Interesting Facts About the 1950s

There were events in the 1950s, which led to many significant things in the Social Revolution of the 1960s. The 1950s were a time when education played a major role and there was also a boom in the entertainment industry. In the U.S., this was a time, which witnessed a sharp rise in the economy. Many internal conflicts developed in the past few years were considerably suppressed during the 1950s, which had a significant impact on the remaining period of the 20th century. Here's a look at some of the interesting facts about the 1950s and events that were significant during that period.

• This was the period when Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin and James D. Watson discovered the helical structure of DNA in 1953. This discovery was noted at the Cavendish Laboratory, which was at the University of Cambridge.
• The 1950s also witnessed a lot of trends with teenagers taking over and calling the shots about fashion ideas.
• This was also the period when the first modern credit card was introduced.
• The first photocopying machine was created in the 1950s. However, it did take considerable time for the popularity of the machine to spread all over.
• This period also saw a rise of cultures such as Beatniks wherein a group of teenagers rebelled against social norms. It may also be noticed this movement was considered to give way to the hippie culture.
• The ESB (Electrical Supply Board) began the process of rural electrification. This move brought electricity to the rural areas where in poles were erected so that the power supply could reach the farmlands as well.
• Edmund Hillary along with a Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay scaled Mount Everest and this duo was the first to reach its summit. This happened on 29 May 1953.
• Here's another interesting fact about the 1950s in the fashion scenario. This was the time when pointed toes and stiletto heels reached new peaks of popularity.
• The color television set was introduced in USA.
• The year 1951 also introduced a beauty competition such as Miss World.
• The 1950s were also a period when Givenchy showcased his first collection in Paris.
• The 1950s were a time, which saw the mass production of computers.
• There was also a marked racial tension in the Southern parts of the United States.
• This period was also known as the Golden Age, which was largely due to the release of classics. Hollywood movies such as 'Ben-Hur' and 'Sunset Boulevard' were released during this period.
• Thrillers grabbed many eyeballs with directors such as Alfred Hitchcock making their mark with movies such as 'Rear Window' and 'North by Northwest'.
• Jonas Salk introduced the first polio vaccine in 1955.
• The year 1957, witnessed the launch of Sputnik 1.
• This was also the year of animated films such as Walt Disney's Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland.
• Albert Schweitzer was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in the year 1952.
• Amongst the various genres of music, bebop and variations of jazz became hugely popular in the 1950s. The teen idol during this time was Elvis Presley known for his combinations of rhythm blues and country.