American Youth in the 1960s - 1593 Words

America has in a short time been established as a nation that symbolizes acceptance and change. It has progressed into a country of equality that finds its foundation in its personal freedoms and the progressive movement of technology, politics, economics, social views, ethics and so forth since the American Revolution. It has been changing rapidly since the influx of immigrants that came here before the Revolution. The 1950s were a happy time. I Love Lucy and Leave It To Beaver were on television. The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley were popular acts in music. The youth movement of the 1960s was necessary in order for America to progress in social, political, economic, and technological ways that could further America from the 1950s into a new era of personal identity and freedom of expression. It was a time of fathers going to work, mothers staying home and tending to the housework, and kids hanging out in the suburban neighborhoods. The 1950s were t he end of World War II which brought back many young serviceman to the states to start families and get jobs. This inflow of young and eager men put a lot of money into industry and goods not available during the war. This created a boom in the economy. Suburbs started to pop up everywhere because all these young men and their families needed housing. Levitt Co. was the reason for this. They built preplanned communities that contained cheap and affordable houses. Most looked exactly the sameShow MoreRelatedEssay on Drug Use in the 1960s1519 Words   |  7 PagesDrug Use in the 1960s The time: the 1960s. The place: United States of America. Who? The youth. Doing what? Using drugs. Why? Many reasons. The 1960s proved to be a very turbulent time in the history of American youth growing up. There were many different activist movements all over the country. The primary drug user was the male college student involved in politics. He used mostly marijuana, some cocaine or LSD and of course alcohol. The sixites culminated with perhaps the biggest public sceneRead MoreRight Makes Left. On September 11Th, 1960, The Founding1074 Words   |  5 PagesMakes Left On September 11th, 1960, the founding members of the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) published their basic ideologies of in their â€Å"Sharon Statement.† Two years later on the June of 1962, members of the Students for a Democratic Society at their retreat published their political manifesto in a paper known as the Port Huron Statement. Despite their differing political views, both political youth groups centered their criticism on the same target: the American government. An analysis of bothRead More`` Garnering The Youth Vote, By Terry Ryan1372 Words   |  6 PagesAnother key overlap in these campaigns has to do with trust. 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The question of why the United States was engaging in a war betweenRead MoreEssay on Woodstock1677 Words   |  7 Pagessymbolizes a time of community, exuberance, and intensity since lost. Woodstock festival gave power to the youth, united people of all ages, races, and sexes, and defined a generation, making it one of the most important musical events of all time. In order to understand the impact and importance of the Woodstock Festival one must first examine the society that preceded the 1960’s and set the stage so to speak for the events of the Woodstock Festival. The end of World War II broughtRead MoreThe American Of American History Essay1523 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout the course of American history, the usage of gangs has always been embedded in the striving desire to be rebel, such as defeating the overhanging stature of the British empire. However as the 13 colonies formed a colonial gang in an effort to eliminate British influence in America, the definition of the word gang has transformed into an entirely different meaning. One common definition of a gang is a group of three or more individuals who engage in criminal activity and identify themselvesRead MoreThe White Race And Its Heroes1623 Words   |  7 PagesNew York: Dell Press, 1968. Journalist, civil rights activist and criminal are some of the connotations attached to Eldridge Cleaver; a prominent figure of the radical shift in the civil rights movement during the 1960s and early 1970s. Cleaver spent a majority of his upbringing in youth reform schools and prisons within the state of California, which as evidence will show, affected greatly upon his work Souls on Ice. 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The Hippie movement first gained traction in American Colleges and Universities. These young adults during the 1950s, are considered to be the very first pioneers of the hippie subculture. Through the youths’ rebellious nature against the main ideals of society, and the growing popularity of theRead MoreWhat Led to the Collapse of Consensus?1489 Words   |  6 PagesThe 1950’s and early 1960’s was a time of consensus in the US. By the middle of the 60’s the US experienced a series of shocks which undermined consensus. The assassination of President Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. The differences in the civil rights movement. The escalation of the Vietnam War. All of these factors undermined American confidence to change the world and improve the country. By the late 60’s, US society was polarised: divided between different viewpoints: Youth culture; counter-cultur e