Why Did the Student Movement Emerge in the 1960s? Essay Example
Why did the student movement emerge in the 1960s?
After the Second World War, there was a global baby boom. People celebrated the end of the war and so in the 1960s, the teenage population was bigger than ever. These children who lived in America were brought up in a wealthy post-war community and were always taught to respect their elders who 'saved' their country. One of the reasons as to why the student movement emerged in the 1960s was because there were so many students at the time. They had a big say in the country and many companies changed their products and shops in order to satisfy their teenage customers. They had a lot of power which encouraged them to try and change something. Because there was an economic boom after the war, many parents could afford to pay for their children to go to university. Between 1945 and 1965 the number of people going to university doubled. This is another reason as to why the student movement emerged. American youth was more educated and aware of what was going on around them. They became more interested in politics and foreign affairs. Students could meet up easily and talk about what they thought of the current events in politics. They could also organise rebellions or demonstrations more easily. Another reason for the student movement in the 1960s was the assassination of Martin Luther King. He was an inspiration for many black and white young Americans. For many of them, he was the first leader of protest they saw that was so inspiring, and when he was assassinated, many felt like they must continue his work and rebel against all the inequalities. A final reason as to why the student movement emerge in the 1960s was the spread of ideas through music. If it wasn't for the inspiring texts of Bob Dylan and many more artists, many young Americans wouldn't feel like they needed to rebel that much. Rock 'n' Roll music started emerging in the late 1950s. Youth loved it while their parents despised it. This made
After the Second World War, there was a global baby boom. People celebrated the end of the war and so in the 1960s, the teenage population was bigger than ever. These children who lived in America were brought up in a wealthy post-war community and were always taught to respect their elders who 'saved' their country. One of the reasons as to why the student movement emerged in the 1960s was because there were so many students at the time. They had a big say in the country and many companies changed their products and shops in order to satisfy their teenage customers. They had a lot of power which encouraged them to try and change something. Because there was an economic boom after the war, many parents could afford to pay for their children to go to university. Between 1945 and 1965 the number of people going to university doubled. This is another reason as to why the student movement emerged. American youth was more educated and aware of what was going on around them. They became more interested in politics and foreign affairs. Students could meet up easily and talk about what they thought of the current events in politics. They could also organise rebellions or demonstrations more easily. Another reason for the student movement in the 1960s was the assassination of Martin Luther King. He was an inspiration for many black and white young Americans. For many of them, he was the first leader of protest they saw that was so inspiring, and when he was assassinated, many felt like they must continue his work and rebel against all the inequalities. A final reason as to why the student movement emerge in the 1960s was the spread of ideas through music. If it wasn't for the inspiring texts of Bob Dylan and many more artists, many young Americans wouldn't feel like they needed to rebel that much. Rock 'n' Roll music started emerging in the late 1950s. Youth loved it while their parents despised it. This made