You will be asked to examine and post responses to a question regarding this unit (chapters 38-39). Then you need to REPLY to two different posts from within you assigned question. In total you will be creating THREE posts. In each case you need to follow the usual rules of posting (do not repeat information, build off of one another’s posts) and be sure to include a link or video that reinforces your evidence.
Consider the domestic political and social turmoil of the sixties, brought on by the social and cultural upheavals as well as Vietnam. Point out the deep polarization of American society, as evidenced by the turbulent events of 1968.
PART 1
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdjL8WXjlGI
So you guys probably recognize this video, and if you don't you've heard of it. A universe that started out a long time ago and now is the leading Science Fiction enterprise (no pun intended) on the planet, with more books, shows, and movies than any other universe. They have gone through six individual television shows, each one approximately seven seasons long with each season consisting of about 26 hour-long episodes. Today, they are going strong with a movie that was recently released, returning us back to the original characters of Kirk and crew, and another movie coming out (tentatively) in May of next year. So how does all of this relate to the 60s? Well, we have already discussed that with the launch of Sputnik by the Russians, UFO sightings had increased exponentially, conspiracy theories popping up everywhere. With television, people were able to develop new plotlines involving space travel and share them with the entire world. The show ‘Star Trek’ premiered in 1966, one of the great examples of old, lasting storylines from this era.
The Television show was a huge hit, innovative and spectacular, jaw-dropping and creative. The universe of Star Trek has been developed to the point where it cannot be contained in one volume. With the rise of Star Trek led to other Science Fiction novels and movies. Before the premier of Star Trek, one of the most classic Science Fiction novels of our time was written, entitled Dune, by Frank Herbert, full of alien encounters and political escapades. As you can see, imaginations have run wild in this era, sci-fi dominating the bookshelves and televisions and minds of the young and the old in this time period. The first reported UFO sighting, according to the book “The UFO Conspiracy” by Jenny Randles, which is a book that evaluates factual data in a very pro-extraterrestrial fashion written in 1987, on June 24, 1947. They continued on till present day. People still swear to have seen or even been abducted by an alien race. This started around the Cold War. The UFO paranoia of this time would come to define our entire world for centuries to come. Today, turn on your TV and I guarantee you will see at least five shows currently on that deal with some type of Science Fiction. It all goes back to the forties and fifties and sixties. The sixties, though, was when the UFO craze peaked. There were more UFO sightings in the sixties than ever before, and television allowed for people to dramatize alien encounters and invasions. Star Trek is just one example of a Science Fiction show or series that redefined our world that came out of this era, and that alone inspired many a show or novel in the years to come. Dune was another novel that took Science Fiction to a new level. But people’s imaginations were really spiked when a man craft landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. The moon became a symbol of a future, and space became universally known as the ‘Final Frontier,’ which goes all the way back to the closing of the American Frontier all of those years before this, when there were ranchers and cowboys and the newest innovation was the locomotive. We once debated whether or not America would remain itself without a Frontier. When the Frontier closed, we became Imperial, and began spreading to other countries. But now, in the sixties, the world has been divvied up pretty well, and the only way to take control over more territory was through war, which people desperately wanted to avoid now that nuclear warfare was a legitimate threat. So what do we do? We keep our precious Frontier, but we expand it into the infinite space, where our frontier would never, ever run out. We never need to worry about the Frontier closing again, because it spreads out seemingly and possibly infinite in every direction. Although space travel has decreased in importance and relevance in our current day and age, the fact that the Final Frontier exists is enough to keep Americans optimistic about the future, and ready to join others in going to places like Mars or the Moon if the opportunity presents itself.
ReplyDeleteFrom what else I checked out about your topic because I saww star trek immediately thinking to present day. But I found it interesting to find out it had been out so long. From what else I found the plot had been the most appealing giving people the thoughts to future technology or the unthinkable. It was like a hope.it's very famous catchphrase had become just as popular as they are now. Just thought it was cool that the blast of the past hits present day and the reaction is still the same. Even keeping long time lovers to the show.
DeleteI think the 1960's was one of the best times in this countries history for the show star trek to be playing. This was a time when the future was unknown and impossible seemed to be a nonexistent world. I believe that this show interested people so much because it put the ideas of impossible tasks into a show that people could actually watch. The tv changed peoples lives so greatly in the impact it had on everyday life. Instead of just listening to ideas on a radio, people could now actually see these spaceships and lasers and futuristic ideas. The visuals that people saw on screen made it very convincing to a population curious about the future. This also just gave people another reason to be excited about the US getting to space. Who knows what the galaxy holds and people knew there was no limit to what our country could do. The future was a scary but also very exciting idea for Americans and shows like this helped spiked that
DeleteTelevision provided so many means of escape from 1960's turmoils. It wasn't just the upcoming of legendary movies. Shows dominated home televisions. Although many families couldn't afford a color tv, fridays nights would commonly consist of everyone gathering around for their favorite television show on a black and white tv. This factor again sparked people's interests by providing an escape.
DeleteCommon shows included Gilligan's Island, Bonanza, Bewitched, and Batman. Many shows contained futuristic features such as what Steven previously describe. Nevertheless, the television worked to gather people around and display both the good news and the bad.
In fact, many of the political instances we have talked about in class were aired on television. For example, the people of America were well informed about the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs. Nightly news was available on channels such as ABC, leaving the American people well informed about the political and social changes of their decade.
Stephen’s post covered a topic that I’ve felt strongly about for a while: space exploration. John F. Kennedy knew how important space was, especially with the Russians already exploring the final frontier. He declared entrance into space by the end of the decade and his promise was kept. Star Trek and JFK’s vision for space exploration is definitely prevalent today. With the population nearing 7 billion people and the Earth’s resources at a steady decline, a new home will be needed in the not-so-distant future. The idea of colonization within our solar system has not been completely ruled out, but I don’t find it hopeful. Even with the developed technology of Star Trek, like light speed travel; space is so vast that things are millions of light years away. The possibilities are endless, but the limits are too. However, the only thing I know for sure is we need another president like JFK, who believed in a space program. If our country had as much money invested into NASA as the military, things like http://www.gizmag.com/ad-astra-ion-engine-mars-39-days/12342/, an ion powered ship that cuts travel to Mars down to 39 days, would become a reality.
DeleteIn the 1960's there was a huge uproar of music throughout the country, especially in America's youth. This growing craze seemed to truly explode when The Beatles came to town. This new music of pop and rock swept the nation as the youth found this music was a form of escape. Kids used music as a chance for freedom and a chance to get away from the hard times of life. With things like war, fear, and tension in everyone, the population needed something to simply distract them from the real world problems and something to make things seem "okay" at a time of struggle. The Beatles were the definition of superstars in every way and shape. At a time when the vietnam war was going on, there was tension between the US and soviets, and the worlds safety was at stake, music was a perfect medicine for everyone. When a teen could sit in their room or car and turn that music on, there didnt seem to be a problem in the world. Even to this day people in times of struggle rely on music to sooth them and give them a chance to escape mentally from their problems. This mix of song and dance was truly the only way that some people could simply relax and ejoy life.
ReplyDeleteOther bands that showed up in mainstream media were the Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd, and James Brown. These were the years when Rock and Roll really began to shine, as you said. Although the music allowed teens to socialize and have some fun in times of intense tension, all was not sound. Rock and Roll was loud, its lyrics could be vulgar, it spoke of things that people did not customarily speak of that time on occasion. Though the teenage generation was able to find relief and escape in this style of music, the older generation was worried. Rock and Roll was shunned by the adults of the time, adults who were raised in an era where music was nice and smooth and more controlled. This new crazy loud rock and roll increased tension between generations, and led to rebellious youths and discontented homes. Though Rock and Roll would have a lasting legacy on our society until it was almost a staple of every household and restaurant, it had a negative impact on society in these traumatic years as well as a positive one.
DeleteI agree with Steven on the teens being more social with the interest of the music. I would say the entrance of rock and roll fit perfectly for the time period considering how much change was happening. Rock and roll seemed to demonstrate a whole new edge that everyone had been picking up.
DeleteI couldby get this video I saw or the link to work but it showed the history of rock and roll which was cool if you look up history of rock and roll it's many clips but really good
Music thrived at this time. Who can deny it? We all still listen to some of this music today. Casey i think the only problem with the music of the time was it was not just the music that the kids were looking for to escape. Yes we have had drugs before in the United States, but with music being so influiential at the time anything that kids saw artist doing they did as well. Your drug rates will increase in this time. This is because no kid wants to think about whats going on in their country or have to be worried about being drafted to go and fight in vietnam. So instead of stressing like you said kids turned to music, but they also turned to drugs like Marijuna, Cocaine and noe more popular LSD.
DeleteGrowing up, the youth in America was ready for revolution in all the aspects—especially music. Rock and roll was more than a shift and change in music as you all have pointed out. After grazing through, I agree—music was vastly important in America. A lot of music is left with ambiguity, and especially with Rock and Roll, its teenage fans would take from it what they would. As Rock and Roll began to stand as the music for the rebellious, it gave way for the encouragement of revolt and individualism. As said before, there is great ambiguity. Take romanticism for example, it was a beautiful thing where people look to dreamlike places and the ideal. There seems to be nothing wrong with being so optimistic about life and how it should be. But once taken into consideration that it is “simply looking for the pleasant,” Romanticism renders itself a sinful thing. Same thing goes for Rock and Roll—many kids took it was a way to escape into a world of revolution for the individual by cranking up their volume. Many die-hard traditional others in America took Rock and Roll as an evil thing, encouraging sinful acts and pleasures.
Deletehttp://www.catholicapologetics.info/modernproblems/currenterrors/rock.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RAlZCppPi0
ReplyDeleteDuring this time period of the 1960s women had gone back to fighting for more rights demanding men to try American them seriously and give them the rights they deserved. Women had come to the conclusion they deserved try he rights to being able to play sports that had been for men. Even opening college for women so they could have equal opportunity for education. There had been a woman who had gone to great lengths for the right of abortion much like the subject is still touchy today. The case had been roe vs wade. Which however came later in the 70s but if it werent for the woman joining in on civil rights for equality. Women had wanted equal job opportunity and child-care so they could work without worrying about there child to much. With change in mood came change with looks women decided to experiment with clothing and wigs.
ReplyDeletehttp://ibhistory.wikidot.com/11-civil-rights-and-social-movements-in-the-americas
I had found two clips about woman's rights:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbhs6pIaVDI
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=An8rGyzV32E
There has always been a great rift between men and women, and the responsibilities that each gender took on. Ever since the beginning of the United States of America, women have always had contented, stay-at-home roles in society. But though the everyday women seemed content to be the housekeeper while her husband provided for the family, there was often tension between man and wife, because women were not given the right to learn how to read or write, and didn't get much experience out of the four walls of her house. Women's rights advocates ruthlessly battered the subject, but all of their complaining and protesting was not going to do anything, because they had no real power. Only the men could amend the law to guarantee that women were treated with the same respect and had the same rights as men. The women of our country had their work laid out for them, and they remained ignored for a long while. But, in the years leading up to and during the first two World Wars, women were suddenly looked upon as a work force, as a group of helping hands while the factories were shorted because of the draft. This helped turn the tide for the women's right's movement, and allowed activists to drive home the idea that women and men were allowed identical rights through the Constitution of the United States of America. Rights were given to them. However, the government really pushed the idea of a 'stay at home mom,' trying to keep women out of the workforce, and to keep the men in a firm higher standing then the women. In the sixties, women's rights activists lashed out. From these years on, the scales would balance, women would become more common in schools and workplaces.
DeleteThe gains women made then in the 1960's – legal abortion, easier divorce, freedom to express our sexuality and the principle of equal pay – changed the lives of millions. This made the lives of women in this country very drastically. Women could now divorce husbands if they were unhappy in their marriage. They also made much bigger moves in the educational side of things, For example between 1960 and 1965 there was a 57 percent increase in women being awarded degrees in the US ,suddenly a whole generation of women had new expectations. Women were no longer illiterate house maids that were not good for anything outside of the house. Now women were seen as having much greater opportunities, in work and spreading their ideas. Women began to feel that they should be involved greatly with government just like men do. Overall this generation was a coming out party for womens right and a time where women along with African Americans began to express themselves and be heard amongst the people. Things that never seemed possible for women in the past were now a very possible idea. Women and their rights were on the rise.
ReplyDeleteThe sixties was a time of change and of many memorable events. Like they say it was “both the best times and the worst times.” The women’s movement of the 1960s was inspired from the civil rights movement. Another factor that helped the movement was the development and marketing of the birth control pill. The birth control pill gave women the right to make choices and also to have freedom in their lives. During the debate on the 1964 Civil Rights bill the purpose of the conservatives was to outlaw discrimination of gender and also race. The amendment was first passed and then the bill which gave women their rights. Everyone came to accept that women had the right for equal pay for equal work, and to also end domestic violence, an end to sexual harassment and also to share responsibility between men and women of the house and children. In 1963, Maria Goepper-Mayer was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize. Women were beginning to have jobs that men were the only ones allowed to have and they began to make a huge change in the world. They were proving the world that they can be just as good as men.
DeleteI agree with Luisa. The 1960's were both the best times and the worst times, especially for the women. Women gained their independence in the 1920's, way after African Americans were given their independence. It would only seem normal for women to burst out to make their own choices in their lives. One way they did speak their opinion was marching in a Feminist Movement.
DeleteThe women in the 1960's were treated unfairly. For one, women before the 60's had to abide by their husbands and let them domestically abuse them and pretend that they "fell down the stairs". Another reason is that women were also getting paid way less than an average man did. Women were getting paid, if they worked, 63% of what the average man made. They wanted change.
THe movement had some inspirations. One, the Civil Rights movement and how it was organized. Also, like Luisa mentioned, the creation and distribution of birth control played a factor of women building enough confidence in theirselves to establish this movement. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 enabled people to outlaw not only by their skin, but by their gender as well, because the women who wanted to make a difference got the bill passed for it. Then, in 1966, the NOW was formed by over 20 women. NOW means National Organization for Women. They wanted to help the American woman to take action of her own life and not live by someone else's expectations, mainly a man's point of view. After that year, 1,000 women joined the movement, making the NOW movement successful. It wasn't until 1972 that the Equal Rights Amendment was passed, having women not discriminated, under any circumstances.
http://countrystudies.us/united-states/history-131.htm
Deletehttp://www.now.org/history/founders.html
Throughout history, women suffered discrimination, but they still made significant changes, often helping others. In the 1800s, although they were thirsty for more rights, women put their suffrage movement on hold to support abolitionism. Nonetheless, it was the abolitionist movement that taught them how to organize, which they did they did later at the 1848 Seneca Falls meeting, where they argued for suffrage. During the war, women showed support going as far as posing as men and becoming soldiers. Although contributing to gangsters later on, women showed their concern for society’s values with the temperance movement, which was rose in popularity during the Progressive Era. Their fight even led to the addition of the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution, which prohibited the sale of alcohol. Astonishingly, they would finally be granted suffrage in the very next amendment. In the 1930s, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt served as an example to many women with her activism as she fought for the rights of all Americans. A recap of women’s accomplishments like these during their unique journey through American history can be read in the article of the link below.
DeleteDuring the 1960s, women continued to make positive changes in society only with newfound freedom. One of the factors that contributed to this liberation as Luisa initially discussed was the birth control pill, which was FDA approved and released to the public in 1960. Women fought for equality among men and women in employment and education and even challenged the stereotypical roles in a marriage. As discussed in both replies of this entry, this activism led to laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which not only protected women but other minorities. Women further showed their concerns for society by protesting collectively. In 1961, 50,000 housewives of the Women Strike for Peace group protested to secure the signing of a Nuclear Test Treaty, which would hopefully save lives by reducing nuclear weapons. The 1960s was a crucial time for women, but although they were granted more of the freedom they deserved, they still selflessly worked to help others.
http://www.wic.org/misc/history.htm
One of the major causes of turmoil in the late 1960's was the Vietnam War. Even worse was the drafting of men into the armed forces to fight in the war. During the Vietnam war, draft evasion and draft resistance was at an all time high in American history. The young men of this decade were greatly affected. Commonly, they would flee to Canada, claim to be disabled, and wouldn't show up for induction. It was clear that no one was really willing to go out and risk their life for what seemed like a meaningless reason. Fighting in Vietnam seemed pointless because no one in America really cared whether or not the Vietnamese were free and democratic; the Soviets weren't attacking on their home soil, so the concern was not very high.
ReplyDeleteAlong with the other aspects that changes the youth in the 1960's, the war played a huge role. College campuses became a hot spot for resistance. Young men and women were getting rebellious, and this was just another thing for them to reject. Students would burn their draft slips and write letters to the White House noting that they would refuse to join the army. Many would join committees to protest drafts, for example, the Draft Resistance-Seattle. These groups would hold protests and riots, as displayed in the links provided:
http://www.library.illinois.edu/archives/slc/researchguides/coldwar/vietnam/vietnamimages/enddraftnow.jpg
http://www.dccofc.org/photos/War/3-26-66_demo_web.jpg
info from:
http://depts.washington.edu/antiwar/vietnam_draft.shtml
I think the way these "boys" acted during this time was completly called for. I could not say i would look at this situation any different then them. Why would you go and fight in another country for a cause that really has nothing to do with you or your country. You and casey kind of have similar points why go to war for something thats not your fight? Instead the "boys" of the time did what any kid would do and thats rebel. I call them boys becuase thats all most of them are. Boys they are not men and no where near ready to fight in a war. I wonder if because so many of them rebeleed and burnt their draft slips, if the goverment could punish every single one of them.
DeleteTo add to Sams post about Vietnam, there were also many affects to the soldiers after the war. PTSD and shell shock are essentially manifestations of the brain's attempts to cope with trauma and failing to do so adequately. With PTSD in soldiers, the sufferer will often recall and re-experience the specific trauma of war, perhaps when they dream, or even when they think or close their eyes. Hallucinations are not uncommon either, with soldiers feeling as if they are back in the traumatic war environment during sleep, when drunk or on drugs and even during normal wakefulness. They will also react strongly to anything that reminds them of the trauma and begin to avoid anything they associate with it. This often means a distinct reluctance to mix socially, due to loud noises that remind them of bombings, or crowds of people reminiscent of trenches. This was a huge problem for soldiers who came home. These soldiers weren't used to the gorilla warfare and torture methods used by the Vietnamese. This caused an unstable household for returning soldiers.
DeletePop Art:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.technologystudent.com/prddes1/popart1a.html
http://instruct.westvalley.edu/grisham/1d_popart.html
Minimalism:
http://artsconnected.org/collection/118487/art-in-the-1960s
http://www.moca.org/pc/viewArtTerm.php?id=23
During the 1960’s, there was a great sense of social turmoil through revolutions in many things such as sex and music. Of those social revolutions, a great change that occurred was the revolution in the field of art. Art forms such as minimalism and pop art were experimental and caused for public attention to new artistic expressions. Both of these art forms rejected the visual norm that the public was used to seeing when art was being created. It was not revolved around being unique or the most creative. The art in the 1960’s reflected pop culture in a very involved sense and was a reaction against abstract expressionism. 1960’s art was distant and celebratory of the new wealth in America—with strongholds on monetary values and lack of romantic morale.
Pop art was often called “Propaganda Art,” since it was filled with very “low-brow sources” such as comic books and advertising. It was a fun and brash art movement for the youth in America. It reflected heavily with the common interest of mass-media, -production, and –culture. Print art and other paintings seem to have a “manufactured” feel, as pop artists emphasize that in a country like America, mass-production built a bridge between the rich and the poor—since both could share the little things such as a can of soup or a bottle of coke. Testing the boundaries that separated art and life, Pop Art downplayed originality and connected everyday life through works with mass-media imagery, rather than disconnecting the viewer from the mundane.
Continuing from Pop Art, Minimalism used commercial techniques to disconnect the artwork and the viewer. There was to be no emotional substance in minimalistic artworks. It forced the distinct line between art and life to blur as creativity was sacrificed for the public media. Using materials unconventional to the traditional art supplies, minimalism was pushing free into a world of distance from artistic consciousness. Using geometric forms and the “minimal” in the artwork, it showed a lack of detail or anything possibly expressive in its markings. Once more, lacking depth through emotion, artists celebrated the mundane—the everyday life.
Christines reference to the 1960's art, I believe, directly relates to all aspects of turmoil during the decade. Art was no longer a thing or romance and sweet expression. Art became pop culture. It incorporated movies, celebrities, music, and news. Art combined everything that we discuss about the sixties into an image. Just like the rest of consumerism, art was mass-produced, as Christine previously mentioned. Consumerism played a huge role in the production of art due to things such as advertising. Displaying items encouraged the "band-wagon" theme of purchasing. Pop Art, as Christine described was used as a means of advertising. Andy Warhol, a Pop Artist of the decade, would make labels for items such as food cans and make them appealing to Americans. He is even quoted as saying "If you think about it, department stores are kind of like museums." This quote just about sums up the entire shift of the art department during the nineteen sixties. Put on display, much like every other social unrest, was the changing art that people were putting out there.
DeleteA great kind of slide show that displayed a lot of this information is linked to:
http://artsconnected.org/collection/118487/art-in-the-1960s
Extremely Graphic Clip, but this goes along with what I’m talking about. Viewer Discretion Is Advised.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1vJqTN-qVI
Tet offensive was a paned attack by the Vietcong on the Republic of Vietnam, and the U.S. embassy in Vietnam. On January 30th the Vietcong broke the cease fire and attacked both Saigon and the embassy. Most the Vietcong were killed, but not without casualties and destruction. The clip I have posted is a news reel from CBS news. What you are seeing is what the American public was seeing in 1968. Over 200 Vietnamese were pronounced dead just at the hospital. Gun fire, bombing, and fires destroyed the public. Now you may ask how this affected the American public. The Americans were taken by complete surprise by these attacks, and this made the public think that this Tet offensive had resulted in a loss for America. While the fighting took place in Saigon for nearly two months, The LBJ administration was having a very tough time trying to convince the American public that this was a defeat for the communist, but they were unsuccessful. The public became both skeptical and and critical of our government and Pentagon. Than later in February the U.S. reported 543 American soldiers dead in just one week. In 1968 alone we lost 16,592 soldiers alone. This led to another draft call for 48,000 soldiers. Not surprisingly the secretary of state at the time Robert McNamara decided to step down from his role. The Tet offensive had a huge impact on the American public even though it was fought in Vietnam.
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DeleteThis goes along with what I was saying about the drafts that the United States issued on the young men of America. People looked at the destruction, and didn't see any hope. The Soviets were not the Vietnamese. Many people saw no justice in the death of thousands of Vietnamese people, and large amounts of American death was even worse. People viewed loss of American life as a "for-nothing" kind of death. And this increased the drafting, which angered American people even more. So much unrest developed from the Vietnam War because it was very rarely supported. Drafts were another mandatory thing enforced on unwilling subjects. And, all the while, people were dying for an "unjust cause". Turmoil sprouted amongst the people, especially the youth, in response to these continuing tragedies.
DeleteLike Sam said, "people were dying for an "unjust cause". This can be referring to the 16,592 American soldiers that had died in 1968 or the innocent women and children that were killed simply because they just so happened to be in the Viet Cong because their father was in it.
DeleteBecause TV and radios have advanced, they have allowed the Americans to watch what was going on in the Vietnam War from across the globe. Some may say that advancements in technology made a positive effect, but some may say otherwise. The TV shows such as the one posted above in Tyler's post, presented the real truth rather then just propaganda posters being plastered on walls, convincing people to pick sides depending on how appealing or how persuading the pictures and words were. Some wanted the truth even if it might hurt while others rather not be scarred with the horrible truth. Truth is, war isn't a pretty thing, it never was, but for those who never experienced it back home in America, they didn't really know what was expected and how brutal the battlefield could be. Someone who you were just talking to may be blown up into pieces right next to you. The truth sparked up anger in America actually seeing people dying brutally and seeing innocent of lives being taken because they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. I think that along with the anger that sparked up in America, it was the fact that they were scared as well since the draft was not voluntarily, they were pulling people out of their normal lives to fight to liberate a country that wasn't even theirs. They were scared to be one of those lost lives that they had seen on their tv screen.
Like we had discussed in class, it was difficult to pinpoint the enemy. The Viet Cong were in the south, those who supported the North. There were also young children, unarmed men, women, and elders being killed because they were in the wrong place or because they were on the enemy's side. It's not like they could stop war to help these people so instead, they had to move on after killing countless of innocent people. Both sides were responsible for this and it was horrid for the people back home to watch. One incident that the Americans were responsible for was the My Lai incident in March 1968. It was seen similar to the execution that Nazis were responsible for. Lt. William Calley led American soldiers into this town and executed over 300 unarmed men, women, and children in ditches. Innocent people. All killed. This was another reason why people didn't want to be drafted into such a war because when it came down to killing innocent people, soldiers were to follow orders from who's in charge even though they might agree with the decision.
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ReplyDeletePART ONE
ReplyDeleteThe sixties were the age of youth. 70 million children from the post-war baby boom became teenagers and young adults. The movement away from the conservative fifties continued and eventually resulted in revolutionary ways of thinking and real change in the cultural fabric of American life. The changes affected education, values, lifestyles, laws, and entertainment. Many of the revolutionary ideas which began in the sixties are continuing to evolve today.
ART
As in the fifties, art in America of the sixties was influenced by the desire to move into the modern age or future which the space age seemed to forecast. Major works by Alexander Calder, or Helen Frankenthaler showed a desire to escape from details to interpret. Artists wanted to inspire the viewer to leap into the unknown and experience art in their own way. A new artist who appeared was Andy Warhol, a leading name in pop art.
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/MID/025_MARILYN11.jpg This link is the famous work of Andy Warhol
YOUTH
Youth predominated the culture of the 1960's. There were millions of teenagers for the sixties, and these youth swayed the fashion, the fads and the politics of the decade. California surfers took to skateboards as a way to stay fit out of season, and by 1963, the fad had spread across the country. Barbie dolls, introduced by Mattel in 1959, became a huge hit in the sixties, so much so that rival toy manufacturer Hasbro came up with G. I. Joe, 12 inches tall and the first action figure for boys. Another doll, the troll or Dammit doll (named for it's creator, Thomas Dam) was a good luck symbol for all ages.
WOODSTOCK
As the 1960's progressed, many young people turned from mainstream Protestant religions to mystic eastern religions such as Transcendental Meditation like Zen Buddhism. Respect for authority declined among the youth, and crime rates soared to nine times the rate of the 1950's. Marijuana use soared. Well known Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary encouraged the use of LSD as a mind-opening drug. The hippie movement endorsed drugs, rock music, mystic religions and sexual freedom. They opposed violence. The Woodstock Festival at which 400,000 young people gathered in a spirit of love and sharing, represents the peak of the hippie movement. Many hippies moved to Haight Ashbury in San Francisco, East Village in New York City, or lived in communes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYKY2lpxMg8 Footage of Woodstock.
I thought it was really interesting to read about a shift in religion in the 1960's. Of all the things going on such as Vietnam, the Sexual revolution, civil rights, and women's right's, I completely forgot that religion was still in the picture. Looking through and through, I saw that "traditional" religion was usually referring to Protestant Christianity.
DeleteDespite there being still a large group of devoted Christians, there were enough conversions within the religion for America to recognize that it needed to represent for more than just one religion. America was home to fostering multiple spiritual paths for its citizens, such as Transcendental Meditation like ApSwaggerMaster said, along with Buddhism and Hinduism.
As the baby "boomer" generation grew up, they also became the "seeker" generation. They went searching for religion, and because of this, tons of books on the matter were sold. Books on angels, reincarnation, and afterlife were amongst many different subjects that were of the "New Age." One of those New Age religions is Wicca, which was popularized and recognized by Gerald Gardner. The idea of popularized pagan-based religions becoming known due to the seekers looking for alternative religions show a desperate need for spiritualistic change that gave something that would have fit more like a glove, seeing as the traditional no longer seemed to fit.
http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/twenty/tkeyinfo/trelww2.htm
As Christine mentioned, I had already forgotten about religion with all the things that were happening in the 1960s. And Christine is right when she mentioned that the diversity of religion in America was increasing during the sixties. However, through research, I found that the influence of religion on people at the time was not increasing as the diversity of religions was. On the website below, I found many surveys about religion from the 1950s up until today. On the first question, people were asked, “Is religion in the American life becoming influential, the same, or less influential?” The percent of people that said that “it was losing its influence” has been increasing since the mid-fifties, but the faster increase occurred during the mid-sixties. That showed, how even though more religion were being introduced in America, not many people about it, and less people follow it. Also, according to the second graph of the website below, many people started to think that religion was not important in their lives in the 1960s, and that since then, the percent of people that think that religion is important in their lives have not been the same as it was before. Throughout history, one can see how important religion was for many people. Even the first colonies in America had come here to seek religious freedom. For the New England colonies and the Middle colonies, religion was very important. In fact, the New England’s type of government was mainly controlled by religious characters. People back then also try to not do things that were against their religion, but during the 1960s everything was the opposite. One example is women and their choice of abortion. This did increase their freedom and they right to choose what is best for them, but it completely went against their religion. Not only that, but also, as “TheProfessor” had mentioned in his post, during the sixties it was “easier to get a divorce” and people were free “to express [their] sexuality”. All that went against from what the people’s religion said, thus making many people conclude that the religion’s influence on society during the sixties decreased tremendously. And in fact, religion’s influence on people has never been the same since the 1960s.
Deletehttp://www.gallup.com/poll/145409/near-record-high-religion-losing-influence-america.aspx
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In 1960, Elvis returned to the music scene from the US Army, joining the other white male vocalists at the top of the charts; Bobby Darin, Neil Sedaka, Jerry Lee Lewis, Paul Anka, Del Shannon and Frankie Avalon. America, however, was ready for a change. The Tamla Motown Record Company came on the scene, specializing in black rhythm and blues, aided in the emergence of female groups such as Gladys Knight and the Pips, Martha and the Vandellas, the Supremes, and Aretha Franklin, as well as some black men, including Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, and the Temptations. Bob Dylan helped bring about a folk music revival, along with Joan Baez and Peter, Paul & Mary. The Beach Boys began recording music that appealed to high schoolers. The Beatles, from England, burst into popularity with innovative rock music that appealed to all ages. The Righteous Brothers were a popular white duo who used African American styling to create a distinctive sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU7JjJJZi1Q The Beatles were basically the voice of the youth in the 60’s.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mN7Xs9WVNBU The Beach Boys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE3FAY-NOiU Jimi Hendrix
There was a major change in popular music in the mid-1960's, caused in part by the drug scene. Acid Rock, highly amplified and improvisational, and the more mellow psychedelic rock gained prominence. When the Beatles turned to acid rock, their audience narrowed to the young. Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead grew out of the counterculture in 1967. The musical phenomenon of the decade was Woodstock.
VIETNAM WAR timeline
http://www.pbs.org/battlefieldvietnam/timeline/
As the master of swagger mentioned, Jimi Hendrix had a huge impact on music in the 60’s. He was arguably the most influential guitar player of all time. He incorporated every style of music there was into his playing, which created his own unique sound and style. Hendrix brought on an extreme social impact on the US society. Blacks had little to no respect in the 60’s and were still fighting for civil rights. The fact that Hendrix, a black man, was creating such groundbreaking music helped influence white people to open up their eyes and see what blacks can do. He brought down color barriers when it came to music and he influenced so many modern day artists. Also, Hendrix helped popularize drug use in the 60’s. Hendrix was known for doing many drugs both on stage and off. Since people were so influenced by his music, he became a role model figure and people started to do drugs because he was. Drugs became the face of Hendrix’s identity. People felt that they needed to do drugs to experience the full potential of his music. People would go to his concerts on drugs and even listen in their own homes on drugs. Hendrix died in his early 20’s due to drugs and in the short amount of time he lived, he had a major social impact on music and drug use in the 60’s.
DeleteSegregation was still upheld by the American society and even though it has been many years since the relief of different colored people, they still were not considered equals. However many people understood that there would be a nonreversible transition on the way where no longer people of another nationality would be judged or sent to a different school to learn with their “kind” as associated by Americans at the time. Nonaggressive revolts and boycotts were staged from colored people to show that everyone has the right to drink from any water fountain or stand in any public place. Leaders such as Malcolm X or Martin Luther King Jr. led fellow colored Americans to believe that to change how they are being treated, then their voices needed to be heard. People around the country heard Martin Luther King Jr. voice and people wanted to make a difference. However with great love, brings great despair, and many assassination attempts were made against Martin Luther King Jr. and on April 4th, 1968, he was murdered. This event was a detrimental blow to everyone’s heart because he was loved by all. Without Martin Luther King Jr. many people thought their cause was lost, but many others stepped up to take charge and lead the people once again.
ReplyDeleteKennedy was also an upstanding man taking his presidency in 1961 but abruptly ended due to also being assassinated in 1963. Kennedy was the youngest man to ever become president, so it would make sense that he believed in fighting for the American youth. This man was loved by everyone in reach of his name, due to his ideals and being not the smartest man, but the most reasonable for trying to reach out and understand the average man. The assassination stunned the world that day and left the country in “Turmoil”.
It's actually really fascinating the events from back then concerning the the African Americans compared to now. We have black president now! Back in the 60's that wasn't even thought of. Blacks couldn't even go to the same restaurants, now we have a black president. This shows how much America has changed over the past 40 years.
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