1950-1960

[|Netvibe Notes]-Student #17 and Student #18

**Category: Communications Device**
 * Invention: Video Cassette Recorder **

There were many inventions in the 1950's decade. Many were quite good and helped many Americans. One invention that stands out is the **video cassette recorder**. This was invented by Charles P. Ginsburg in 1951. The company Ampex introduced it. The first model was Ampex VRX-1000, which cost $50,000. Only televison networks used this because this cost way too much for people to afford it. Charles P. Ginsburg made a huge contribution to technology and development of video magnetic tape recording for instant playback.

The main function of the video cassette recording when it was invented was recording and replaying video and audio signals, especially for television programming. This invention helped the TV industry in many years that followed and is still important today. In the 1950's, however, it was much too expensive for the everyday person to afford. It was big and bulky and was not produced in mass quantities.

**The Computer Industry in the 1950's** These were just two of the many computer advancements in the 50's. At this time the computer industry was just at its start of growth and popularity among people. Computers were huge and very expensive. It wouldn't be for several more decades that computers would be owned by people for their personal use.
 * In the computer industry in the 50's the first commercial computer was made. It was named First Feeranti Mark I and made in 1951.
 * In 1956, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) began experimenting with putting the keyboard into the computer.


 * Major American Historical Events in the Decade of 1950-1960 **
 * In 1950 President Truman approved the construction of the hydrogen bomb. He did this because he wanted the United States to stay ahead of the Soviet Union in its nuclear weapon power.
 * In 1955 Rosa Parks, an African American, refused to give up her seat on a public bus for a white person in Mongomery, Alabama as a statement of unfair civil rights.
 * In 1959 Alaska and Hawaii become the 49th and 50th states of the United States.

These were three major global events that happened in the world. These were just the start of the global issues at this time but were important ones.
 * Major Global Events **
 * In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea hoping to unify Koreas under a single Communist rule. This created the Korean War and fighting did not stop until 1953.
 * In 1957 the Soviet satellite Sputnik circles the earth. This was the world's first artifical satellite (about the size of a basketball) and was able to orbit the earth in about 98 minutes. This led to new advances in technology and intense competition between the U.S. and the Soviets to put a man on the moon.
 * In 1959 Fidel Castro comes to power in Cuba.

**Other Inventions** > > > > [|Ginsburg, Charles P.] > Ti[|meline Chart] > [|1950] > [|50's-Timline] > [|Inventions of the 50's] > [|Pop History]
 * Super glue - This was invented in 1951 by Dr. Harry Coover and Dr. Fred Joyner. This helped with glueing difficult things together.
 * Credit card system - This made it a lot easier to deal with money and to be able to buy expensive items over time. This was a replacement of cash and eliminated the need to carry cash.