Psychedelic Lifestyles, Opinions, and Major Events of the 1960s
Cara Resnick
Professor Clarke
U.S. History II
March 20th, 2011
The Psychedelic Lifestyles, Opinions, and Major Events of the 1960s
The 1960s was an era of peace among war, love among hate, and full of innovation. Some of the biggest events in history happened during this era such as President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech followed by his assassination five years later, the first U.S. astronauts landing on the moon, the first Civil Rights Bill to stop racial discrimination was passed, and so on. The American people of this era faced many controversial issues from the Vietnam War and nuclear arms, to drug use, nonconformity, and sexual freedom. Legacies of the era are a willingness to challenge authority, environmental awareness, the sense that politics is personal, greater social tolerance, and changes in attitudes about marriage, gender roles, and child rearing. The 1960s was also known as being a decade full of slogans. Hippies chanted “turn on, tune in, and drop out,” students would chant “Stop the War,” Lyndon Johnson gave his word that he would build a “Great Society”, and John Kennedy encouraged Americans to seek a “New Frontier”. During this era, people of all backgrounds and ages were absolutely convinced that America could build a new society-a society in which no one was exploited, no one was poor, everyone had the potential to be educated, and America’s past sins such as racism, would be abolished. Beginning with one of the biggest topics of the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement, that changed America forever. Ever since four black students sat down at an only-white lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina and refused to leave, the fight for civil rights has defined the 1960s. These four students had their movement spread, hundreds of black people sat at the same lunch counter every day, and tens of thousands others crowded segregated shops and restaurants throughout the upper South.
Professor Clarke
U.S. History II
March 20th, 2011
The Psychedelic Lifestyles, Opinions, and Major Events of the 1960s
The 1960s was an era of peace among war, love among hate, and full of innovation. Some of the biggest events in history happened during this era such as President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech followed by his assassination five years later, the first U.S. astronauts landing on the moon, the first Civil Rights Bill to stop racial discrimination was passed, and so on. The American people of this era faced many controversial issues from the Vietnam War and nuclear arms, to drug use, nonconformity, and sexual freedom. Legacies of the era are a willingness to challenge authority, environmental awareness, the sense that politics is personal, greater social tolerance, and changes in attitudes about marriage, gender roles, and child rearing. The 1960s was also known as being a decade full of slogans. Hippies chanted “turn on, tune in, and drop out,” students would chant “Stop the War,” Lyndon Johnson gave his word that he would build a “Great Society”, and John Kennedy encouraged Americans to seek a “New Frontier”. During this era, people of all backgrounds and ages were absolutely convinced that America could build a new society-a society in which no one was exploited, no one was poor, everyone had the potential to be educated, and America’s past sins such as racism, would be abolished. Beginning with one of the biggest topics of the 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement, that changed America forever. Ever since four black students sat down at an only-white lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina and refused to leave, the fight for civil rights has defined the 1960s. These four students had their movement spread, hundreds of black people sat at the same lunch counter every day, and tens of thousands others crowded segregated shops and restaurants throughout the upper South.
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