Rock and roll was the start of a new revolution in America. He introduced the world to many famous artists who continue to be a part of our lives today. “Artists who became popular in the 1950s, like Elvis, began to pave the way for others, like Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly” (The History of Rock 'n' Roll to 1960). With the introduction of rock and roll, many changes came to the lives of many Americans. Rock and roll was a major contributor to the change in adolescent behavior in the 1950s, as it encouraged new freedoms for adolescents, encouraged new fashions among adolescents, and caused a generation gap. Before the great evolution of rock and roll, the United States was heavily involved in World War II. In those days, teenagers were expected to grow up very early. Going to school was not one of the main priorities for these young adults at that time and, for this reason, “teenagers were expected to take life seriously. [That is] young men were expected to join the army or seek employment to support their families or future families, while young women were taught how to take care of the household and how to prepare to be devoted wives and caretakers of their [future] children” (Cox). Even though they were expected to grow up early, “adolescents had very little economic power, freedom, independence, and participation in [many of their own] decisions” (Cox). The way these teenagers dressed at that time was very conservative. Under the restrictions of World War II, “clothing was much [simpler] and fewer fabrics were used because few materials were available” (Mathieson). Many teenagers during this time were much more respectful and would not go out of their way to cause corruption. Te...... middle of paper ......ers, Kim. Sexual teens, sexual media: investigation into the influence of the media on adolescent sexuality. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2002. Cox, Erika. Go back to the 1950s. Teenage Life in the 1950s. 2009. January 30, 2014. Howell, James C. Gangs in America's Communities. Thousand Oaks, California: SAGE Publications, 2012. History of Gangs in the United States. 2012. Internet. March 3, 2014. Mathison, Lindsay. The lives of adolescents have changed throughout the century. December 1999. January 30, 2014. Powers, Richard. The Life of a 1950s Teenager. 2010. January 30, 2014. “The History of Rock and Roll to 1960.” The history of rock and roll to 1960. Np, nd Web. February 23, 2014. “The influence of rock and roll. » The impacts of rock and roll music on American society. Np, and Web. March 6, 2014. Wetzel, JR. Np: np, nd American families: 75 years of change. 1990. the web. March 7. 2014.