What were some big events that happened in the 1950’s?
There were quite a few major events that happened in the 1950s. Some of these included the Cold War, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, the Olympic Games held in Melbourne and the Civil Rights Movement.
The cold War
The cold war was the name of the military conflict with no actual warring. Russia had an ally*of Australia, Britain and America during World War 2. However, Russia was ruled by a communist system that was completely different to the political systems in Australia, Britain and America. At the end of the war in 1945, Russia took control of several countries in the Eastern Europe and forced them to become communist too. The dividing line between these communist countries and Western Europe was nick-named the ‘Iron Curtain’. During the 1950’s, Russia and the countries outside of the Iron Curtain began to fear and distrust each other. Both sides thought the other side would start a war so they both built weapons and supplies. This was known as the Cold War.
Queen Elizabeth’s coronation
Queen Elizabeth 2 was crowned at the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey in London in 1952. In front of more than 8,000 guests she took the Coronation Oath. After being handed the four symbols of authority, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Geoffrey Fisher) placed St Edward's Crown on her head to complete the ceremony. A shout of "God Save the Queen" was heard and gun salutes were fired as crowds cheered.
Olympic Games
In 1956 the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne. This Olympics has been the Australians most successful Olympics. The first gold medal was won by Betty Cuthbert (a Sydney teenager). Betty had been a champion runner since primary school. At the age of 13, she ran 100 yards (91.4 metres) in 11.4 seconds. At the age of 18, she ran 100 metres in 11 seconds and got the first gold medal. Televisions became very popular because everyone wanted to watch the Olympic Games.
Rosa Park
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old African American boarded the Montgomery City bus to go home from work. She sat near the middle of the bus, just behind the 10 seats reserved for whites. Soon all of the seats in the bus were filled. When a white man entered the bus, the driver insisted that all four blacks sitting just behind the white section have to give up their seats so that the man could sit there. Rosa Parks quietly refused to give up her seat. "When I made that decision," she said later, “I knew that I had the strength of my ancestors with me.” She was arrested.
Some more big events were….
° First Organ Transplant (kidney)- 4th May, 1950
° Korean War starts -25th June, 1950
° Rock and Roll begins- 4th May, 1951
° King George the VI died – 6th February, 1952
° DNA discovered – 5th May, 1953
° Birth Control Pill Trials begin – 13th May, 1954
° Vietnam War begins -1st November, 1955
° Alaska became a part of the U.S.A. - 3 January 1959
There were quite a few major events that happened in the 1950s. Some of these included the Cold War, Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, the Olympic Games held in Melbourne and the Civil Rights Movement.
The cold War
The cold war was the name of the military conflict with no actual warring. Russia had an ally*of Australia, Britain and America during World War 2. However, Russia was ruled by a communist system that was completely different to the political systems in Australia, Britain and America. At the end of the war in 1945, Russia took control of several countries in the Eastern Europe and forced them to become communist too. The dividing line between these communist countries and Western Europe was nick-named the ‘Iron Curtain’. During the 1950’s, Russia and the countries outside of the Iron Curtain began to fear and distrust each other. Both sides thought the other side would start a war so they both built weapons and supplies. This was known as the Cold War.
Queen Elizabeth’s coronation
Queen Elizabeth 2 was crowned at the coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey in London in 1952. In front of more than 8,000 guests she took the Coronation Oath. After being handed the four symbols of authority, the Archbishop of Canterbury (Dr Geoffrey Fisher) placed St Edward's Crown on her head to complete the ceremony. A shout of "God Save the Queen" was heard and gun salutes were fired as crowds cheered.
Olympic Games
In 1956 the Olympic Games were held in Melbourne. This Olympics has been the Australians most successful Olympics. The first gold medal was won by Betty Cuthbert (a Sydney teenager). Betty had been a champion runner since primary school. At the age of 13, she ran 100 yards (91.4 metres) in 11.4 seconds. At the age of 18, she ran 100 metres in 11 seconds and got the first gold medal. Televisions became very popular because everyone wanted to watch the Olympic Games.
Rosa Park
On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, a 42-year-old African American boarded the Montgomery City bus to go home from work. She sat near the middle of the bus, just behind the 10 seats reserved for whites. Soon all of the seats in the bus were filled. When a white man entered the bus, the driver insisted that all four blacks sitting just behind the white section have to give up their seats so that the man could sit there. Rosa Parks quietly refused to give up her seat. "When I made that decision," she said later, “I knew that I had the strength of my ancestors with me.” She was arrested.
Some more big events were….
° First Organ Transplant (kidney)- 4th May, 1950
° Korean War starts -25th June, 1950
° Rock and Roll begins- 4th May, 1951
° King George the VI died – 6th February, 1952
° DNA discovered – 5th May, 1953
° Birth Control Pill Trials begin – 13th May, 1954
° Vietnam War begins -1st November, 1955
° Alaska became a part of the U.S.A. - 3 January 1959
