-1. ... Jump to: navigation, search Joseph Raymond McCarthy Joseph Raymond McCarthy (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was an American politician originally aligned with the United States Democratic Party and later with the United States Republican Party. ... Jump to: navigation, search 1957 was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sputnik 1 The Sputnik program was a series of unmanned space missions launched by the Soviet Union in the late 1950s to demonstrate the viability of artificial satellites. ... Jump to: navigation, search For the generic term for a high-tension struggle between countries, see cold war (war). ... Leave It to Beaver Cast, (from left) Tony Dow, Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, and Jerry Mathers Leave It to Beaver was a situation comedy which ran on CBS from October 4, 1957 to 1958 and then on ABC from 1958 to June 20, 1963. ... Beating is striking more than once, in violence, beating a drum, etc. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as part of... Jump to: navigation, search Rebel Without a Cause is a 1955 film which tells the story of a rebellious teenager who comes to a new town, meets a girl, defies his parents and faces the local gang. ... Jump to: navigation, search James Dean James Byron Dean (February 8, 1931 – September 30, 1955) was a charismatic American film actor who epitomized youthful angst. ... Jump to: navigation, search Elvis Presley Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock and Roll (sometimes shortened to The King) was an American singer and actor. ... Jump to: navigation, search Marilyn Monroe (born Norma Jeane Mortenson June 1, 1926 – August 5, 1962), was an American actress of the 20th century. ...

One of the most influential and most highly critically-acclaimed of the many books about the era is The Fifties by journalist and author David Halberstam. David Halberstam (born April 10, 1934), American journalist and author, was born in New York City. ...

Many Americans are nostalgiac for the Fifties, as it brings about memories of diners, racial homogeneity (both good and bad), Frank Sinatra and a general period of calmness. Jump to: navigation, search Old Blue Eyes belts one out. ...

Sports figures

• Yogi Berra (U.S. baseball player)
• Jim Brown (U.S. American football player)
• Maureen Connolly (U.S. tennis player)
• Otto Graham (U.S. American football player)
• Mickey Mantle (U.S. baseball player)
• Rocky Marciano (U.S. boxer)
• Willie Mays (U.S. baseball player)
• George Mikan (U.S. basketball player)
• Stan Musial (U.S. baseball player)
• Sugar Ray Robinson (U.S. boxer)
• Johnny Unitas (U.S. American football player)

Jump to: navigation, search Yogi Berra on his 80th birthday Lawrence Peter Yogi Berra (born May 12, 1925) is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played almost his entire career for the New York Yankees. ... Picture of Fenway Park. ... Jump to: navigation, search Brown was a first-team All-American in both football and lacrosse For the MPP, see Jim Brown (politician) James Nathaniel Jim Brown (born February 17, 1936) is an American professional football player and actor. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Maureen Catherine Connolly (Little Mo) was a professional tennis player born on September 17, 1934, in San Diego, California, United States. ... Jump to: navigation, search Tennis balls This article is about the sport, tennis. ... Otto Everett Graham Jr. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... Jump to: navigation, search Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball player, regarded as one of the best of all time. ... Picture of Fenway Park. ... Jump to: navigation, search Rocco Francis Marchegiano (September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969), better known as Rocky Marciano, was an Italian-American boxer who holds the distinction of being the only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated and was commonly known as the Brockton Blockbuster or The Rock. // Early childhood Marciano... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Willie Howard Mays, Jr. ... Picture of Fenway Park. ... George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. ... Jump to: navigation, search Basketball is very popular in U.S. colleges. ... Stanley Frank Musial (born November 21, 1920), nicknamed Stan the Man, is a Polish-American former player in Major League Baseball who played 22 seasons for the St. ... Picture of Fenway Park. ... Walker Smith Jr. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Unitas under centre, on the 9/23/02 cover of Sports Illustrateds tribute to him John Constantine Unitas (May 7, 1933 – September 11, 2002) was a professional American football player in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ...

See also

• 1950s