Essay on Woodstock

The Sixties were an exciting revolutionary period with great cultural change. Some people called it the “decade of discontent” (Britannica) due to the race riots in Detroit and La, and the demonstrations against the Vietnam War. Other people called it the decade of “peace, love, and harmony” (Woodstock 69). This decade was identified as such as a result of the peace movement and the emergence of the flower children. (Britannica) The sixties were about assassination, unforgettable fashion, new styles of music, civil rights, gay and women’s liberation, Vietnam, Neil Armstrong landing on the moon, peace marches, sexual freedom, drug experimentation, and Woodstock. All of these components caused a revolutionary change in the

The sixties seemed to challenge basic American assumptions; the value of hard work and of traditional family values. “Middle” America formed 55% of the population, earning between $5000 and $15000 p.a. They lived between the city slums and the affluent suburbs, and were usually up to their eyes in debt. They wanted the law to protect them and their property. They believed in good manners, in respect for authority and the flag. The changes of the sixties left many of them confused and angry. They were not sure who to blame for social unrest. They were the silent minority that Nixon appealed to in his election campaign, and they helped him to victory. They were the resentment and reaction byproduct of social unrest. They worked to ensure their property and found it unfair that the government gave money to the people that did not work as much as they did. They wanted law and order. They wanted a state that provided security, response to the insecurity they felt in face of the students movement and the liberal culture. They felt ignored by the democrat government because they did not benefit from the financial help, house and health security.

The 1960s meant a transition into adulthood for the baby boomers of the 1940s. Most Americans who lived in postwar America lived a prosperous life with a steady and wealthy income reaching middle-class status. The parents of baby boomers tried to lay the foundation for their children with a hard-work ethic, morality, and patriotism.   But the baby boomers sought their own destiny by defying their parents’ wishes.

The way that Woodstock the documentary could be summarized is as a concert documentary, much like ones from this millennium, with small occurrences of describing the impact of the festival on the surrounding community. The film also depicted the feelings of the festival goers who were mostly teens/young adults who held high spirits and a quality of peace and love. In regard to the artistry of the film, it had a high production quality. The documentary almost looked to be released within the past two decades.

America’s 1960s was occupied by the Cold War, Vietnam, The Civil Rights Movement, and the peak of counter-culture within America. The country was essentially in conflict for the entirety of the decade. However, things like this don’t just happen. There is a a lead up to these points and the social culture of the 60s was largely based on family structure post Baby-Boom and the state of the government leading up to and during the years. World War II veterans returned from the war and began to have children.

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

One can argue that the 1960s was one of the most transformational decades in American history, largely due to the political and cultural landscape that occurred after World War II. The 1960’s were a decade of drastic change in politics, culture, and idealism. As a result of groups beginning to challenge the norms of society, there was a need for Americans to help lead this charge and inspire others to become a part of it. In addition, society turned to mainstream culture, particularly towards music, for guidance and inspiration.

Woodstock Woodstock was a rock music festival that took place near Woodstock, New York in a town called Bethel. The festival took place over three days, August 15, 16, and 17, 1969. The original plan for Woodstock was an outdoor rock festival, "three days of peace and music" in the Catskill village of Woodstock. The festival was expected to attract 50,000 to 100,000 people. It was estimated that an unexpected 400,000 or more people attended. If it weren't for Woodstock, rock and roll wouldn't be where it is today. Woodstock became a symbol of the 1960s American counterculture and a milestone in the history of rock music. The original plan for Woodstock had been to build a recording studio in the town of Woodstock (Sandow,

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 sixties made the future generation think on their feet as to how; one would tackle various situations related to political issues, counterculture, racial discrimination, and student freedom. A couple of songs that show the positive impact of how the youth movement change the future generation are “The Times They Are a-Changin” by Bob Dylan and “For What IT’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield. “The young people of the sixties counterculture movement were successful at awakening awareness on many causes that are being fought“(Andrey). The sixties almost brought an end to racial discrimination as everyone were treated equally and given equal rights in most parts of the world. It lead to a new movement called “counterculture”, which meant following an unconventional method to do things. For instance, counterculture in the US was the hippie movement, polygamists, feminist groups, and various other groups. To sum things up, these little positive movements influenced the future generation to stand up for the rights in every aspect of

The 1960s was absolutely a period of chaos and upheaval in American modern history. The environment of the whole society had changed after the World War II. With the development of the economy, there

The Woodstock festival descended on Bethel, New York promising three days of peace and music. Event organizers anticipated 15,000 people would attend but were overwhelmed by the 300,000 people that flooded this rural area of New York state from August 15 -17, 1969. While these facts are well known and indisputable, the festival itself has proven to be a controversial endeavor. What began as a small business venture was soon brimming with the controversy of an entire decade. It becomes clear when examining the strikingly different accounts of the festival that reactions varied depending on the fundamental values and personal circumstances specific to each observer and to the

Two days after the YIPPIES were informed of the curfew the “Festival of Life” officially began. Thousands eventually attended, but only one band arrived and they feared their sound equipment would be destroyed by the police. Flowers were passed out, people smoke pot, made-out, listened to poetry and were having a virtually peaceful and harmless time.

In this chapter we will discuss and analize about the Social & cultural impacts of Glastonbury festival. As we know, The Glastonbury festival is a largest open-air music and performing arts in the world so it has considerable influence to people about social and cultural.

Many generations have come and gone, and many have made an impact on American life. The Sixties were definitely one of those generations that left its mark in history. The people of this generation didn't follow the teachings of their elders, but rejected them for an alternative culture, which was their very own (Harris 14). This new subculture was such a radical society that it was given it's own name which is still used to this day. They came to be known as the Hippies.