teenage subcultures

Question 1

what factors led to the emergence of the ‘teenage market’?

Answer 1

1. demographic changes - by 1959 10% of population were teenagers
2. disposable income - saturday jobs became popular, pocket money more common as parents had more money
3. free time - more money to buy records, go to the cinema, cafes etc
4. influence of USA - rock and rock music boomed, hollywood and cinema culture

Question 2

who were the teddy boys?

Answer 2

-up to mid 1950s
- big slick backed hair
-edwardian style that had been jazzed up
-air of superiority
-not well liked, seen as gangs
-cared a lot about their appearance
-produce of a disaffected youth

Question 3

who were the mods?

Answer 3

-end of 50s to early 60s
-mopeds rather than motorbikes
-tailored suits influenced by european fashion
-more vibrant colours
-colourful accessories, expensive outfits
-followers of british rock music
-rivalry with mods

Question 4

who were the rockers?

Answer 4

-slick backed hair
-culture revolved around motorbikes
-influenced by american rock and roll
-biker wear e.g. leather jackets
-rivalry with mods

Question 5

examples of teenage youth culture being associated with violence:

Answer 5

-frequent violence between mods and rockers
-59 teenagers arrested for throwing stones
-damage to police property
-teddy boys seen as the start of teenage violence
-brighton 1964 = violence between mods and rockers
-teenage convictions doubled 1955 to 1959
-teddy boys were the very stereotype of juvenile delinquents, armed with flick knives
-in 1953 the notorious teddy boy michael davies was arrested for a brutal murder

Question 6

examples of a ‘moral panic’:

Answer 6

-20% of girls were pregnant when they got married
-conservatives proposed that young offenders would be put in new purpose built detention centres, but many believed corporal punishment should be brought back for them

Question 7

evidence that youth culture wasn’t as bad as everyone thought:

Answer 7

-only 21/1000 teenagers were in trouble with the police
-british teenagers were still seen as unexciting and conservative compared to american teenagers
-the majority of teenagers were out of trouble and simply earned money for leisure
-weekly church attendance was still high - 10mil/week out of 51mil by 1960
-average age for first child = 24
-teddy boys were a relatively short lived phenomenon