History: The Birth of Rock and Roll

The Birth of Rock N' Roll

Using the following resources as sources (read the articles, watch the videos), answer the following questions.

http://www.tysto.com/articles09/q2/20090530rockandroll.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17440514

(one video link is broken; here is the replacement)

1. According to author Andrew Cole, what five components define rock and roll?



2. Why did 1950s conservatives fear rock music?


3. What was jump blues?

4. How did gospel music contribute to rock's "back beat"?


5. What's the original meaning of "rock and roll"?

6. What was the "Boston beat's" contribution to rock and roll rhythm?


7. What event brought distorted, or "fuzz," guitar to rock and roll? How did this event divide rock into two styles of music?


8. Compare the original tracks to Bill Haley's covers. What differences do you notice?

Follow-up: Check out the excellent interactive timeline of music development here.