The ’50s were a time of growth, experimentation, and innovation. In fact, many of the things that are commonplace today originated during this one of a kind decade.
While the first television was invented much earlier, 1950 truly ushered in the tv age as 8 million homes now had sets of their own. The same year offered the first tv remote. It’s hard to imagine now that nearly everything can be controlled by our phones that prior to 1950 people had to get up to change the channel.
A New Way to Consume
Shopping changed in a similar way. The convenience of paying with plastic is common today but it has its roots in the ’50s. While credit cards are everywhere now, it was a big deal when Diners Club released the first one in 1950. (Fun fact: These original cards were made from cardboard. Plastic cards didn’t come out until the 1960s)
1951 saw the first commercial computer created in the U.S. Of course, it was nothing like the computers we use today, but the UNIVAC (Universal Automatic Computer) was a big technological step. Used by the Census Bureau, this was a precursor to the computers that would become such an important part of our lives,
The 1950s also introduced the Hydrogen bomb, the term Rock and Roll, the 22nd amendment, and the first color television images. While these are all fascinating firsts, what’s more interesting is that these are only a few examples. Do you have some fun ’50s trivia to share? Do you want to read more articles like this? Let us know in the comments.
