Unit 8: Topic 12 - Youth Culture in the 1960s Flashcards
What was the Sexual Revolution?
Traditional beliefs around sexual conduct were questioned in the 1950s by Alfred Kinsey with surveys. His research indicated that premarital sex, infidelity, and homosexuality were more common than suspected. These findings fueled the sexual revolution.
Taboos and restrictions were challenged through new forms of sexual expression and a significant increase in premarital sex and contraceptive use. The women’s liberation movement and widespread availability of the birth control pill contributed to new attitudes about casual sex.
This revolution influenced changes in the law, such as legalizing abortion and overturning sodomy laws. Sexual themes became common in advertisements, magazines, and the media. The sexual revolution significantly changed American beliefs around sexuality and relationships.
What was the counterculture movement?
The counterculture movement was a social and cultural phenomenon that emerged in the 1960s, going hand in hand with protests of the New Left. It sought to cast off societal restraint and overturn cultural norms with rebellious behaviors. This included alternative clothing styles, experimental drug use, and sexual liberation. Counterculture promoted an individualistic, expressive, and liberated way of life.
Describe the New Left.
The New Left was a political movement of young people, students, and intellectuals seeking radical social change. They critiqued liberal politicians and lawmakers for doing too little to fix domestic issues and focusing on immoral foreign affairs.
This movement focused on social and political issues, including the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and a growing economic and social divide. It was characterized by its commitment to grassroots organizing, participatory democracy, and non-violent direct action.
What efforts did college organizations make during the Vietnam War?
Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) were conservatives who supported the US’s involvement in the Vietnam War because it meant the containment of communism.
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) were the opposing group on the left who voiced their beliefs in the Port Huron Statement. This statement stressed participatory democracy and direct government action. It also criticized the Cold War and the arms race, believing the US should work towards disarmament and a more peaceful world.
The statement was written by Tom Hayden, a student activist who would later become a prominent figure in the New Left and the anti-war movement.
What was the Kent State Massacre?
The Kent State Massacre was during a protest by Kent State students against President Nixon’s escalation of the Vietnam War. The rally had lasted several days, and some vandalism and looting occurred. In retaliation, the National Guard was sent to keep the peace and disperse the protestors. The protestors resisted by throwing rocks, leading one national guardsman to open fire, and others followed. Four students died, and ten were wounded.
Why did the Vietnam War disillusion many young people?
The Vietnam War made young people question American involvement and foreign affairs. The public became increasingly aware of the higher costs and questionable justifications, leading many young people to protest against the government’s actions.
Young people saw the war as an imperialistic foreign policy and a violation of American principles like democracy and self-determination. The government’s willingness to sacrifice the lives of young Americans disillusioned many, leading to draft evasion. The Vietnam War sparked a new wave of activism and skepticism.
What caused the counterculture movement?
The counterculture movement was fueled by social and political issues like the Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the women’s liberation movement.
What are examples of counterculture?
New forms of art, music, and literature that challenged traditional norms and values were popular in the counterculture movement.
“Hippies” and “flower children” embodied the image of this movement by dressing in untraditional ways and regularly using marijuana and psychedelic drugs. They rejected materialism, conformity, and consumerism to create their own culture based on freedom, peace, love, and harmony.
The folk music of Bob Dylan gave voice to protests, rock music of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Janis Joplin was popular.
What events embodied the counterculture movement?
Hippies enjoyed communal living in San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district, where they enjoyed the same counterculture ideals, drug use, and music. The Summer of Love took place in this neighborhood in the summer of 1967, characterized by the rejection of traditional values and the provision of free drugs, sex, and medical care.
The Woodstock Music Festival in 1969 reflected the zenith of the counterculture movement. Over 400,000 people attended the festival to see the biggest names in rock music. This festival was noted for its peaceful atmosphere, marked by a sense of community and celebration of music, as well as hallucinogenic drug use.
