Kim Chau
History 148
Paper #2
Word Count: 949

The decade of the 1950's sparked the rise of youth power. It was the beginning of actual “teenagers”. Post World War ll brought a baby boom that led to a mass amount of young people in the fifties. The youth culture was a significant social change that was taking place in America. The fifties youth culture had a considerable influence over pop culture. Their behavior, interests, and ideas were distinct from their parents. “Their attempts to forge an identity worried adults, who couldn't understand the shift (Shmoop Editorial Team).” The fifties were essential to youth culture because it marked the historical roots of teenagers. In essence, prior to the 1950’s, the youth lacked freedom to
An example is music. Rock and Roll was a big influence in the fifties. It gained popularity because it was against what parents (before the fifties) liked, which fueled teens to listen to it. To rebel and not conform to listening to the typical standard music their parents enjoyed was a statement for the youth culture in the fifties that they wanted to be different. A vast amount of entertainment embodied the non-conformist spirit of the 1950’s, which provided an outlet for those uncomfortable with the conservative society. It may not be noticed but the youth culture holds great power in today’s society and it continues to rise. “Take a close look at fashion trends, automotive design, movie and television programming, video games and sports, magazine publications and advertising and, last but not least, music. Youth culture represents billions of dollars in numerous industries and it shows no slowing in its growth and influence (Taylor).” The youth culture’s impact on society may not be noticed but it is revolutionary. The development of “teenagers” was a cultural phenomenon. Previous to the 1950’s, the economy was extremely bad therefore helping provide for your household with a full time job as a teenager was required. As time went on the