History of American Pop Culture
PC - Homepage.mp4Hello and Welcome!
I am Mr. Gerhardt and I am excited to explore Pop Culture in America with all of you.
During this course we will explore Pop Culture from the 1940's to present from a historical perspective.
My goal for this course is that it will challenge you at times, build skills and develop a new understanding of history and how to approach it.
During this class we will explore a number of areas within Pop Culture in the United States.
Pop Culture emerges in the United States in the mid-1800's and has remained through today, but this course will focus on the Pop Culture in America from the 1940's and beyond as this is the time when pop culture starts to play a more instrumental role in the shaping of American culture and telling of our history.
We will examine each decade looking at the emerging and evolving trends through the lens of Pop Culture. We will examine areas such as fashion, music, television along with several other areas of focus that tell the rest of America's story. The examples you will find on this website vary from contributing factors that impact Pop and American Culture, conduits for Pop Culture and examples of Pop Culture.
It is important to note that while many of the examples shared within each area of focus originate during the decade you are currently exploring; in some cases, an example may have originated in a different decade but is more closely connected to the decade or the concepts covered in the area and/or decade in which is is introduced.
****You will most commonly see these exceptions in music and television. An example of this is: an artist is covered only once during a single decade even if their career and impact spans many decades OR a television show may be covered the decade it is first aired or in the decade in which it was most culturally influential or is most closely connected.****
Pop Culture is so encompassing we will only have a chance to scratch the surface when it comes to the areas of focus and how deep a dive we will actually be able to go. This class is designed to give you an introductory look at Pop Culture through the lens of history and provides you resources to further explore areas that are of interest to you
Mr. Gerhardt's Schedule and Contact Information
2024 - 2025 School Year
Fall Semester
Period 1: American Pop Culture
Period 2: American Pop Culture
Period 3: Planning
Period 4: Criminal Law and Justice
Period 5: Criminal Law and Justice
Period 6: Criminal Law and Justice
Spring Semester
Period 1: American Pop Culture
Period 2: **Special Project**
Period 3: Planning
Period 4: Civics
Period 5: Civics
Period 6: Civics