MUSIC

• Social Studies
• 6th Grade

Hello!!!!

My name is Mr. Ball, and I am from Birmingham, AL. 22 years old, and my favorite thing to do is fishing. 

Learning Goal 

Recognizing the impact of music genres and artists on the United States’

culture since World War II

Examples: genres—protest songs; Motown, rock and roll, rap,

folk, and country music

artists—Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Bob Dylan,

Aretha Franklin, Hank Williams

Roll Call !!!!

Your name

Where you from

What you like to do

World War II and Popular Culture

World War II touched virtually every part of American life, even things so simple as the food people ate, the films they watched, and the music they listened to.

World War II touched virtually every part of American life, even things so simple as the food people ate, the films they watched, and the music they listened to. The war, especially the effort of the Allies to win it, was the subject of songs, movies, comic books, novels, artwork, comedy routines—every conceivable form of entertainment and culture. Moreover, in many cases these works and their creators were actually part of the war effort.

Writers, illustrators, cartoonists, filmmakers, and other artists used their skills to keep the public informed about the war and persuade people to cooperate with the government’s Home Front programs—like scrap drives and rationing. In short, World War II and the popular culture of that era are interconnected; the story of one cannot be fully told without the story of the other.

Unlike many World War I songs, many World War II songs focused more on romance and strength instead of propaganda and morale. Songs that were overly patriotic or militaristic were often rejected by the public.

Group Assignment 

You will now divide into groups and search for a singer from 1923 to 1970 that you are familiar with. You must write eight sentences about the singer, including when they were born, the genres of songs they wrote, and what you admire about them.