1950's

1950's Timeline

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1950

First Organ Transplant
Korean War
Hydrogen Bomb Programme started by President Truman.
Credit card introduced in America.
Mass production of computers began.
The world population numbers 2.52 billion. (World population now estimated at 6,442,515,501 (CIA))
1 in 7 UK families owned a car.
Average UK annual salary £101.
USA average annual salary $2992 - when dollars were $4 to £1

1951

Festival of Britain in UK.
Rock and roll and colour TV start in USA.
Identity cards made essential for South Africans to identify race.
First Miss World
The still camera is given a built in flash.
UK population was 50,290,000, by May 2005 it was estimated at 60,422,986.
USA population was 154,877,889, by May 2005 it was estimated at 295,376,287.
In 1959 the population of India was approx 364.127,000. India in 2005 is now estimated at 1,078,432,720

1952  

Elizabeth II becomes Queen
New USA president Dwight Eisenhower elected.
Teddy Boys or Teds are seen in London.
Churchill became Prime Minister in UK under Conservatives.
Identity cards and then food rationing ended.
Polio vaccine used to save humans from poliomyelitis infection.
In UK the family norm was 2.2 children, compared to 3.5 children in 1905 and 1.7 children in 1997.
Clean Air Act 1952 - UK compulsory use of smokeless fuels eventually ends smog and winter deaths.

1953

Watson and Crick publish discover DNA
Mount Everest conquered by Hillary and Tensing.
McCarthy witch hunt hearings took place in USA.
A new regime took over in Russia when Stalin died.
Dupont began commercial production of Dacron  (polyester)

1954

French dominance in Vietnam ended when French forces were defeated at Dien Bien Phu.
US segregation made illegal in USA.
The four minute mile is broken by Britain's Roger Bannister.
54% of American homes had television sets.

1955 

In the USA the civil rights campaign got underway.
Warsaw Pact agreement signed.
In England, the felt-tip pen was introduced.
Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" rocks the world.
In UK Mary Quant opens
James Dean dies in a car accident.
60% of Americans were in the "middle class," having incomes between $3,000 and $10,000 per year.

1956

The Suez Crisis.
Elvis Presley became an international, world acclaimed star with Love Me Tender film.
IBM created the first hard disk drive.
Prince Rainier III of Monaco married film star Grace Kelly.
Velcro fastening introduced to public.

1957  

Soviet Satellite Sputnik Launches Space Age
Lasers developed.
Average price of a UK house was £2170.
Premium Bonds and Ernie monthly money draw started in UK.

1958

De Gaulle became President of France.
NASA Founded.
Stereo LP records first sold.
USA annual family income reaches $5000.
Berlin Airlift.
Manchester United football disaster 'Busby'

1959

Castro took power in Cuba
Barbie dolls invented
The microchip was invented
Alaska and Hawaii join the USA and become states of North America.
1 in 3 UK families owned a car.
Average UK male annual salary £190.
USA population reaches 177,829,628.
The Big Bopper, Buddy Holly, and Richie Valens are killed in a plane crash