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A1 1970s Hedges

Page history last edited by Tiffany Loo 13 years, 9 months ago

 

 


 

 

 

 

MYP Unit Question: How did culture, events and leadership shape and reflect post-WWII America?


 

Business & the Economy - Tiffany

 

 

     In the 1970s, businesses and the economy started to see uncontrollable inflation and slow economic growth. The oil crisis of 1973, caused by the U.S.’s support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War, caused shortages in electricity, gasoline, and heating oil. This therefore led to the shutdown of factories and schools, the cancellation of airline flights, electrical brownouts, and a scarcity at gasoline service stations. This directly affected the automobile industry, both as an energy user and a provider for energy-burning automobiles. As a result, Detroit lost a great deal of business to smaller, more energy-efficient imports. By the end of the decade, the Big Three were all in trouble, and Chrysler in particular needed support from the federal government in order to remain out of bankruptcy. As the most traumatic decade for the economy since the Great Depression, the American market was hit with numerous problems—low productivity, high costs, skyrocketing unemployment, high unemployment, few exports, and a flood of imports.

 

     The federal deficit of the 1960s and trade balances are thought to be the primary causes of the economic decline in the 1970s. The Vietnam War called for large government spending, and so the Johnson administration funded it by borrowing and printing money, thus overflowing the national debt and causing inflation. In addition, the personal and materials required for the war effort sacrificed the productivity of American industry—many key industries dedicated their resources to research in the military field, and lost their place in the world market to Japanese and European competitors. Due to this foreign exploitation in the early 1970s, American business was faltering and imports significantly outweighed exports. In the inflationary spiral, the American dollar drastically lost its value in foreign markets, hence discouraging foreign investments in American goods.

 

     The Nixon, Ford, and Carter administrations all tried a range of different schemes to try to stimulate the economy, but most failed, and merely resulted in the creation of newer problems. Nixon’s plan worked in the short term, but the oil crisis combined with the people’s loss of trust in him with the Watergate scandal cancelled out the temporary gains. President Carter’s approach in 1977 was to convince labor and management to work together to limit inflation. However, the division between the two classes proved to be too large for success, as white-collar jobs greatly outnumbered blue-collar.

 

     The 1970s saw an era of disappointment in American expectations of economic growth and international business. It even coined the new term, “stagflation,” or the combination of inflation and high unemployment. Finally, it was a decade long era that taught the world about the shrinking government, big businesses, and labor unions’ control on the economy.

 

 

Education - Tiffany

 

     The new philosophy of the 1970s changed the way some schools and colleges were administered in this decade. They believed that the success of any institution was determined by the success of its weakest member. Therefore, teachers and administrators believed they had to up the performance of those they had previously neglected in education—blacks, immigrants, the disabled, and somewhat, women. However, statistics indicate that most schools suffered as a whole, illustrating a significant decline in academic performance from the years 1965 to 1978. In addition, spending in these welfare programs contributed to some of the inflation that the country experienced during this time.

 

     Also during the decade of the 1970s, there was an ongoing battle between traditionalists and progressives. The traditionalists believed in the old curriculum, which contained a large amount of organization, specific presentation standards, and a heavy stress on memorization of key facts and ideas. Progressives supported the fact that students needed freedom to ask questions that they had a natural curiosity for. Charles Silberman’s Crisis in the Classroom (1970) introduced this new type of curriculum, and soon many teachers and administrators approved of this nongraded style of teaching. However, by mid-decade, people were concerned that free choice was causing students to lose their basic skills. Thus, curriculum began to fluctuate between traditionalist and progressive, finally resulting in sixteen states instituting proficiency exams as a requirement for graduation.

 

 

     Following the famous court case of Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, desegregation of schools was well on its way in the southern United States. Accordingly, a Department of Health, Education, and Welfare report in 1974 showed that schools in the South were the most integrated in the nation, most likely due to federal rulings that banned segregation. However, the same report also showed that schools in the northeast were far more segregated than they had been in 1970. This was due to district attendance lines that prohibited minority students from attending the same schools as white children. The Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenberg Board of Education decision ruled that the school board could not use residential patterns as an excuse for the district being segregated.

 

Keyes v. School District #1

 

 

     However, the dispute was not merely over district borders—busing was also a major aspect of conflict. The government called for busing students across these district lines to abolish the “separate but unequal” facilities, an action that was seen as the only means of making desegregation possible. However, this brought about violence, cost increases, and many angry parents. After many more court cases addressing the same problems, the Supreme Court became more and more conservative, stating that they could not help the inner city problems. This cancelled out all of the progress they had made in making equal education for all a possibility in the so-called land of the free. Christopher Jencks, author of the article "Bussing--The Supreme Court Goes North" ends with this statement: "If the society as a whole does not address the issue of racism, then sending a child to a different school will not matter much."

 

 

Fashion - Tiffany

 

 

     American fashion in the 1970s was greatly impacted by the 1960s slogan, "do you own thing." This became an alternative to participating in the conformity of public life. This new way of thinking  promoted self-expression in the field of choice. American designer Anne Klein correctly sums up this decade of fashion as "Not being dressed to the teeth."

 

 

 

                                     Saint-Tropez skirt (top left); Platform shoes (bottom left); Seventies street fashion (right)

 

     In women's clothing, the "do your own thing" attitude highlighted a woman's personality, her individuality of mind, and her spirit of experimentation.  Common day wear included shirtdresses that fell around the knee with a long-slit hemline, could be worn at work or to a casual dinner. The Saint-Tropez skirt was formerly associated with vacation wear, but when it was paired with a vest, antique blouse, or a blazer, it became stylish around the office. Pants were no longer controversial to wear, and so more and more women chose to wear casual pants to work and elegant velvet or satin pants for an evening out. This was influenced by the women's liberation movement and the protests of the 1960s, thus causing women to break away from the lead of fashion designers.  In addition, hot pants became the new craze. They were not only about showing more of women’s legs, but also about a revolution in women’s clothes design. Patterned prints became a sensation in this decade, including stars, flowers, big arrows, zigzags, and Zodiac signs. Sparkles, glitter, and metallics were popular for evening wear as well.

 

       

 

 

     Leisure was the key word for menswear. The two most important new styles in the 1970s were the increase in leisure wear and the use of new colors and fabrics. Purple, orange, rose, and green became acceptable colors and often showed up in bright patterns on men’s synthetic shirts. Sportswear became extremely popular in the 1970s, to emphasize that American men no longer prioritized work but lived full and prosperous lives. Unstructured jackets, rugged sportswear, khaki pants, and flannel shirts began to show in men's weekend wear, spawning the weekend athletics. The number of single men since 1950 had doubled by the mid 1970s, thus creating a singles culture focused around leisure activities. This decade's most popular leisure image was the disco club, which spurred the disco look--colorfully patterned polyester shirts, light form-fitting bell-bottom pants, and a matching jacket. As a result of this leisure trend, more and more men showed up to work with unbuttoned shirts and without ties and jackets.

 

 

     

 

 

     The spirit of protest of the 1960s carried on to spawn a new clothing style in youth fashions. The younger generation embraced self-expression, rejecting the fashion industry and turning to unisex dress and hairstyles. The conventional androgynous look included faded denim jeans and cotton T-shirts. According to Rosemary McMurty, vice-president of McCall Patterns, denim blue jeans were "the youth status symbol of the world." Many men and women continued to wear their hair long, but the shag cut also became popular mid-decade. Young women embraced the look of slim hips and flat chests inspired by Twiggy the model, instead of the hour-figure made popular by Christian Dior that was now considered outdated and sexist. In addition, the youth of the 1970s were a generation born not to spend. Many preferred to buy their clothing from secondhand stores and army/navy outlets instead of conventional boutiques and shops. They blended old and new articles of clothing to create a counterculture style. Globalization led to interests in the styles of the American Indian, the Spanish gypsy, the frontier woman, and the Victorian lady launched a new ethnic look for women. In the shoe industry, knee-high boots became the rage, giving a western feel. In cosmetics, natural products soared in sales, a direct influence of the Environmental Protection Agency. Spokesmen for large cosmetics firms exploited the fact that their products had always used natural ingredients and tried to capitalize on the interest in organic foods and gardening. In addition, the concern of the EPA set off an antifur campaign. Finally, the environmental movement popularized cotton dress, as opposed to knit blends, fabrics, and polyester, which were not healthy for the planet.

 

 

 

Film and theater-Brijonai

Hollywood was in trouble.  The audiences attending the movies got smaller and smaller due to the increase of television viewing in the previous decade.   The collapse of the studio system meant that producers had to finance films independently, magnifying the importance of each film's success or failure at the box office.    The collapse gave producers more freedom, and many of them explored used movies to explore themes that were once considered taboo and strictly for adults.  Due to the paranoia and fear felt by the American public because of events like the Watergate scandal, the energy crisis, the recession, and the Vietnam War, the popularity of films classified as disaster movies grew, as well as those featuring general mayhem and destruction.

 

 

     The success of The Godfather in 1972 changed Hollywood's downward spiral. Within a year it had broken the previous box-office record held for seven years by The Sound of Music (1965). It also generated a new phenomenon in movies—a demand by producers and the public for sequels and for cheaply made rip-offs.A film about a young girl's possession by Satan, The Exorcist raked in over $85 million. But these were outdone by an even bigger hit in 1975: Steven Spielberg's Jaws, about a giant shark that terrorized a resort community. Jaws earned $133 million and touched off a chain of films in which ordinary citizens were terrorized by huge bears, alligators, and other wild animals. One of the biggest box-office hits of all time was George Lucas's Star Wars, grossing an outstanding $175 million. Star Wars became such a phenomenon that it set off a sci-fi movie craze in the late 1970s.

 

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     Airport unleashed an explosion of new blockbusters: the all-star disaster movies. These films had almost no plot, and their characters existed only to be placed in jeopardy on crippled jets, bombed ocean liners, burning buildings, and in the path of natural disasters.  Producers of these disaster films read the fear and panic of the American public very well; not only producing movies depicting threats in certain places, but also placing characters in worlds where they were threatened by ecological, viral, supernatural, nuclear, and alien threats.

 

 

The commercial theater in the United States reached a point of creative and financial crisis in the early 1970s; theater as a vital and expanding art form had been on a sharp decline throughout the previous decade, despite many excellent new plays and commercial hits. The finest American dramatists—Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller in particular—had long since peaked (during the 1950s).  Film and television became the new frontrunners in terms of the dramatic arts, and many dramatic writers were working in those mediums instead of the theater.

 

       The most creative forces on Broadway in the early 1970s were director-choreographer Bob Fosse and composer Stephen Sondheim. Their efforts helped transform the modern musical into a form closer to concert than traditional story.  Sondheim attempted to use songs as a means to unify the theme, but not to develop the character or plot. Fosse, by contrast, was a showman all about razzle-dazzle who used erotic dance numbers and costumes to create a decadent stage world. Between 1969 and 1980 all but one of the Tony-winning plays and all but one of the Pulitzer Prize-winning plays were first produced Off-Broadway. A few of the best new dramatists did achieve Broadway success. But the Off-Broadway theater, like the underground art and music scenes of the 1970s, became the place for new playwrights to try out and develop unusual and experimental work. Many new works were developed in improvisational workshops, with actors and directors acting in collaboration with dramatists. The decade's biggest hit, A Chorus Line, developed in workshops out of interviews with and "confessions" of the cast members. Plays of the 1970s were very representative of their times. Less confrontational and more introspective, the new plays featured isolated individuals attempting to improvise life amid a broken society. 1970s drama became more mature, literate, and character driven. Characters frequently demonstrated intense emotions such as apathy, indecision, regret, angst, fatalism, and nostalgia for "the way things used to be." Playwrights experimented with different methods including shifts of time and focus, simultaneous action, improvisation, and audience participation. Political and social issues were still addressed, but with a greater sense of irony, acceptance, and empathy.

 

Food &  Drink - Aaron

     Because of problems at the gas pump, Americans were confronted with new economic challenges. This gave people less choice in food preparation, and at the time people valued convenience, economy, and preparation time. For instance, breakfast in a typical middle-class family consisted of orange juice, browned sausage links, and some coffee.

     Food began to turn into something that was more economic and cost effective rather than something that was prepared at home for hours. Quick and easy to make foods were introduced, like Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn, Hamburger Helper, Morton's salt substitute, Cup O'Noodles, Stove Top Stuffing, margarine, instant coffee, Yoplait yogurt, Miller Lite, Famous Amos Cookies, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, Country Time lemonade, Pop Rocks, Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream, Reese's Pieces, and more. Fast food companies made advancements as well. Starbucks was founded, Burger King launched its “Have it Your Way” campaign, Denny's and its Grand Slam Breakfast, and companies and stores began making recyclable pop bottles and plastic grocery bags.

 

Print Culture-Brijonai

 

“Founded in 1974 as part of the Time-Life publishing empire, People magazine, a mass-circulation weekly magazine, helped define the way journalists and television talk shows covered celebrities and other prominent figures” (Edward 1005).  People magazine did not exclusively report on the artistic or political achievements of important public figures, instead it focused on their triumphs over personal struggles.  People magazine provided an insight into the lives of celebrities, redefined the term to include not only business people, but politicians, athletes, and even religious leaders as well.  The magazine was initially sold on newsstands only and not by subscription, so its editors devoted special attention each week to finding an attractive cover subject, with an emphasis on youth, beauty, power, and glamorous sex appeal, the ideals the media seemed to revolve around at the time.

 

 

“The 1960s was a flourishing decade for comic books in the United States, its so-called silver age. Begun by DC Comics in the late 1950s, the silver age of comics was spurred by the impressive successes in the 1960s of Marvel Comics, which revolutionized the medium by introducing characters with realistic personal problems in story lines that continued from issue to issue. But by the end of the decade interest in superheroes, which had driven the silver age, was declining, and it was not obvious what would take its place in the market. For comic books the early 1970s represented the end of one era, and the late 1970s ushered in a comic-book renaissance that continued into the 1980s" (Baughman et al.).  DC Comics addressed contemporary issues like drug use, prejudice, and the environment thanks to writer Danny O'Neil and artist Neal AdamsShops that specialized in comics started another major shift in the comics market; they made comics more available and also promoted comics collecting, which drove up prices for back issues considerably.  "Two other new ideas in the world of comic books were introduced in the late 1970s that would have a considerable influence on the market in the years to come. The first graphic novel appeared in 1978 with Empire, written by science-fiction author Samuel R. Delany and illustrated by Howard Chaykin. Published by Berkley, the graphic novel appeared in bookstores as well as with more traditional comics. The second new idea, the comic-book miniseries, may have taken its inspiration from the incredibly successful television miniseries Roots and from Marvel's adaptation of the enormously successful 1977 film Star Wars. DC was first with the three-issue World of Krypton in 1979; many others soon followed" (Baughman et al).   This allowed for the original comic to be sold in many forms, first published as the comic, and then published in book form as a graphic novel, allowing companies nearly to double their profits for a single comic.

 

 

Sports &  Games - Matt

 

In 1920s, the sports world was changed drastically by the introduction of the television industry.  Now, sports were able to be broad-casted across the nation, opening the door for businesses to make profit and big business.  Previously in the 60's, an athlete was owned by their team.  This changed in the 70's, when many athletes became "free agents".  This way, they could market themselves to the highest bidder.  This drastically increased athletes' salaries.  Before, few players earned more than $100K a year, but in the 70's, some major players started earning million dollar salaries.  Athletes also started earning more money, since many started advertising and endorsing different products.

 

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Mark Spitz after he had won some of his gold medals

 

 

The 70's was arguably one of the best decades for professional sports, especially for the United States.  In 1972, Mark Spitz won an unprecedented seven gold medals at the Olympic games in Munich, Germany.  In the same year, A.J. Foyt made history in auto racing by winning the Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Daytona 500.  The following year in 1973, Secretariat won the Triple Crown of horse racing, winning the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont.That same year, Roberto Clemente was the first Latin American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  On February 18th, 1973, the famous daredevil Evel Knievel jumped across 50 cars stacked four cars deep in the Los Angeles Colliseum.  On April 8th, 1974, the baseball star Hank Aaron slammed his 715th home run, shattering the previous record set by Babe Ruth.

 

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Hank Aaron after his legendary 715th career homerun

  

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Secretariat at one of his races back in the 70's

 

Music-Aaron

 

     The 1970s brought the world a new kind of music. And not just one new kind, the 1970s brought Funk, disco, jazz-rock, reggae, heavy metal, and even hip hop to the masses. But most importantly it brought rock and roll to a new level. Some of the greatest Rock bands of the century emerged and released their most popular songs in the 1970's.

     Disco music was one of the most popular kinds of music at the time, but it was also very hated. People saw it as something that would destroy the values of rock, because it focused on positive messages and dancing, instead of rebellion, partying, and personal expression. Popular disco songs include Stayin Alive by the Bee Gees, Car Wash by Rose Royce, and You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate. Disco hit its peak popularity in 1977, when the movie Saturday Night Fever starring John Travolta was released. By 1979 people began to grow tired of disco’s sound, but it still has a strong fan base today.

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            Another emerging style of music was funk, coming from the Black community. The term “Funk” referred to sexual activity and a general attitude of toughness and style. It was an expression of black culture, with its predecessor being soul music. When soul music began to get old in the 60s, artists started to experiment with heavy bass rhythms and beats to create a new sound. James Brown is considered one of the most important innovators of funk, with one of his most popular songs “I Feel Good”.

 

The Way We Lived - Aaron

 

     American life changed in the 1970's. One of the most notable changes was the introduction to the personal computer, something that is used by nearly all Americans today. Before the 70s, computers were so big that they had to have a whole room to fit in. That all changed when Apple Computer was founded in 1976 by Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs. The following year they released the Apple II computer, beginning the revolution of personal computers, providing speed and real computing power to the masses. Since the 1970's Apple has maintained a reputation of producing logical, reliable products.


     Americans also had more disposable income during the 70s. This led to the production of products like the Chia Pet, a device that is commenly shaped like an animal that grows “fur” from plants.

     Americans also started to feel more open about sex. In 1972, Alex Comfort published “The Joy of Sex”. Comfort did not believe in the strict traditional values attributed towards sexuality. The book is regarded as a significant breakthrough in the sexual revolution in the 20th century. It treated sexual matters in a straightforward and lighthearted way, as opposed to the rigid and strict attitudes about sex that had existed prior to the 70s. It included over a hundred drawings and many pages of paintings in full color. However, with the breakthrough of sex in American culture, another breakthrough came with it as well, it being STD's. STD's became much more popular in the 70s, as a result of people having multiple partners.

     People starting thinking about life differently, not valuing traditional thinking that older generations possessed. Communes were formed, where groups of people that shared particular vales gathered and formed a cummunity by cooking and cleaning, among other things. They often made new roles for women that were different from traditional roles, and experimented with different sexual arrangements between men and women. People formed communes to escape the dominant values of American culture.

     Cults were another way of Americans to turn away from their traditional values and find something new. In 1978, preacher Jim Jones took the members of his church in San Francisco, California, to an isolated place in the jungle in British Guyana to create a new commune, called Jonestown. Rumors began to spread about Jones brainwashing his people and keeping some of them against their will. This brought a violent confrontation between the cult members and investigators, so Jones commanded all of his followers to commit suicide by drinking kool-aid laced with cyanide. There were guards present that would shoot anyone that refused to drink the kool-aid. However, many of the followers willingly drank. On November 18, 1978, U.S. Officials found the body of Jones and 913 followers dead on the ground. It was one of the biggest massacres in U.S. History.

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Government & Politics - Tiffany

 

          

Supporters of Abortion                                                           Protestors of Bakke

 

     According to American Decades, “the 1970s demonstrated more clearly than in any other postwar decade, the limits of American power abroad.” During this time period, constitutional authority experienced a major crisis. The Constitution states that Congress possesses most of the legislative power in government to affect the average American citizen. However, during this decade, it became clear that the president and the Supreme Court were reshaping the postwar period key legislation more often than not. The CIA had become fully answerable to the president, and the Vietnam War was executed without a former declaration. In the same way that the executive branch gained influence in foreign policy, the Supreme Court became powerful in domestic policy. The two very important case rulings of Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion, and Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, which decided that race could not be a basis for excluding a candidate occurred during this time, greatly affecting the ordinary lives of American citizens.

 

   

 

     The decreased influence of Congress can be seen in their response to the Watergate affair in the early 1970s. On May 27, 1972, several burglars (E. Howard Hunt, G. Gordon Liddy, and James W. Concord, as well as six others) broke into the National Democratic Committee headquarters in the Watergate apartment-office complex in Washington, D.C. The burglars were employees working for Nixon’s reelection, and they wiretapped the telephones in the office, stole documents, and photocopied others. In the initial break-in, one of the wiretaps had been incorrectly installed, so the team of Plumbers returned to Watergate on June 17, 1972. This time, they were caught and arrested, tracing their motives back to the White House. Hunt and four other burglars pleaded guilty to all charges and were convicted on January 30, 1973. Meanwhile, a cover-up had begun to destroy incriminating evidence against President Nixon, who had repeatedly denied any association with the Plumbers group and White House involvement in the Watergate scandal. However, his assertions were ultimately challenged when White House counsel John W. Dean revealed that Nixon had promised clemency to Hunt and bribed him with millions of dollars to keep silent. On April 30, 1973, President Nixon accepted responsibility for the Watergate events, but continued to deny prior knowledge of them or participation in the cover-up. However, Congress failed to act upon these happenings, thus delaying any confrontations of Nixon’s illegal activities. He was named a coconspirator of the event, which put him up for impeachment. His reluctance to surrender tapes and other evidence merely emphasized his corruption. On August 9, 1974, President Nixon resigned in fear of impeachment, thus underlining Congress’s diminishing power to affect the government.

 

         

 

     As a result, Congress began an initiative to regain its power. In 1973 it passed the War Powers Act, which was an effort to compel the executive branch to seek congressional approval to authorize military engagements. The same year, it threatened to discontinue financial support for the Vietnam War, and in 1975 allowed South Vietnam to fall rather than augment military personnel. However, this restoration of congressional authority was to the detriment of the executive branch. As the people were used to strong presidential powers, presidents Ford and Carter were viewed as weak and Congress as a hindrance. By the end of the 1970s, public apathy towards the government reached an all-time high. Watergate had turned the public into cynics, and upon further review, it was revealed that not only Nixon but Johnson, John F. Kennedy, and congressional leaders had abused their official powers. Consequently, Ronald Reagan was voted President in the year 1980 partly because he promised to restore the imperial power of the presidency. 

 

Leadership - Matt

Leadership. It is a quality that not many people possess.  A good leader is not defined by how other people perceive them, but how they perceive themselves.  Leaders also do not need to be people that hold positions of authority, but can be people that inspire something.  The 70’s were a time where many were able to prove their leadership skills.  Although John F. Kennedy was president in the 60’s, his beliefs revolutionized the way people thought, and arguably inspired the social, political and cultural revolutions that occurred in the 70’s. 

 

 

John F. Kennedy

 

Other great leaders include Hank Aaron, who inspired many children to pursue their dreams after he hit his 715th homerun.  George Lucas was another great leader of the 70’s. His films, Star Wars, are still some of the most successful movies of all time.  His work inspired countless professional and amateur filmmakers to create their masterpieces.  Leaders can also become corrupt and motivated by their own agendas.  Leaders such as Richard Nixon became corrupt, and were discovered in the infamous Watergate Scandal.  Other leaders such as Pol Pot, Idi Amin and Francisco Macias Nguema were brutal dictators, but still exhibited leadership qualities nonetheless.  This depicts how leaders can be entirely different, yet are still united by one common thing: to have the ability to inspire.

 

 

George Lucas working on R2D2 back in the 70's

 

 

The ruthless dictator of Uganda in the 70's

 

 

President Nixon addressing questions during an interview in the 70's

 

Law &  Justice - Matt 

 The 70's was a time for major changes in the judicial system.  Law, courts and lawyers now played key roles in society and in major political and social conflicts.  People now began to question certain aspects of the law, such as the death penalty and the rights of the accused.  Increasing crime rates were a major concern, and people wanted something to be done about it.  Even officials in government were corrupt, as proven by the Watergate Scandal.  Prisons started to fill up and riots broke out. This made people wonder about prison conditions and the use of stricter sentencing to decrease crime rates.  The government responded to these problems with new changes to the law and judicial system.

 

 

Riot officers dealing with protesters during a mob

 

One of these radical changes was the Equal Rights Amendment of 1972.  The new amendment stated that the equality of rightsunder the law shall not be denied nor abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex (gender).  Also, the Congress shall have the power to enforce the amendment appropriately.  And lastly, the amendment would take affect two years after ratification, which could only be done if three-fourths of the states ratified it (this means that 38 states need to ratify it before it became law).  Unfortunately, to this day the amendment has not been ratified.

 

 

The law became a force to be reckoned with in the 70's.  This was partially due to the increasing crime rates that were occurring during that time.  The police began to develop special districts, which were new areas specially designed to cover different aspects of society.  This was done to provide a larger field of protection of the public.  This was done to hopefully deter the rising crime rates and drug issues that the decade was experiencing.  Thanks to new technological advances made in the 60's and early 70's, the polic force became better equipped to take on crime, with new weapons, technology, tactics, equipment and vehicles.  It is during this time that undercover work started to emerge.

 

 

Cop car of the 70's

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Religion-Brijonai

 

 

In the 1970’s many mainstream religions began losing their members due to war and televangelism. “The Mainline churches struggled over accommodating the cultural changes that had begun in midcentury. Their leaders and many of their members had become outspoken opponents of the American involvement in the Vietnam War. Their influence was more significant in forcing the Nixon administration to the diplomatic bargaining table than were the strident and often violent actions of the organized antiwar movement” (“The 1970s: Religion: Overview”).  Religions also had to deal with topics related to feminism and sex, such as abortion and birth control.  Not only did the religions have to concern themselves with the immorality of the war, abortion, and birth control, but they also had to worry about cults as well.  Towards the end of the decade some conservative voters had fused their religious and political views into political activism to stop the rush of cultural change and promote the political advancement of their economic and political views. The most famous of these movements was Jerry Falwell's Moral Majority, which aimed at reasserting what he believed were America's traditional social values. “If the United States were to be strong in world affairs, the Moral Majority asserted, it needed to be strong in the moral values which had made the country great. Evangelicals, who had left politics after the collapse of Prohibition in the 1930s, returned to the political arena to "save America's soul” (The 1970s: Religion: Overview”).

 

 

 

Positive Political Cartoon

 

 

This political cartoon depicts a U.S. military officer holding the weight of  the world and protecting the people from the rain. This displays the rest of the world's respect for the United States, as smaller countries believed they could take refuge under American protection. In addition, the extent of the countries labeled on the globe must also be noted, thus emphasizing the point that the U.S. was thought of as a world protector. 

 

Negative Political Cartoon

 

 

This political cartoon shows President Carter juggling the needs of the poor, welfare reform and a balanced budget. Since he dropped the balanced budget and it cracked open, this cartoon is criticizing Carter's inability to balance government spending, as he spent too much on welfare reform, thus resulting in the economic recession.

 

 

MYP Unit Question: How did culture, events and leadership shape and reflect post-WWII America?

 

     

     From bell-bottoms to Watergate, the 1970s saw a decade of change from traditionalism to contemporary, it is clear that culture, events and leadership shaped post-World War II society. The aftermath of the women’s rights movement spurred the realm of possibility in women’s fashion, elevating the “do you own thing” philosophy. The same movement also brought about leisure-wear for men, because the appearance of women in the work force allowed the work-ridden image of men to decline. Instead, leisure and individuality emphasized lifestyle over work. The introduction of free agents revolutionized the sports world, allowing prominent athletes to sky-rocket their salaries. Finally, the spirit of individuality inspired many new styles of music, such as funk, jazz-rock, and a revolutionized world of rock in general. The baby boomer generation, with its immeasurable numbers, spurred a spirit of change, non-conformism and freedom of choice.

 

       Many events outlined the form of the United States after the Second World War as well. The end of the less than popular Vietnam War was seen as a failure and a disappointment to Americans. As the war was already disliked by the majority, the fact that America allowed South Vietnam to suffer a defeat merely called more attention to the matter. Paired with the unpopularity of the war, the Watergate scandal caused the U.S. to distrust their own government. Thus, Americans lost faith in both the government and America as a world power. People became apathetic to domestic policy and patriotism itself.  However, this was in part due to the ideals at the time. The seventies, known as the “me” decade, caused people to be too preoccupied with their own self-images to be concerned with national political affairs. In addition, the oil crisis determined the general public’s lifestyles during this time. The oil shortage hurt everyone, and thus people tried to save as much money on energy as they possibly could by purchasing more processed foods or ordering fast food. In turn, the environmental movement began, thus inspiring energy conservation, organic products, and the natural look.

 

            Finally, leadership in this decade greatly influenced America. During a time of slow economic growth, the people were disappointed by all three presidents’ failed attempts to save the economy. The general public no longer aspired to maintain America’s image as a world dominated power, and their lack of victory in the Vietnam War simply strengthened this opinion. President Nixon summarized this opinion in a 1971 speech: “I believe that one of the reasons for the deep division about Vietnam is that many Americans have lost confidence in what their Government has told them about our policy. Americans cannot—and will not—conceive all the plans, design all the programs, execute all the decisions, and undertake all the defenses of the free nations of the world."  Thus, he introduced Vietnamization. Nixon’s heavy abuse of power in the Watergate scandal exposed the long-time political culture of corruption, viciousness, and double-dealing, which shocked the public. As a result, only half of the eligible population voted in the 1976 election.

 

     The seventies was a time that brought new freedoms for all minorities—women, homosexuals, Native Americans, the elderly, the handicapped, and others. The economic problems of the decade persuaded radical Americans to abandon their strong viewpoints in politics and society. By the end of the decade, the radicalism of the 1960s had died down, though a heavy movement for the New Left continued. However, this allowed Americans to enjoy the freedom of the counterculture. New consumerism in the 1970s called for the counterculture as a part of everyday life, where new products such as stereos, color television, electronic gadgets, and air-conditioners popularized. However, people during this time also enjoyed a simpler, more natural lifestyle, like in the “olden days”. In essence, the 1970s combined the best factors of the old and new.

 

 

Works Cited

 

"The 1970s: Education: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 June 2010.

 

"The 1970s: Government and Politics: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010.

 

"The 1970s: Religion: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 8. Detroit: Gale, 2001. CRSN. Web. 8 June 2010.

"Busing—The Supreme Court Goes North." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 140-144. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 June 2010.

"The Economy." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 June 2010.

 

"The End of the Vietnam War." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 213-216. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010.

"Energy in the 1970s." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 June 2010.

 

"Important Events in Fashion and Design, 1970–1979." American Decades Primary Sources. Ed. Cynthia Rose. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2004. 178-179.Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010.

 

"Menswear." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 May 2010.

 

"Stagflation." International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences. Ed. William A. Darity, Jr. 2nd ed. Vol. 8. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2008. 82-83. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 5 June 2010.

 

"To Market, to Market: Comic Books in the Best of Times, the Worst of Times." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 June 2010.

 

"Women's Fashion." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 May 2010.

 

"Youth Fashions." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 May 2010.

 

Cosmas, Graham A. "Vietnam War." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 8. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 329-335. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010

Flanagan, Richard M., and Louis W. Koenig. "Watergate." Dictionary of American History. Ed. Stanley I. Kutler. 3rd ed. Vol. 8. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 2003. 425-428. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010.

 

Moran, Edward. "People." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: 1960s-1970s. Detroit: UXL, 2002. 1005-1007. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 6 June 2010.

 

 Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th Century America Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: 1960s-1970s. Detroit: UXL, 2002.


 

 

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