The Hippie Generation of the 1960s and 1970s

Hippies The Hippie Generation, was in the 1960s and 1970s. They embraced peace, love and community. They were opposed to middle class values, and the teachings of previous generations. The hippie movement embraced free love, and the beginning of the sexual revolution. The Beat Generation lead to the Hippie movement. The Beat movement was a bohemian counter-culture, and included experimentation with drugs and sexual liberties. The Beat writers began in New York, but most with the movement moved to San Francisco. The Beat Generation of the 1950s became the hippie movement of the 1960s. The hippie movement then spread throughout the United States, Canada and other parts of the world. Most of those in the movement were young, between the ages of 15 and 25. The hippies followed a pacifist philosophy, and protested the Vietnam war with non-violent demonstrations, including burning draft cards, sit-ins and protesting at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The first protests began in October 1965 when the draft was increased. In 1965, it had only been 3,000 drafts a month, but in October it was increased to 33,000 a month. Those with money and power had the opportunity to ‘draft-dodge.’ Tearing up or burning draft papers became a common occurrence, and was seen to be the first of the protests against the Vietnam War. The most famous person to do this was the world heavyweight-boxing champion, Muhammad Ali. He was punished by having his boxing title taken away from him. However, his very public stance brought a more worldwide dimension to the problem America was experiencing with the draft. The war had been portrayed to the US public as a sophisticated and ultra wealthy super-power, that would have few problems defeating a Third World nation. The protests against the war started to increase when body bags started to return to America in increasing numbers. The war that had been sold to the US public as one where victory was guaranteed, was in reality taking