- The Space Age began with the successful, 1957, launch of the Soviet low orbiter Sputnik 1. The satellite orbited Earth every 96 minutes, allowing scientists to learn how to track objects in orbit.
- The Fifties were post-war years with an increase in wages and low numbers of people out of work. The decade is associated with rock and roll music, a music genre that has subsequently attracted new generations of fans, but in the 50's was encouraged by the increase spending power of teenagers.
- Light colours (pastels shades) remained in fashion during this decade. The Pop Art movement was developed during these years. Pop Art was influenced by popular culture and consumerism with its recognisable materials and imagery. It introduced bright colour schemes, while borrowing from comic book art and newspaper iconography (headline fonts and front page photographs).
The 1950's
Sputnik 1