Riot09
Member
"Do you think you could help writing a paragraph from the 50s?"
"Can you give me a few notes? thanks in advance"
ill kill 2 birds with one stone,lucky for you or mostly to my benifit really i had elective-history today and since it was the fist lesson of the term it was a bludge and while my friends played 13 and teachered talked with other students i was just bored so i started reading a history textbook for the sake of it and i read about the 1950's and whitlam dissmissal.
so off the top of my head since we haven't done this topic yet here i go.
the 1950's was a decade of change for many australians as post-world war migrants flooded in from europe and technologies such as cars,t.v's and other electronnics readily became availible the nation was reborn into the modern age.
Also the politics were changing as the events of ww2 were now over Australia looked elsewhere for her protection in her time of need as britain was now replaced with america as australia's sword and shield from foreign enemies as the korean war has just begun and the cold-war was in full swing.Along with these technological advancesments and the changing arena of politics australia now embraced the american culture like never before
Media such as movies,t.v and espicially music was agreat hit among the days teens and the "flapper" style was no stranger either to australia in the post-world war era as moral standards declined and society laxed in social restrictions of the past.which ofcoures caused concern over the much more conservative members of the public and members of the church.
The rebel without a cause,bill haley and the comets hit single "rock around the block" and elvis presly did much to fan the flames of rebellion over past "traditional" events where saturady nights were spent chaporoned by members of the church now teens started to wear lether-jackets and ride on motor-cycles.Which were also frowned upon by previous generations.
thats all i can remember but i'll find more stuff out.
-pm hughes sought closer relation with the u.s
-growth of car owenership-which led to motels and drive-ins
-1956 melbourne staged the olympics and dawn fraser won gold
-Americanisation of australian entertainment-marlon brando and james dean
-1950's people born around this time are called the "baby boom" generation
-communism- liberal party sh**ting themselves over the domino-theory
-cars,cars and more cars
detailed footnotes to consider.
Transport in the 1950s was crucial to post-war reconstruction efforts. The baby boom and immigration influx had prompted a rapid expansion of Australian towns and cities and trains and automobiles were needed to transport people and building supplies to the new suburbs. Road trains, which are large trucks consisting of many trailers, were used to service areas lacking in rail transport.
The first Australian-made car, the FX Holden, was manufactured in 1948. Initially, the Holden factory could only roll 10 cars off its production line per day, but by 1951 production had accelerated to 100 cars per day. In 1953, Holden released the FJ Holden. It cost £1,074 - the equivalent of 68 times the average weekly wage.
Air travel was not a common form of transport in the early 1950s. Aircraft were powered by propellers and their cabins were un-pressurised. As a result, plane trips were bumpy and noisy and aircraft could not fly at very high altitudes. Aeroplane trips were also long, with frequent stops to refuel. In the late 1950s, however, Qantas purchased a new Boeing 707 jet-powered aircraft that could fly faster and carry more passengers. The new Boeing jets could also reach higher altitudes and fly above turbulent weather.
In 1958, Qantas became the first airline in the world to introduce a regular round-the-world service. In 1959, Qantas also offered regular flights to America, London via New York and London via India.
The advent of the portable transistor in the late 1950s rescued the radio industry from the impending doom of television. Although its sound quality was 'tinny' and a lower quality than that of traditional radios, the transistor allowed radio to escape the limits of the home. Unlike television, radio could be installed in cars and be carried to outdoor locations like parks and beaches.
From the 1950s, advancing forms of communication provided new avenues for advertising to deliver its message to Australian society. Advertising and other forms of popular culture helped create an unprecedented demand for material goods. Through television, radio and magazines, advertisers depicted an exciting new American-inspired lifestyle that could be obtained by purchasing new cars and home appliances and the latest fashion, music, films, food and beverages.
Australia, like many other Western countries, fast developed a 'consumer culture'- whereby happiness and satisfaction were often associated with purchasing and consuming material goods. The consumerist trend would accelerate in later decades.
Other Chapters Home appliances
The first moon landing was beamed directly to thousands of Australians. - Television beamed the harsh realities of the Vietnam War into Australian homes. - Radio survived the stiff competition of television, partly due to the advent of the transistor.
1950s in context
After decades of suffering through the Great Depression and World War II, the 1950s were prosperous, vibrant years for Australians. Employment was high and people were encouraged to spend their money freely.
Technology advanced rapidly after the war and soon transformed the lives of many Australians. Televisions provided a link to the rest of the world and cars gave people a new mobility that would change the nation's patterns of leisure and living.
In 1956, Melbourne hosted the Olympic Games. This fostered a great sense of national pride and cast the international spotlight onto Australia like never before.
The role of women in the 1950s
For women in the 1950s, life was centred on the family and domestic duties. Women who had held wartime jobs were expected to abandon their careers in order to provide employment for men returning from war. Women were encouraged to stay at home, raise children and care for their husbands. To assist in the homemaking task, shiny new home appliances promised to transform housekeeping into a delight.
Some women, however, challenged traditional values and remained in the paid workforce. They were usually paid less than men for performing the same work and were often employed in routine, low-status positions. The women's rights movement was still a decade away.
See Image 1
Australia's ties to Britain in the 1950s
Thousands of people queued to welcome Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Australian shores in 1954. Many Australians still considered Britain to be their homeland and proclaimed unwavering loyalty to British culture and values.
Australia's cultural ties to Britain, however, would be challenged by an influx of American culture through cinema, radio and television. Technological innovation spurred these changes, breaking down geographical barriers and allowing new, exciting forms of popular culture like rock 'n' roll to penetrate Australian life.
Immigration in the 1950s
Throughout the 1950s, a flood of migrants transformed the shape of Australian society. Australia suffered a huge shortage of workers for the nation's reconstruction efforts and the nation embarked on a programme to boost its population. In 1950, it was estimated that 170 000 migrants arrived in Australia. By the end of the decade, this figure would reach one million.
Most migrants hailed from Britain, or European countries, such as Greece and Italy. They had a major impact on the make-up of the Australian population and introduced new food, music, religion and traditions to Australian cultural life.
Many new European migrants worked on construction projects like the Snowy River Mountains Scheme, a huge project that diverted water from the Australian Alps for irrigation and the generation of hydro-electric power.
See Image 2
Not all people, however, were welcome in Australia during the 1950s. Since 1901, the White Australia Policy had prevented non-white people from migrating to Australia - promoting white, European immigration instead. It would not be abolished until 1974.
The 1950s was the era of 'assimilation'. This meant that migrants were expected to abandon their distinct culture and language and 'blend in' to the existing population.
Politics in the 1950s
Despite the optimism of the decade, Australians lived in the shadow of the Cold War. The Cold War was a bitter political struggle that had emerged after World War II, between America and her Western allies and Communist countries like the Soviet Union and China. As tension mounted between nations, many people feared the outbreak of nuclear war.
Throughout the decade, Australia was led by Liberal leader Sir Robert Menzies. He came to power on 10 December 1949 and would go on to become Australia's longest serving Prime Minister.
Along with many other Australians, Menzies believed that Australia was seriously under threat from Communist regimes. In 1950, he sent Australian soldiers to fight Communist North Korea after it invaded South Korea.
Robert Menzies was renowned for his public speaking prowess. He was also known as a staunch monarchist and once famously called himself 'British to his bootstraps'. Nonetheless, he actively maintained Australia's military alliance with America after World War II.
Entertainment in the 1950s
With a renewed economic optimism and willingness to spend, Australians in then 1950s could afford more entertainment products than ever before. Women were freed from time-consuming household tasks with the advent of many labour-saving home appliances and increased car ownership meant less travel time and more leisure time.
Radio in the 1950s
Prior to the introduction of television, radio was the most popular form of entertainment in Australia. In 1955, it was estimated that 97 percent of Australian households owned a radio set. Families gathered together in the evenings and listened to music shows, drama serials, light entertainment and quiz programmes.
When television began broadcasting into homes in 1956, however, radio stations were forced to alter their programming. It soon became clear that the medium of television was better suited to many kinds of programming and Australian audiences quickly turned to television for programmes like drama, quiz shows, and comedies. In turn, music, sport and news became the domain of radio.
Radio successfully weathered the staunch competition of television. By the end of the 1950s, new, convenient portable transistor radios made it possible for people to take their radios outdoors. Some cars even had radios installed.
See Image 1
Cinema in the 1950s
Like all other entertainment mediums, cinema was greatly affected by the advent of television. Rather than going out for a night at the movies, many families stayed at home and watched television instead. As a result, cinema attendance declined markedly.
In an attempt to win back lost audiences, cinemas offered innovative new features. Technicolour, wide screens, stereo sound and 3D movies became common in theatres around Australia.
Despite the challenge posed by television, cinema remained the leisure activity of choice for people spending a night out. Drive-in cinemas became a popular way of watching movies in the 1950s. The first drive-in cinema in Australia opened in Melbourne in 1954 and within two years, another 23 had sprung up across Australia. The popularity of the drive-in can be attributed to the rapid increase in car ownership and the growing number of young families who found drive-ins a more convenient way to take small children to the cinema.
Films in the 1950s
Locally-made Australian films were in short supply throughout the 1950s and 1960s and this period is widely considered to be a low point in Australian film-making. A few Australian films were shown, notably The Glenrowan Affair (1951) and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1959).
In 1955, Charles Chauvel's groundbreaking film Jedda was the first Australian movie to be released in colour. It also tackled controversial Indigenous/colonial themes and was the first Australian film to star Indigenous actors.
Throughout the 1950s, many film makers were unwilling to risk using little-known Australian actors. Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, for example, cast overseas actors in each of its four lead roles.
Throughout the 1950s, most films screened in Australian cinemas were American or British, paving the way for foreign cultural influences to easily infiltrate Australian popular culture.
Television in the 1950s
Television was first introduced in Australia in September 1956, just in time for the Melbourne Olympics. Within a few short years it had become the nation's most popular form of entertainment. By 1959, it was estimated that over 50 percent of families in Sydney owned a television set.
In the early days of its release, television screened in grainy black and white and broadcasts were limited to just a few hours each night. As a result, television viewing was treated as a 'special event' and did not have the powerful sway over everyday lives and schedules that it would in later decades.
Early Australian television broadcast news, quiz programmes, movies, music programmes and sport. Many Australian-made programmes were essentially visual broadcasts of existing radio shows, or 'radio with pictures'. Many popular TV hosts, like Brian Henderson, were former radio presenters.
See Image 2
A large proportion of television programmes were imported from overseas and Australians were exposed to foreign cultures like never before. American productions like Perry Mason and I Love Lucy soon became the nation's favourites.
One of the best-loved Australian programmes in the early days of television was the variety programme In Melbourne Tonight, which began its 12-year run in 1957. Hosted by local comedy-talents Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton, In Melbourne Tonight was one of the first popular programmes ever to feature Australian humour, rather than American or British. As a result, In Melbourne Tonight marked an important first step in the formation of Australia's national identity, providing a format for Australian actors, themes and humour to be played out in front of a national audience.
Opposition to television in the 1950s
While television was greeted with excitement by most Australians in the 1950s, a small proportion of society were opposed to it. Some people believed that television would allow Australia to become over-run by American culture, thus threatening the development of the Australian identity. Others believed that television content was superficial and unsophisticated and contained no educational or cultural benefits. Some people were concerned that television would encourage people to become passive and less active in the community.
Music in the 1950s
The release of the vinyl LP (Long Playing) record in the early 1950s made it possible for people to play continuous music for much longer than before. With this new technology came rock 'n' roll, an exciting new American musical style.
Rock 'n' roll swept onto Australian shores in 1955 with the release of Bill Haley's hit song Rock Around the Clock. Originating in America, this new style fused black American rhythm and blues music with the white-dominated country and western genre.
Rock 'n' roll was fast, rhythmic and exciting, and audiences loved it. Young Australians gathered in dance halls dressed in the latest rock 'n' roll fashions and performed dances like the jitterbug and the boogie-woogie.
Elvis Presley was known the world over as the king of rock 'n' roll. During the 1940s, singers like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra had been popular, but their fans were mostly young adults. Elvis Presley, however, tapped into the young teen market and thrilled audiences with his original style of music and hip-gyrating 'bad boy' image.
By the end of the decade, the airwaves were dominated by rock 'n' roll and Australian rock 'n' roll artists like Johnny O'Keefe and Col Joye were also achieving considerable chart success.
See Image 3
Other entertainment in the 1950s
Comic books were extremely popular in the 1950s and American toys like hula hoops became all the rage. Swimming at beaches was a popular new pastime, as more people learned how to swim and surf, lifesavers began to patrol beaches and swimsuits adopted a more comfortable and practical design
British influence on the Australian culture
British settlers arrived in Australia in 1788 and the extent of the British influence is still evident today. The British Union Jack features predominantly on our national flag and the Queen is Australia's Head of State. British models also form the basis of Australia's legal and political systems, as well providing our national language.
Up until World War II, Britain remained the dominating cultural influence in Australia. Britons also dominated the make-up of Australian society - most of Australia's citizens were either born in Britain, or had British descendants. In the years following the war, British subjects were encouraged to migrate to Australia under an 'assisted package' scheme, which helped with the cost of migrating to Australia and provided housing and employment options upon arrival. Between 1945 and 1972, over one million British migrants settled in Australia.
Before 1945, many people, including Australians themselves, considered Australia to be nothing more than a British colony; a nation whose national identity was relatively indistinct from the British. During this period of Australia's history, our modes of entertainment, food, fashion, sporting culture and our social values and attitudes were largely dictated by British culture.
American influence on the Australian culture
One of the most significant changes to have taken place in Australian society since the end of WWII, however, has been its drift towards American, rather than British culture. As the American way of life was projected further into Australia via popular culture, it would rapidly alter the ways we spent our money, entertained ourselves, dressed and socialised. Eventually, many of our British cultural legacies would give way to new American ideals.
In the decades since World War II, however, the penetration of American popular culture into Australian society has raised ongoing concerns about Australia's ability to carve out its own national identity. Local cultural products like films and music are an important way for people of a country to explore and share their common culture and heritage. Australian characters, themes and issues, however, are often outweighed by representations of the American way of life.
American films and television programmes depict American people in American settings and American music deals with American, not Australian concerns. Many people have feared that if Australians are starved of distinctly Australian cultural products, the national identity will be at risk.
America in Australia pre - 1945
America's presence had been felt in Australia prior to WWII. As well as political ties between the two countries, America and Australia were strong trade partners. In 1928, it was estimated that Australia sourced almost 25 percent of its imports from America. Before the war, Australians also enjoyed American cultural imports like films and music.
Throughout World War II, Australia became increasingly dependent on the United States, rather than Britain, for military support. By the end of the war, links between America and Australia were strong and somewhat undermined the traditional ties that Australia had to Britain. Thousands of American troops were stationed in Australia during WWII.
American-style dance halls were established, playing new music and serving American-style food. The American troops wore flashy uniforms and purchased fancy items with their generous incomes. While some people were critical of their brash behaviour, many Australians found the experience of American troops exciting. Their dynamic new ideas and attitudes posed a challenge to the prevailing conservative British sensibilities.
See Image 1
America emerged from World War II as the dominant global economic power and was well-placed to export its cultural products to the world, including Australia.
At the same time, Australians in the 1950s were well-placed to receive American cultural influences. People were more affluent than ever before and communications and transport technology was advancing rapidly, enabling an easier transmission of American products and ideas into Australian society. American concepts like consumerism and material aspirations also fitted well with Australia's new pleasure-seeking suburban ideals.
These factors enabled American cultural influences to filter rapidly into Australia in the post-war years - primarily via music, cinema, and television. Over the subsequent decades, America would become a dominating cultural influence in Australia.
Music and radio
Australian popular music during the 1950s drew heavily from American sources, as both British and Australian youth fell under the spell of American-style rock 'n' roll. In 1955, American Bill Haley's hit song Rock Around the Clock swept Australia, and the airwaves were soon full of other American acts like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly.
During this time, Australian performers like Johnny O'Keefe were heavily influenced by these overseas trends, modelling themselves on successful international acts.
See Image 2
Large American corporations had developed mass production and marketing plans to tap into the newly-formed teenage market and harness this worldwide craze. They were helped along by technological leaps in radio and television, which made it possible for American music to penetrate foreign cultures like never before.
Following the introduction of television in 1956, radio stations increasingly relied on the new 'teenage' thirst for American music. Commercial radio was increasingly aligning its programming with the American youth model, and play lists were still dominated by mostly imported American and British popular music.
Radio announcers in the 1950s often used American accents to make their products appear exciting and modern - a clear reflection of the esteem with which American culture was held at the time.
Australian teenagers rapidly adopted entertainment technology like car and transistor radios, following the lead set by their American counterparts.
Cinema
Prior to World War II, Australia had a small but thriving film industry. After the war, however, the local film industry struggled amid an influx of mostly Hollywood-produced films. Most cinema chains were foreign-owned and Australian films struggled to reach the screen.
Very few quality Australian films were produced during the 1950s. While some films were shot in Australia, many were financed by British and American interests and featured foreign stars in the leading roles.
It has been estimated that in 1952, almost 75 percent of the films screened in Australian cinemas were American, while 18 percent were British.
Australia's widespread exposure to the American way of life depicted in 1950s movies coincided with the rock 'n' roll explosion and a spin-off into the teenage fashion industry. Australian youth imitated the fashions and hairstyles of their favourite American movie stars like Marlon Brando and James Dean.
Reasons for American domination at the cinema
American film-making technology was the most advanced in the world, making it possible for them to produce many more high-quality films at a faster rate than their competitors. Local production companies could not compete with the dazzling technicolour and bright, big-budget promotional campaigns of American film companies.
The abundant budgets and superior technological resources also attracted the best actors, writers and directors to America. In many cases, this meant that the American creative output was of a higher standard than that of other countries.
See Image 3
American and British influence on Australian television in the 1950s
The American television industry had been established in the 1940s. During the post-war reconstruction period, the Americans quickly returned to the airwaves and began producing a myriad of television exports.
Between 1956 and 1963, almost all content screened on Australian television was sourced from overseas. Of this, 83 percent was American, with the rest from Britain. Many local programmes produced during this period were also based on formulas set by American programmes and were not distinctively Australian.
In 1959, the ten most popular programmes on Australian commercial television were all American. These included shows like Perry Mason, The Flintstones and I Love Lucy.
British programmes dominated schedules on the ABC throughout the 1950s. The ABC modelled itself on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Britain's public broadcaster and aimed to provide programmes that enriched the culture of the nation and remained free from commercial interests.
The dominance of American content on Australian television in the 1950s meant that the representation of Australian characters and issues was far outweighed by representations of the American way of life. Most programmes depicted American families in American settings and dealt with American concerns and themes. While some television stations, like the ABC, made concerted attempts to broadcast Australian programmes, concerns were voiced during this time about the lack of local content on Australian commercial television.
In the late 1960s, the government would impose a local content quota in order to protect the Australian television industry from being swamped by American products.
Food and shopping
Throughout the 1950s, traditional British meals, like roast dinners, chops or sausages and vegetables, were the typical dinner for most Australians. Breakfast usually consisted of porridge, toast, eggs, or simple cereals like cornflakes.
Food was usually purchased from specialist vendors - bread from a baker, vegetables from a greengrocer, meat from a butcher and other staple items like sugar and flour from a local corner store.
Towards the late 1950s, new American-inspired shopping centres and supermarkets began springing up, particularly in the newly-built suburbs. These contained a number of shopping facilities under one roof and markedly changed Australian shopping habits.
The quest for an Australian identity
While the British and American influence has played a major role in defining the shape of Australia that we know today, a number of other influences have contributed to the development of the Australian identity.
As settlers in an unfamiliar land, the Australian identity was long bound to the stereotype of the tough, heroic bushman who fought to tame a difficult landscape. Australian values like 'mateship', 'fair go' and the 'Aussie battler' emerged as a result of this myth. Throughout the prosperous post-war years, however, a new Australian ideal emerged and Australians were thought to be part of a more laidback culture that enjoyed the 'good life'.
As migrants moved to Australia over the decades, however, they introduced new stories, traditions and perspectives to Australian culture. The traditional concepts of an Australia as a British colony, or a land of struggling bush-dwellers, no longer seemed to fit with the diverse new reality of the society. As Indigenous peoples were finally acknowledged as the original owners of the land, the role of Indigenous values in the construction of a true Australian identity had also become apparent.
As such, the Indigenous and migrant influence has intervened in the American and British effect on Australian culture.
As Australian society adapted to changing cultural influences across the decades, whether they be British, American, Indigenous, Asian or European, the national identity continually evolved in response. In the face of globalisation, however, the future of Australia's unique national identity was increasingly challenged by the development of a global culture.
this part is from skwirk but the first part i worte and the middle part are just main notes from a book i have,have fun.
"Can you give me a few notes? thanks in advance"
ill kill 2 birds with one stone,lucky for you or mostly to my benifit really i had elective-history today and since it was the fist lesson of the term it was a bludge and while my friends played 13 and teachered talked with other students i was just bored so i started reading a history textbook for the sake of it and i read about the 1950's and whitlam dissmissal.
so off the top of my head since we haven't done this topic yet here i go.
the 1950's was a decade of change for many australians as post-world war migrants flooded in from europe and technologies such as cars,t.v's and other electronnics readily became availible the nation was reborn into the modern age.
Also the politics were changing as the events of ww2 were now over Australia looked elsewhere for her protection in her time of need as britain was now replaced with america as australia's sword and shield from foreign enemies as the korean war has just begun and the cold-war was in full swing.Along with these technological advancesments and the changing arena of politics australia now embraced the american culture like never before
Media such as movies,t.v and espicially music was agreat hit among the days teens and the "flapper" style was no stranger either to australia in the post-world war era as moral standards declined and society laxed in social restrictions of the past.which ofcoures caused concern over the much more conservative members of the public and members of the church.
The rebel without a cause,bill haley and the comets hit single "rock around the block" and elvis presly did much to fan the flames of rebellion over past "traditional" events where saturady nights were spent chaporoned by members of the church now teens started to wear lether-jackets and ride on motor-cycles.Which were also frowned upon by previous generations.
thats all i can remember but i'll find more stuff out.
-pm hughes sought closer relation with the u.s
-growth of car owenership-which led to motels and drive-ins
-1956 melbourne staged the olympics and dawn fraser won gold
-Americanisation of australian entertainment-marlon brando and james dean
-1950's people born around this time are called the "baby boom" generation
-communism- liberal party sh**ting themselves over the domino-theory
-cars,cars and more cars
detailed footnotes to consider.
Transport in the 1950s was crucial to post-war reconstruction efforts. The baby boom and immigration influx had prompted a rapid expansion of Australian towns and cities and trains and automobiles were needed to transport people and building supplies to the new suburbs. Road trains, which are large trucks consisting of many trailers, were used to service areas lacking in rail transport.
The first Australian-made car, the FX Holden, was manufactured in 1948. Initially, the Holden factory could only roll 10 cars off its production line per day, but by 1951 production had accelerated to 100 cars per day. In 1953, Holden released the FJ Holden. It cost £1,074 - the equivalent of 68 times the average weekly wage.
Air travel was not a common form of transport in the early 1950s. Aircraft were powered by propellers and their cabins were un-pressurised. As a result, plane trips were bumpy and noisy and aircraft could not fly at very high altitudes. Aeroplane trips were also long, with frequent stops to refuel. In the late 1950s, however, Qantas purchased a new Boeing 707 jet-powered aircraft that could fly faster and carry more passengers. The new Boeing jets could also reach higher altitudes and fly above turbulent weather.
In 1958, Qantas became the first airline in the world to introduce a regular round-the-world service. In 1959, Qantas also offered regular flights to America, London via New York and London via India.
The advent of the portable transistor in the late 1950s rescued the radio industry from the impending doom of television. Although its sound quality was 'tinny' and a lower quality than that of traditional radios, the transistor allowed radio to escape the limits of the home. Unlike television, radio could be installed in cars and be carried to outdoor locations like parks and beaches.
From the 1950s, advancing forms of communication provided new avenues for advertising to deliver its message to Australian society. Advertising and other forms of popular culture helped create an unprecedented demand for material goods. Through television, radio and magazines, advertisers depicted an exciting new American-inspired lifestyle that could be obtained by purchasing new cars and home appliances and the latest fashion, music, films, food and beverages.
Australia, like many other Western countries, fast developed a 'consumer culture'- whereby happiness and satisfaction were often associated with purchasing and consuming material goods. The consumerist trend would accelerate in later decades.
Other Chapters Home appliances
The first moon landing was beamed directly to thousands of Australians. - Television beamed the harsh realities of the Vietnam War into Australian homes. - Radio survived the stiff competition of television, partly due to the advent of the transistor.
1950s in context
After decades of suffering through the Great Depression and World War II, the 1950s were prosperous, vibrant years for Australians. Employment was high and people were encouraged to spend their money freely.
Technology advanced rapidly after the war and soon transformed the lives of many Australians. Televisions provided a link to the rest of the world and cars gave people a new mobility that would change the nation's patterns of leisure and living.
In 1956, Melbourne hosted the Olympic Games. This fostered a great sense of national pride and cast the international spotlight onto Australia like never before.
The role of women in the 1950s
For women in the 1950s, life was centred on the family and domestic duties. Women who had held wartime jobs were expected to abandon their careers in order to provide employment for men returning from war. Women were encouraged to stay at home, raise children and care for their husbands. To assist in the homemaking task, shiny new home appliances promised to transform housekeeping into a delight.
Some women, however, challenged traditional values and remained in the paid workforce. They were usually paid less than men for performing the same work and were often employed in routine, low-status positions. The women's rights movement was still a decade away.
See Image 1
Australia's ties to Britain in the 1950s
Thousands of people queued to welcome Queen Elizabeth II when she visited Australian shores in 1954. Many Australians still considered Britain to be their homeland and proclaimed unwavering loyalty to British culture and values.
Australia's cultural ties to Britain, however, would be challenged by an influx of American culture through cinema, radio and television. Technological innovation spurred these changes, breaking down geographical barriers and allowing new, exciting forms of popular culture like rock 'n' roll to penetrate Australian life.
Immigration in the 1950s
Throughout the 1950s, a flood of migrants transformed the shape of Australian society. Australia suffered a huge shortage of workers for the nation's reconstruction efforts and the nation embarked on a programme to boost its population. In 1950, it was estimated that 170 000 migrants arrived in Australia. By the end of the decade, this figure would reach one million.
Most migrants hailed from Britain, or European countries, such as Greece and Italy. They had a major impact on the make-up of the Australian population and introduced new food, music, religion and traditions to Australian cultural life.
Many new European migrants worked on construction projects like the Snowy River Mountains Scheme, a huge project that diverted water from the Australian Alps for irrigation and the generation of hydro-electric power.
See Image 2
Not all people, however, were welcome in Australia during the 1950s. Since 1901, the White Australia Policy had prevented non-white people from migrating to Australia - promoting white, European immigration instead. It would not be abolished until 1974.
The 1950s was the era of 'assimilation'. This meant that migrants were expected to abandon their distinct culture and language and 'blend in' to the existing population.
Politics in the 1950s
Despite the optimism of the decade, Australians lived in the shadow of the Cold War. The Cold War was a bitter political struggle that had emerged after World War II, between America and her Western allies and Communist countries like the Soviet Union and China. As tension mounted between nations, many people feared the outbreak of nuclear war.
Throughout the decade, Australia was led by Liberal leader Sir Robert Menzies. He came to power on 10 December 1949 and would go on to become Australia's longest serving Prime Minister.
Along with many other Australians, Menzies believed that Australia was seriously under threat from Communist regimes. In 1950, he sent Australian soldiers to fight Communist North Korea after it invaded South Korea.
Robert Menzies was renowned for his public speaking prowess. He was also known as a staunch monarchist and once famously called himself 'British to his bootstraps'. Nonetheless, he actively maintained Australia's military alliance with America after World War II.
Entertainment in the 1950s
With a renewed economic optimism and willingness to spend, Australians in then 1950s could afford more entertainment products than ever before. Women were freed from time-consuming household tasks with the advent of many labour-saving home appliances and increased car ownership meant less travel time and more leisure time.
Radio in the 1950s
Prior to the introduction of television, radio was the most popular form of entertainment in Australia. In 1955, it was estimated that 97 percent of Australian households owned a radio set. Families gathered together in the evenings and listened to music shows, drama serials, light entertainment and quiz programmes.
When television began broadcasting into homes in 1956, however, radio stations were forced to alter their programming. It soon became clear that the medium of television was better suited to many kinds of programming and Australian audiences quickly turned to television for programmes like drama, quiz shows, and comedies. In turn, music, sport and news became the domain of radio.
Radio successfully weathered the staunch competition of television. By the end of the 1950s, new, convenient portable transistor radios made it possible for people to take their radios outdoors. Some cars even had radios installed.
See Image 1
Cinema in the 1950s
Like all other entertainment mediums, cinema was greatly affected by the advent of television. Rather than going out for a night at the movies, many families stayed at home and watched television instead. As a result, cinema attendance declined markedly.
In an attempt to win back lost audiences, cinemas offered innovative new features. Technicolour, wide screens, stereo sound and 3D movies became common in theatres around Australia.
Despite the challenge posed by television, cinema remained the leisure activity of choice for people spending a night out. Drive-in cinemas became a popular way of watching movies in the 1950s. The first drive-in cinema in Australia opened in Melbourne in 1954 and within two years, another 23 had sprung up across Australia. The popularity of the drive-in can be attributed to the rapid increase in car ownership and the growing number of young families who found drive-ins a more convenient way to take small children to the cinema.
Films in the 1950s
Locally-made Australian films were in short supply throughout the 1950s and 1960s and this period is widely considered to be a low point in Australian film-making. A few Australian films were shown, notably The Glenrowan Affair (1951) and Summer of the Seventeenth Doll (1959).
In 1955, Charles Chauvel's groundbreaking film Jedda was the first Australian movie to be released in colour. It also tackled controversial Indigenous/colonial themes and was the first Australian film to star Indigenous actors.
Throughout the 1950s, many film makers were unwilling to risk using little-known Australian actors. Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, for example, cast overseas actors in each of its four lead roles.
Throughout the 1950s, most films screened in Australian cinemas were American or British, paving the way for foreign cultural influences to easily infiltrate Australian popular culture.
Television in the 1950s
Television was first introduced in Australia in September 1956, just in time for the Melbourne Olympics. Within a few short years it had become the nation's most popular form of entertainment. By 1959, it was estimated that over 50 percent of families in Sydney owned a television set.
In the early days of its release, television screened in grainy black and white and broadcasts were limited to just a few hours each night. As a result, television viewing was treated as a 'special event' and did not have the powerful sway over everyday lives and schedules that it would in later decades.
Early Australian television broadcast news, quiz programmes, movies, music programmes and sport. Many Australian-made programmes were essentially visual broadcasts of existing radio shows, or 'radio with pictures'. Many popular TV hosts, like Brian Henderson, were former radio presenters.
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A large proportion of television programmes were imported from overseas and Australians were exposed to foreign cultures like never before. American productions like Perry Mason and I Love Lucy soon became the nation's favourites.
One of the best-loved Australian programmes in the early days of television was the variety programme In Melbourne Tonight, which began its 12-year run in 1957. Hosted by local comedy-talents Graham Kennedy and Bert Newton, In Melbourne Tonight was one of the first popular programmes ever to feature Australian humour, rather than American or British. As a result, In Melbourne Tonight marked an important first step in the formation of Australia's national identity, providing a format for Australian actors, themes and humour to be played out in front of a national audience.
Opposition to television in the 1950s
While television was greeted with excitement by most Australians in the 1950s, a small proportion of society were opposed to it. Some people believed that television would allow Australia to become over-run by American culture, thus threatening the development of the Australian identity. Others believed that television content was superficial and unsophisticated and contained no educational or cultural benefits. Some people were concerned that television would encourage people to become passive and less active in the community.
Music in the 1950s
The release of the vinyl LP (Long Playing) record in the early 1950s made it possible for people to play continuous music for much longer than before. With this new technology came rock 'n' roll, an exciting new American musical style.
Rock 'n' roll swept onto Australian shores in 1955 with the release of Bill Haley's hit song Rock Around the Clock. Originating in America, this new style fused black American rhythm and blues music with the white-dominated country and western genre.
Rock 'n' roll was fast, rhythmic and exciting, and audiences loved it. Young Australians gathered in dance halls dressed in the latest rock 'n' roll fashions and performed dances like the jitterbug and the boogie-woogie.
Elvis Presley was known the world over as the king of rock 'n' roll. During the 1940s, singers like Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra had been popular, but their fans were mostly young adults. Elvis Presley, however, tapped into the young teen market and thrilled audiences with his original style of music and hip-gyrating 'bad boy' image.
By the end of the decade, the airwaves were dominated by rock 'n' roll and Australian rock 'n' roll artists like Johnny O'Keefe and Col Joye were also achieving considerable chart success.
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Other entertainment in the 1950s
Comic books were extremely popular in the 1950s and American toys like hula hoops became all the rage. Swimming at beaches was a popular new pastime, as more people learned how to swim and surf, lifesavers began to patrol beaches and swimsuits adopted a more comfortable and practical design
British influence on the Australian culture
British settlers arrived in Australia in 1788 and the extent of the British influence is still evident today. The British Union Jack features predominantly on our national flag and the Queen is Australia's Head of State. British models also form the basis of Australia's legal and political systems, as well providing our national language.
Up until World War II, Britain remained the dominating cultural influence in Australia. Britons also dominated the make-up of Australian society - most of Australia's citizens were either born in Britain, or had British descendants. In the years following the war, British subjects were encouraged to migrate to Australia under an 'assisted package' scheme, which helped with the cost of migrating to Australia and provided housing and employment options upon arrival. Between 1945 and 1972, over one million British migrants settled in Australia.
Before 1945, many people, including Australians themselves, considered Australia to be nothing more than a British colony; a nation whose national identity was relatively indistinct from the British. During this period of Australia's history, our modes of entertainment, food, fashion, sporting culture and our social values and attitudes were largely dictated by British culture.
American influence on the Australian culture
One of the most significant changes to have taken place in Australian society since the end of WWII, however, has been its drift towards American, rather than British culture. As the American way of life was projected further into Australia via popular culture, it would rapidly alter the ways we spent our money, entertained ourselves, dressed and socialised. Eventually, many of our British cultural legacies would give way to new American ideals.
In the decades since World War II, however, the penetration of American popular culture into Australian society has raised ongoing concerns about Australia's ability to carve out its own national identity. Local cultural products like films and music are an important way for people of a country to explore and share their common culture and heritage. Australian characters, themes and issues, however, are often outweighed by representations of the American way of life.
American films and television programmes depict American people in American settings and American music deals with American, not Australian concerns. Many people have feared that if Australians are starved of distinctly Australian cultural products, the national identity will be at risk.
America in Australia pre - 1945
America's presence had been felt in Australia prior to WWII. As well as political ties between the two countries, America and Australia were strong trade partners. In 1928, it was estimated that Australia sourced almost 25 percent of its imports from America. Before the war, Australians also enjoyed American cultural imports like films and music.
Throughout World War II, Australia became increasingly dependent on the United States, rather than Britain, for military support. By the end of the war, links between America and Australia were strong and somewhat undermined the traditional ties that Australia had to Britain. Thousands of American troops were stationed in Australia during WWII.
American-style dance halls were established, playing new music and serving American-style food. The American troops wore flashy uniforms and purchased fancy items with their generous incomes. While some people were critical of their brash behaviour, many Australians found the experience of American troops exciting. Their dynamic new ideas and attitudes posed a challenge to the prevailing conservative British sensibilities.
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America emerged from World War II as the dominant global economic power and was well-placed to export its cultural products to the world, including Australia.
At the same time, Australians in the 1950s were well-placed to receive American cultural influences. People were more affluent than ever before and communications and transport technology was advancing rapidly, enabling an easier transmission of American products and ideas into Australian society. American concepts like consumerism and material aspirations also fitted well with Australia's new pleasure-seeking suburban ideals.
These factors enabled American cultural influences to filter rapidly into Australia in the post-war years - primarily via music, cinema, and television. Over the subsequent decades, America would become a dominating cultural influence in Australia.
Music and radio
Australian popular music during the 1950s drew heavily from American sources, as both British and Australian youth fell under the spell of American-style rock 'n' roll. In 1955, American Bill Haley's hit song Rock Around the Clock swept Australia, and the airwaves were soon full of other American acts like Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly.
During this time, Australian performers like Johnny O'Keefe were heavily influenced by these overseas trends, modelling themselves on successful international acts.
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Large American corporations had developed mass production and marketing plans to tap into the newly-formed teenage market and harness this worldwide craze. They were helped along by technological leaps in radio and television, which made it possible for American music to penetrate foreign cultures like never before.
Following the introduction of television in 1956, radio stations increasingly relied on the new 'teenage' thirst for American music. Commercial radio was increasingly aligning its programming with the American youth model, and play lists were still dominated by mostly imported American and British popular music.
Radio announcers in the 1950s often used American accents to make their products appear exciting and modern - a clear reflection of the esteem with which American culture was held at the time.
Australian teenagers rapidly adopted entertainment technology like car and transistor radios, following the lead set by their American counterparts.
Cinema
Prior to World War II, Australia had a small but thriving film industry. After the war, however, the local film industry struggled amid an influx of mostly Hollywood-produced films. Most cinema chains were foreign-owned and Australian films struggled to reach the screen.
Very few quality Australian films were produced during the 1950s. While some films were shot in Australia, many were financed by British and American interests and featured foreign stars in the leading roles.
It has been estimated that in 1952, almost 75 percent of the films screened in Australian cinemas were American, while 18 percent were British.
Australia's widespread exposure to the American way of life depicted in 1950s movies coincided with the rock 'n' roll explosion and a spin-off into the teenage fashion industry. Australian youth imitated the fashions and hairstyles of their favourite American movie stars like Marlon Brando and James Dean.
Reasons for American domination at the cinema
American film-making technology was the most advanced in the world, making it possible for them to produce many more high-quality films at a faster rate than their competitors. Local production companies could not compete with the dazzling technicolour and bright, big-budget promotional campaigns of American film companies.
The abundant budgets and superior technological resources also attracted the best actors, writers and directors to America. In many cases, this meant that the American creative output was of a higher standard than that of other countries.
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American and British influence on Australian television in the 1950s
The American television industry had been established in the 1940s. During the post-war reconstruction period, the Americans quickly returned to the airwaves and began producing a myriad of television exports.
Between 1956 and 1963, almost all content screened on Australian television was sourced from overseas. Of this, 83 percent was American, with the rest from Britain. Many local programmes produced during this period were also based on formulas set by American programmes and were not distinctively Australian.
In 1959, the ten most popular programmes on Australian commercial television were all American. These included shows like Perry Mason, The Flintstones and I Love Lucy.
British programmes dominated schedules on the ABC throughout the 1950s. The ABC modelled itself on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Britain's public broadcaster and aimed to provide programmes that enriched the culture of the nation and remained free from commercial interests.
The dominance of American content on Australian television in the 1950s meant that the representation of Australian characters and issues was far outweighed by representations of the American way of life. Most programmes depicted American families in American settings and dealt with American concerns and themes. While some television stations, like the ABC, made concerted attempts to broadcast Australian programmes, concerns were voiced during this time about the lack of local content on Australian commercial television.
In the late 1960s, the government would impose a local content quota in order to protect the Australian television industry from being swamped by American products.
Food and shopping
Throughout the 1950s, traditional British meals, like roast dinners, chops or sausages and vegetables, were the typical dinner for most Australians. Breakfast usually consisted of porridge, toast, eggs, or simple cereals like cornflakes.
Food was usually purchased from specialist vendors - bread from a baker, vegetables from a greengrocer, meat from a butcher and other staple items like sugar and flour from a local corner store.
Towards the late 1950s, new American-inspired shopping centres and supermarkets began springing up, particularly in the newly-built suburbs. These contained a number of shopping facilities under one roof and markedly changed Australian shopping habits.
The quest for an Australian identity
While the British and American influence has played a major role in defining the shape of Australia that we know today, a number of other influences have contributed to the development of the Australian identity.
As settlers in an unfamiliar land, the Australian identity was long bound to the stereotype of the tough, heroic bushman who fought to tame a difficult landscape. Australian values like 'mateship', 'fair go' and the 'Aussie battler' emerged as a result of this myth. Throughout the prosperous post-war years, however, a new Australian ideal emerged and Australians were thought to be part of a more laidback culture that enjoyed the 'good life'.
As migrants moved to Australia over the decades, however, they introduced new stories, traditions and perspectives to Australian culture. The traditional concepts of an Australia as a British colony, or a land of struggling bush-dwellers, no longer seemed to fit with the diverse new reality of the society. As Indigenous peoples were finally acknowledged as the original owners of the land, the role of Indigenous values in the construction of a true Australian identity had also become apparent.
As such, the Indigenous and migrant influence has intervened in the American and British effect on Australian culture.
As Australian society adapted to changing cultural influences across the decades, whether they be British, American, Indigenous, Asian or European, the national identity continually evolved in response. In the face of globalisation, however, the future of Australia's unique national identity was increasingly challenged by the development of a global culture.
this part is from skwirk but the first part i worte and the middle part are just main notes from a book i have,have fun.
