Teen Channel: Spotlight on Teens
Rock 'n' roll, teen dancers, eye-popping moves. It was a combustible combo when 18-year-old Chubby Checker introduced "The Twist" on the show American Bandstand in August 1960. His performance before a TV audience ignited a national craze of pivoting toes and swiveling hips. It then sent teens to the record store, where their purchasing power turned "The Twist" into a hit.
That episode shows the historic influence of teenagers on American enterprise and culture. And they have even more sway today. American teens now wield spending power in the multi-billions—though they might track trends on TikTok and Instagram rather than American Bandstand. What might seem remarkable to Americans today is that the concept of this unique demographic group only dates from the last 100 years or so. It took a combination of developments—technological, social, and economic—to transform adolescents into an irresistible cultural force.
A Century of Teens
For most of human history, adolescents were considered more or less unfinished adults, lacking any exceptional characteristics or privileges. In general, once children could contribute to the family farm or hold a job, they were put to work. At the start of the 1900s, less than 10 percent of American kids graduated high school. At the same time, almost all social life revolved around the extended family. Historians point to three main factors that fueled the rise of the American teen in the first half of the 20th century: cars, compulsory education, and cash.
Automobiles were the technological development that gave older adolescents more personal freedom. Cars had become common by the 1920s, and those four wheels let teens evade their parents for a little while and get together with friends. As a result, learning to drive became a rite of passage to greater independence.
Another key element in the invention of teenagers was compulsory education. Two causes led to this social shift. In the early 1900s, there were campaigns against child labor. Then in the 1930s, laws were passed to keep kids from competing for jobs with unemployed adults during the Great Depression. The result was more high schools, where teens could hang out in large numbers as well as learn. Schools became laboratories for teen sensibilities regarding fashion, music, movies, and so on.
But it was the economic boom that followed World War II (1939–1945) that turned teens into a powerhouse of consumerism. Working class families had more disposable income than ever before, and teens had more cash to spend. Filmmakers, fashion designers, music producers, and businesses evolved to appeal to teen tastes and spending habits. By 1960, an enduring image of the American teen had taken hold. Movie stars such as James Dean, clothing like Levi's blue jeans, and rock 'n' roll were all part of the picture.
More Than Consumers
Teens, though, had more on their minds than shopping. Many had strong opinions about the ways of the world and how adults were running it. Thousands of Black teens, for example, braved jail to join the struggle to end segregation during the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. And by the end of the 1960s, teens across the country were defying their elders to protest the Vietnam War and champion women's rights.
Today's generation might be concerned about different issues. But teenagers, past and present, have a lot in common. By their nature, teens take risks and look at social conventions and challenges in new ways. That's why they continue to be vital sources of surprise, innovation, and promise—not to mention the occasional dance craze.
Think about and discuss these questions:
Was there anything that surprised you about the history of teens? If so, what was it and why was it unexpected?
In what ways do you think teens are shaping the culture today?
Question 6
6 / 8
The reader can infer from the article that __________.
Chubby Checker was targeting parents, not teens, when he performed "The Twist" on TV
the only purpose of compulsory education was to teach teens about the farming industry
unlike previous generations, today's generation of teens is not interested in trends
parents and other adults have not always agreed with teens' social activism
1 answer
The reader can infer from the article that parents and other adults have not always agreed with teens' social activism.
This inference is supported by the mention of how teens participated in the civil rights movement and protested against the Vietnam War, indicating that teens were challenging the beliefs and actions of the adult society around them.
