The Cold War -The Red Scare Counterculture -sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll *Elvis * The Beatles -Woodstock festival Popularization…
On June 28th in 1969, an event that amplified the LGBT movements around the world occurred, lasting for six days after. Before this, though, gay communities…
Life in America during the 1950 's was often described as somewhat sterile, orderly, and convenient.The media made this time period out to look like families were happy and joyous , when in reality it was time of stressed out families in the pursuit of the suburban dream life. The children of these families began to reject the lifestyles and values that their parents lead. As these children matured the 60 's began and this was the beginning of the counterculture movement. These children matured and began to make their own counter culture, consisting of sex, drugs, and rock 'n ' roll. The violence in Vietnam inspired these kids. They grew tired of it and wanted to spread peace and love. These times were characterized by passionate idealists seeking peace and a more loving world, dangerous radicals fomenting revolution, as well as non-conformists refusing to live by the laws in America. Some of these people were on ending the Vietnam war, Civil rights, or starting…
August 15-19, 1969 was the most historic music festival in history. This festival marked the arrival of the Hippie movement and their ways of expressing themselves in rebellion against mainstream America. Woodstock festival gave power to the youth, and united people of all ages, races, and sexes. Although Woodstock may have seemed to only be a concert of drugs, sex, and rock and roll, it became a historical symbol of cultural and social change that defined the Counter Culture.…
Woodstock was a gathering of all the now called “hippies” who were the icons of American counterculture. This group of people believed that they could change the world that was rooted in hatred, war, and greed, by focusing on loving each other. The culture that the Woodstock Youth was rejecting was that of their parents, which included radical segregation and support of the Vietnam War. This was an example of counterculture because in 1969, 50% of the nation supported the Vietnam War. The rock and roll was played at the festival was also a symbol of the overpowering counterculture and served as the engine for cultural and social reform movements like these. Rock and roll is also seen as an expression of the youth revolt against conformity and adulthood.…
“As the 1960s progressed, young Americans’ understanding of freedom increasingly expanded to include cultural freedom”(Foner, E. 2006). The generational rebellion that became to be known as counterculture would soon descend upon the hills of Bethel in upstate New York to what would be “the counterculture’s biggest bash”. The 1969 Woodstock Music Festival forever left a footprint in the lives of all those who had a hand in the staging of the festival, whether it be a hippie, planner, resident, or a business owner. It “brought together hundreds of thousands of young people to celebrate their alternative lifestyle and independence from adult authority.” (Foner, E. 2006). On August 15 to August 18, 1969, more than 450,000 people gathered on Max Yasgure’s pasture in Sullivan County to listen to music from artists such as Jimi Hendrix and Joan Baez. The town of Bethel was hit with a huge impact. While some good came out of it, such as local motels and gas stations profiting from the influx of hippies, farmers lost income and land were destroyed. Residents were left to clean up the mess left behind. Woodstock can be attributed to bringing the community of Bethel together as well as the young Americans who now had a stronger sense of community. Local government had to intervene by creating zoning laws. The residents of Bethel were promised future traffic jams would be prevented. Political fallout also resulted after Woodstock.…
"What is not illusionary is the reality of a new culture of opposition. It grows out of the disintegration of the old forms, vinyl and aerosol institutions that carry all the inane and destructive values of privatism; competition, commercialism, profitability and elitism It's not a "youth thing" by now but a generational event; chronological age is the only current phase". The previous quote was written by Andrew Kopkind in Rolling Stone on the Woodstock festival observing that a new culture was immersing from the roots of the adult American life (1960's 198). Words such as "counter-culture", "establishment", "non-violence", "free-love" and "Woodstock" were not even in the American vocabulary until the war against North Vietnam started in 1965 (Bexte). The counter-culture was a social movement between the late 1960's and early 1970's including generally young people who were opposed to the mainstream values of traditional American culture and life. The people who participated or started this whole movement were called "hippies" who were mainly white, middle-class families' children under 25 years old (1960's 193). Hippies gathered mostly in the Haight Ashbury district in San Francisco (Our Century 5). They were mostly college students or graduates and usually, hippies were the ones who opposed the old American values, culture, politics, the Vietnam War, racism and were concerned about civil and student rights. They wanted to change the things that they did not agree with and also create a new generation, expressing their individuality. Moreover, by moving away from the society, they felt free about using drugs, creating new trends and music (1960's 195). It was not just about hippies, drugs, new trends and rock music, but it was the anti-war movement and the social change. From the 1950's traditional get a job and a family' concept and narrow mind, in the 1960's younger people started considering what happened outside their doors; becoming interested in politics,…
Despite the negative portrayal in mainstream 1960s media, justifications expressed by counterculture activists for further investigation, education and experimentation under government control of LSD were rational and valid arguments. Sex, drugs, protests, war, political upheaval, cultural chaos, and social rebellion; the many comforts TV dinner eating, republican voting, church going, suburbia conformists tried to escape through conservative ideals, town meetings, and The Andy Williams Family Hour. National consciousness in 1960s United States was alive, but existed differently in every mind it dwelled, and stirred uninterrupted in every life to which it was introduced. A dream of money, success, and a house with a white picket fence still…
Many of those who were a part of the Counterculture of the time were known as "Hippies", a group known for their tie dyed shirts and pacifist outlook on life. The Counterculture of the time change much of America's musical scene, inspiring a more folk music with anti-war undertones like the 1961 ballad "Where Have All the Flowers Gone". Female musicians also rose up within these movement, like Joan Baez. Recreational drugs like LSD and marijuana were praised within this group's music, leading to the more widespread use of these drugs within American society. Another group that rejected societies standards and government and contributed to the Counterculture were the "Flower Children", who sought to celebrate love, shared humanity, and also shared the groups anti-war sentiment. Flower Children were known to amass groups of believes together to protest the idea of war, and celebrate shared human experience in events like "The World's first Human Be-In" which took place in…
The 1960's was a decade of many changes, revolutions, and experiments including the sexual revolution brought on by the 'sixties generation'. Free love was a popular term coined in the later sixties that meant everyone should love each other, sexually and non sexually. This was the first time in history that sex was not something only men could enjoy but women too. What came from this revolution was birth control, knowledge of the female anatomy, the start to legalizing abortion, and woman’s liberation. These may all sound like common things to have or know about but at the time these were all groundbreaking and changed many lives.…
(American yawp, Ch.27). The lifestyle of the counterculture was marked on one side by unrestricted behavior with a disregard for stability, law and order. However, other viewpoints acknowledged it as a time of passion, equality and liberation. Â The counterculture philosophy prompted young Americans to support African Americans in their fight for equality. Especially, on college campuses where they embraced the causes of African Americans, Latinos and other minorities. Â Consistently, joining and supporting many of the initiatives, because they agreed with their own philosophy of peace, equality and liberation. The young people were drawn to ideals that challenged the…
(Rawls and Walton, "California History" 2012) The hippie movement mainly appeals to the youth as a social protest and rebellion against society. One significance of the hippie movement was the introduction of a drug called lysergic acid diethylamide or commonly known as LSD. (Rawls and Walton, "California History" 2012) LSD users or experimenters often felt "deeply moving, exhilarating, and self-revealing and others users would feel "panic, bizarre, and suicidal behavior." (Rawls and Walton, "California History" 2012) "Flower children" or "the love generation" were the terms often used by the news to describe the hippie movement in 1966. (Rawls and Walton, "California History" 2012) The hippies were against war and often place flowers in guns of the police and soldiers. (Encyclopedia: Hippies The leaders of the hippie movement were seeking to establish a new communal freedom and remove themselves from full society to a peace and love society. (Rawls and Walton, "California History" 2012) As the hippie movement was increasing in popularity, the American arm forces were increasing soldiers. (Rawls and Walton, "California History" 2012) The hippies challenged the society norms such as the environment and began the feminist movement. (http://legacy-hippie-movement.e-monsite.com/) The hippies started the movement of "reduce,…
Love is a simple phrase that has existed throughout human history. Since the beginning of time, we have been taught to love one another through works of kindness and compassion. Despite this, we as a greedy, shallow culture tend to resort to conflict to solve our issues. From wars to segregation, humans have fought numerous battles in the name of a better world, yet, all they have accomplished is insurmountable conflict. Although this epidemic floods our history, there are times where the tenderness of people has broken through and achieved substantial gains for the world populous. To name a few: Jesus was crucified as a perfect, loving lamb in order to cleanse the grime of sin, Martin Luther King Jr. was praised for rooting his arguments in…
“There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable” quote by Mark Twain. Michael Ondaatje feels similarly in his poem “The Cinnamon Peeler” because he longs to be with his beloved but this is not possible. We infer that Ondaatje is in a lower caste than his love because he hypothetically states “If I were a cinnamon peeler…” (1). The idea of them being together is what sets off this love poem. He goes on a type of role-playing game in which he and his wife are such passionate lovers that their desire leaves a scent that others can notice.…
During the 1960’s, many young people had to get away from all the turmoil taking place in The United States of America. The war in Vietnam, the Civil Rights Movement and Lyndon Johnson’s “The Great Society” spurred the rise of this hippie movement. A hippie is a person who removes himself/herself from society, hereby cutting all political ties. Hippies moved to communes and grew their hair long, as a way to reject authority. However, the hippie movement is most known for its free love and experimental drug use practices. Hippies would sleep with whomever, due to a new birth control pill, and take whatever drug, mostly heroin, cocaine and marijuana. America should not make all countries live this lifestyle and…