American society in the 1950s saw a huge increase in population and affluence. This addition, called the Baby Boom, expanded the middle class and introduced new ideas of prosperity to the United States. With new conventions, such as bank loans and lines of credit, the spirit of American commercialism thrived. The following decade, however, brought many changes in the nation's social, political, economic, and philosophical lifestyle. With the push for social programs and greater equality for the underprivileged, the progressive movement in America thrived. Many groups of Americans, however, were dissatisfied with the country's new progressive direction. These groups began to seize on instances of social unrest and violent demonstrations to make their case for a swing of the pendulum towards conservative ideals. Armed with a radical new approach, these conservatives set out to reverse the tide of impending liberalism. Thus, during the 1970s, many Americans spoke out against the social movements of the 1960s and radically supported a return to the conservative values ​​of the 1950s. The social morals of the 1950s tended toward the conservative end of the spectrum. Women had their place in the home, minorities were economically and socially segregated by the ruling class, and homosexuals were rarely mentioned in society. The extremely liberal and progressive progress of the 1960s, however, fundamentally changed these American fundamentals and dramatically altered the direction of the country. To counter the tide of the “New Left” movement, many segments of the American citizenry have pushed to return the nation to a more “traditional” state. Conservative women were one of these segments… in the middle of the paper… married to dictate our lives. These conservative figures advocated a return to the traditions of the 1950s and, in doing so, ushered in a new era of conservatism in America. This new movement echoed throughout the 1970s and would flourish fully in the following decades. Works Cited Agnew, Spiro T. "Speech at a Pennsylvania Republican Dinner." The dangers of the constant carnival. Harrisburg, October 30, 1969. Goldwater, Barry. The conscience of a conservative. 1960.Nixon, Richard. "Acceptance Speech, Delivered Before the Republican National Convention." Miami, Florida, August 8, 1968. Schlafly, Phyllis. "Understand the difference." In The Power of the Positive Woman, by Phyllis Schlafly. 1977.Time. “Showdown for gay rights in Miami.” Time, June 13, 1977. Wallace, George. "Madison Square Garden Speech." New York, October 24, 1968.