The 1960s were an important decade of change. Minorities, women, and young people, challenged the norm (mostly white and male). The conflicts, especially the ones about the civil rights of African-Americans, were frequently violent. By the end of the decade the country was still mostly white and male but drastic measures had been taken to deal with the unfairness in American society. The civil rights movement took the attention of white and black Americans during 1960s. For African-Americans the 1960s was a new beginning. Protests led by Martin Luther King, Jr. were against segregationists in the southern states, racist whites in the South often reacted with violence. Eventually President John F. Kennedy was forced to send in federal …show more content…
Feminists successfully lobbied for reforms in divorce and abortion. Protests against the war in Vietnam (because young men of were drafted) were usually waged on college campuses all over the country. In the 1960s young people became more outspoken. The Beatles and other bands would change music and would determine what kids listened too. In San Francisco, other young people called hippies were trying to make a new system of their own based on free love, loud music, sharing property, and unfortunately drugs. Drug use was very popular during the 1960s. LSD (acid) (made illegal 1966) and marijuana were the drugs of choice in the early years. The smell of burning marijuana was always in the hippie scene. Pot and acid definitely contributed to the way of life and inspired some of the most outrageous accomplishments. As the joke goes, "If you can remember the '60s, you must not have been there." There was definitely a downside to drug use: addiction caused the deaths of talented young people such as Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, and the increasingly violent drug trade opposed the hippies' ideals of love and peace. Stanley Milgram was born to Samuel and Adele Milgram. Samuel and Adele
During the 1960s women were confined to one lifestyle, they were not acceptable in the public eye and were limited in their family lifestyle as well as the workplace. Women were expected to marry the traditional young marriage and then devote their time to raise the family and take care of their husband. Due to restriction women became activist and voiced their opinion to become equal in the workplace.
everyone was treated through that time due to skin color, disabilities, and gender. Life during this
In order to spread lies about marijuana use, various agencies released propaganda films, most notable of these films is “Reefer Madness”. In this film, high school students are lured into using marijuana, which leads the students to commit murder, rape, suicide, and an overall decent into madness. Despite the strong use of propaganda, marijuana use saw an upward trend between the 1950’s and the 1960’s. Use of marijuana had spread to the white upper and middle classes by the 1960’s, partially changing the negative connotations attached to marijuana use. The drug was used by these middle and upper class whites to rebel against the older generation’s way of thinking. Many teens were introduced to marijuana use in college, where various other counter-culture ideas were being expounded. While the use of marijuana experienced a rise since the 1800’s to the middle of the 20th century, use of the drug saw a strong downward trend in the 1970’s through the early 1990’s, in part due to the strongest
The 1960’s experience multiple social revolutions throughout the decade, whether it be the New Left, Civil Rights Movement, Anti-War Movement and the Hippie Revolution. Many of the movements were focused on many different political issues in society and were solely focused on resolving the issue; however, the Hippie Revolution did not. They were different from the New Left. While in Port Huron Statement (Document B), the term New Left is coined and they pleaded that they would do everything in their power to permeate society and reform the issues needed to be reform. The Hippie Revolution was primarily uninspired youth who were only worried with pleasuring themselves through recreational sex, peace, and love, rather actively participating
Around the same time within the late 1960’s, a new hippie movement was forming, which was often described as a counterculture.
Many were upset with the way the civil rights movement was being carried out in
During the early 1960s there were many examples of inequality pertaining to gender, race, and economic background. Just like Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson
Although segregation was practiced, cases were being fought and individuals were not keeping quiet. It was becoming more and more on the forefront.
Many minorities and women were given the opportunity to take jobs that were left behind by men who fought in World War II, but after the war was over, all of those opportunities that many had, vanished. As a result of this issue, many problems started arising, and people began to be more involved. Citizens of the United States resisted the social conformity of the 1950’s by creating organizations, starting strikes, and attempting to put segregation to an end.
The 50s, 60s and 70s were a tumultuous time in American society. Roles were constantly being redefined. Events like the war created upheaval in the lives of many individuals and everyone was scrambling to find his or her place in society. The same was profoundly true for blacks in America. No societal movement had a more profound effect on the lives of Black Americans than did the Civil Rights Movement. The status of Black Americans would be redefined to a revolutionary degree. Civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X would bring the cause to the national stage. Although the movement was plagued with violence and death, it was eventually successful. The South was radically changed from a society of
In 1960-1980, many new advancements were out in the world. Still women were expected to stay home. Women were frowned upon when they got jobs or didn’t marry. African Americans were the poorest living in slums. Other races were treated the same. This was the time of the Civil Rights movement. Whites killed African Americans for doing what they considered wrong in the south. African Americans earned the rights they wanted, to the dismay of the whites.
primarily the result of challenges made by the NAACP, and the resulting general shifts in
A big event occurred during the 1900’s called slavery. It involved Black people working and serving for white people. Many Blacks were hung, whipped, and fatally murdered. The US had issues over slavery and state’s rights, so a war broke out called The Civil War. This war broke out between The Confederates and The Union. After the war, Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery. He ratified the 13th Amendment, banning slavery or any involuntary servantry. Although slavery was abolished, racism was still an issue. Martin Luther King jr was an intellect who tried to make a difference. He was very peaceful and all he wanted was peace and equality. In the South around this time period, white people hated Blacks a lot and made their lives difficult. For one, Blacks were lynched very often, even babies and children. Segregation was at a high whereas Blacks and whites couldn’t be around each other or use the same thing as each other. There were Colored bathrooms, water fountains, and Blacks could not get into many buildings
The “hippies” of the 1960s had many effects on the American society. The visual appearance and lifestyle of the hippies were in sharp contrast to the conservative nature of the older generation, which defined them as a counterculture. The hippie lifestyle was based on free love, rock music, shared property, and drug experimentation. They introduced a new perspective on drugs, freedom of expression, appearance, music, attitudes toward work, and held a much more liberal political view than mainstream society.
The hippie subculture was originally a youth movement beginning in the United States around the early 1960s and consisted of a group of people who opposed political and social orthodoxy, choosing an ideology that favored peace, love, and personal freedom. The hippies rejected established institutions, criticized middle class values, opposed nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War, were usually eco-friendly and vegetarians, and promoted the use of psychedelic drugs. They created their own communities, listened to psychedelic rock, embraced the sexual revolution, and used drugs to explore alternative states of consciousness. They strived to liberate themselves from societal restrictions, choose their own way, and find new meaning in life.