The Seventies: The Great Shift In American Culture

When most people think of the 1950’s or 1960’s, they think of Elvis, Greasers, jukeboxes, Woodstock, and rainbow peace signs and hippie love. Although these symbols are somewhat accurate (and very popular), not many people think about the changes society and culture went through. The 1950’s and 60’s were a time of great change and freedom for many Americans. Everything from World War II, to the gay liberation movement, to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 helped to change society. Many of the views American’s had on topics such as war, gender roles and sexual preference were changed greatly after these events and have led to our culture being what it is today. The 1950’s and 1960’s were a time where great changes took place that helped to

As World War Two came to a close, a new American culture was developing all across the United States. Families were moving away from crowded cities into spacious suburban towns to help create a better life for them during and after the baby boom of the post-war era. Teenagers were starting to become independent by listing to their own music and not wearing the same style of clothing as their parents. Aside from the progress of society that was made during this time period, many people still did not discuss controversial issues such as divorce and sexual relations between young people. While many historians regard the 1950s as a time of true conservatism at its finest, it could really be considered a time of true progression in the

The 1980’s is one of the most interesting decades that was experienced in the United States. Dealing with the stock market, the coming up of new inventions, all the way to the types of music people listened to. During the 1980s, the only thing that made Americans be “Americans” was because of the things they were provided with. Many Americans had fun throughout the 1980s with materialistic, glamorous, and technological life styles; therefore there were different economical problems that Americans faced.

Terry H. Anderson The Sixties takes us back to that controversial decade where citizens not only believed change was important but demanded it to occur. The author beings his discussion on the Cold War era and how it seeded the growth of the sixties. The conventional and orthodox of the fifties was a vast improvement for many of the old-generation who lived through the great depression. The decade was referred to as “Happy Days,” however, it was only truly happy for white American males. The rest of the population was tired of the unfair treatment and the lack of national problems being addressed by the government. This anger was beginning to manifestation and would eventually take center stage in the era of the sixties.

The 1970s is known for being the decade for changing the American values and culture and Hollywood played a major part in this change. It all began with president Nixon being elected in 1969. He ordered bombing in the neutral Cambodia, which he though would help end Vietnam war, but it did not. The 1970s were a very turbulent time due to the tragedy of Vietnam and the trauma caused by the Watergate Scandal. Due to this, People were losing faith in the government and many riots occurred during this time. While the People went through many changes in the 1970s, the Hollywood industry also went through many changes during this time.

Many people inaccurately assess the 1950s and 1960s. Historians, in particular, tend to describe the 1950s as a decade of prosperity and the 1960s as one of turbulence. According to most, peace and harmony defined the 50s while violence and protest conjured the 60s. This isn't true because controversy existed in the fifties, many achievements occurred in the sixties, and both decades had its political ups and downs. With all the criticism surrounding it, the 1960s remains one of the most controversial decades in American history.

The 1970s were a time of confusion and revolution in the United States. Integration finally prevailed in the public school system, with the major incident being in Little Rock, Arkansas. The United States went through an extreme energy crisis in the 1970s. Both Welfare and Social Security went through drastic reform policies throughout the decade. In addition, the U.S. economy fluctuated throughout the decade creating both good and bad times for many, as inflation rates hit an all-time high. The 1970s was an extremely influential decade in America's history, and one that helped to shape following decades.

Australian popular culture in the 1960s had multiple features, many of which were influenced by the social changes and counter culture at the time. The primary aspects of Australian popular culture in the 1960s were; music, fashion, film, sport and television.

With the overwhelming amount of Levittown houses, the obsession to obtain the perfect American “ideal family” as seen on TV and the unspoken agreement to fear any and all foreign ideas and values, the 1950s were revealed to be a decade of prosperity, conformity and consensus. Just ten years later the atmosphere in America was shockingly different; the 1960s were a decade of turbulence, protest and disillusionment due to the ongoing struggle for civil rights, arising feminism, and the Vietnam War.

American in the 70s and 80s had increased crime and murder. Additionally, the 70s and 80s saw an increase of serial killers. During these two decades and the end of the 60s, there were noticeable numbers of serial killers and murderers: John Lennon's assassination 1980, The Zodiac Killer late 1960s to mid-1970s, Manson's Family 1969, Ted Bundy 1970s, John Wayne Gacy, etc. Americans feared being murdered or victim a crime. Horror movies were starting to be inspired by reality, Americans were fearing serial killers. The 70s and 80s horror films were composed of slasher films, which was inspired by increasing murder and crime rates of those decades, one of the most notable slasher horror movies that were inspired by real life was the Texas Chainsaw

The Sixties, by Terry H. Anderson, takes the reader on a journey through one of the most turbulent decades in American life. Beginning with the crew-cut conformity of 1950s Cold War culture and ending with the transition into the uneasy '70s, Anderson notes the rise of an idealistic generation of baby boomers, widespread social activism, and revolutionary counterculture. Anderson explores the rapidly shifting mood of the country with the optimism during the Kennedy years, the liberal advances of Johnson's "Great Society," and the growing conflict over Vietnam that nearly tore America apart. The book also navigates through different themes regarding the decade's different currents of social change; including the anti-war movement, the civil

The 1960’s was a decade that forever changed the culture and society of America. The

The 1970s can be best understood as a transitional period in America. Starting in the 1950s, the power of the youth was on the rise, through civil rights activism and anti-war protests. This decade’s ideal citizen seemed to be the person helping others. Then the 1980s are more financially centered and individualistic. This decade’s ideal citizen is the one who measured success by how much money they made. The 1970s proved to be a time of bitterness, cynicism, and increased interest in one’s self for most of the people in America. Some of the events that contributed to this were the Kent State Massacre, Roe v. Wade, and the economic stagflation that happened in the latter part of the decade.

The methods of control discussed would include crop eradication, control of precursor chemicals and the United States certification process. During the 70’s the source control was used as an attempt to reduce the amount of heroin coming into the United States. Therefore, to ban opium production and help Turkish farmers develop new cash crops the United States and France offered turkey $35 million. However, crop Eradication programs were forced to the reduction of coca plants. Nevertheless, the improper use of dangerous chemicals fertilizers caused water contamination and the processing of coca into cocaine paste caused further environmental pollution. Consequently, the use of herbicide chemicals used in crop eradication produced irreversible

The 1960s are frequently referred to as a period of social protest and dissent. Antiwar demonstrators, civil-rights activists, feminists, and members of various other social groups demanded what they considered to be justice and sought reparation for the wrongs they believed they had suffered. The decade marked a shift from a collective view on politics, to a much more individualistic viewpoint. The 1960s could easily be characterized as a period during which political, ideological, and social tensions among radicals, liberals, and conservatives in American society are seen to have rapidly unfolded. Due to this, the decade has had an overwhelming effect on the decades that have followed. The sixties have had the greatest impact on American society out of any decade in recent history. Whether for better or for worse, the decade has had a profound influence on politics, society, foreign policy, and culture.