In the 1950s, the United States was a powerful country. It was made up of 50 states, each with their own government. The country was very wealthy and was a leader in technology. People had more money and there was a lot of new inventions like television and air conditioning. Life was generally good for people in the United States. There were two problems, however. One was racial injustice (the unfair treatment of people because of their race). The other was the Cold War (a conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union). Despite these issues, the 1950s was a time of hope, progress, and prosperity for the United States.