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Business & the Economy Education Fashion Film and Theater Food &  Drink Print Culture Sports &  Games   Music  "The Way We Lived" Government & Politics   Leadership Law &  Justice Religion   Positive Political Cartoon  Negative Political Cartoon MYP Unit Question: How did culture, events and leadership shape and reflect post-WWII America?

  

 

 

Business & the Economy

                 The 1960s were one of the United States longest uninterrupted economic expansion periods. Many people worried that due to the huge baby boom there might not be enough jobs for the people, however during this time the United States achieved a very high economic standing globally. Many businesses in the United States were at their all time best due to the Unemployment rate was going down and huge advancement in the technology. Historians Louis Galambos and Joseph Pratt noted: "It was a good time to be in business in the United States, an era when American efficiency and entrepreneurship were the wonder of the world." Many people aspired a career in business. This also encouraged many people to get an education. In the United States the Big Business were dominating the economy. There were many technological innovations and the U.S. businesses were very prosperous.

            One of the main reasons that the United States Economy improved was due many new industries and big business opening up during this time. Many business men were actively involved in the economy which caused a huge growth. “Viewed another way, General Motors's revenues for 1963 were nearly eight times those of New York State,” (The 1960s: Business and the Economy: Overview). Large companies such as General Motors and Ford improved the gross income in the United States. Due to the huge improvement in the income U.S. became known worldwide and increased its overseas investment to “American overseas investment increased from $11.8 billion in 1950 to $49.2 billion in 1965,” (The 1960s: Business and the Economy: Overview)).  Also other food companies such as Cambell Soup, Heinz and Coca Cola sold their products around the globe. Since many big businesses were successful more jobs were created during this time, leading to a decrease in the unemployment rate.

            Another reason that the 1960s were a successful time period was due to the huge technological advancement during this time. During this time the U.S. launched its first successful space probe on December 1965. This gave a lot of hope and encouraged many people to become research and innovate more. Due to the increase in research and technological advancements more equipment was required. This encouraged more companies to produce more products.

            During the 1960s the Federal Government gave a lot of support which also helped the economy. “By 1970 it employed 3.9 percent of the labor force, up from 2.4 percent in 1940,” (gale). Since more people were hired in the government, more government agents would interfere with the economy, potentially benefiting the economy. The Federal Government was also involved in small projects which improved the American infrastructure. The government provided money for technological advancements in order to be able to compete with Soviet Union. Also the government bought a lot of military equipment for the Vietnam War, this also pumped a lot of money in the American economy and in addition it created a lot of jobs.

            However the working conditions for women and black men still had not improved. Women were still earning 60 percent of the wage that the men earned. Also most black people were given a hard time while obtaining a job. However this was soon brought to an end by the civil rights movement in the 1960s.

            Although the 1960s started off as a prosperous decade, towards the end the American economy was in trouble again. As competition from Japan and Europe increased it slowly decreased the United States global supremacy over all the countries. Also after a certain extent the Vietnam War started harming the U.S. economy. It started inflating the prices of all the goods in the economy. All these factors made it difficult for the U.S. to keep its superior power.

 

 

  

 

 

Education

 

"What the railroads did for the second half of the nineteenth century and what the automobile did for the first half of the twentieth century, the universities will now do for the nation."

 – Clark Kerr, University of California president 1966

 

     The 1960’s was a time period when America’s education system was facing many reforms due to the changing face of American society itself. However, changes in education were not easy, as educators held fast to their traditional practices. Most of the time, change was forced upon the educational system, causing the purpose of education itself to become an issue.  At first, the American educational system was struggling to keep pace with the rapid changes in society. Large numbers of advancements were being made in science and technology, politics, and other areas, and the realization that there were not enough educated Americans to create a technologically competitive society caused the federal government to become more involved in reforming America’s education system, which had previously been controlled by local and state governments. Driven by events such as the launching of the Soviet’s Sputnik I, the federal government feared the effectiveness of the American educational institutions compared with that of the Soviets, and invested federal funds to strengthen education in science, mathematics, and engineering.

   

As the baby boomer generation aged, there was a large amount of students wanting higher education. The shortage of qualified teachers combined with the flooding of students into schools created an excess of an estimated 1.9 million students in 1960, which persisted throughout the decade. The federal government recognized the problem in the lack of graduates pursuing a teaching profession due to significantly low teacher salaries, a ‘national disgrace’ that was debated about in the Kennedy-Nixon election of 1960. Kennedy’s willingness to use federal funds to improve teacher salaries was a major factor in his victory and in the large amounts of federal aid to the education system in the years following, including $9 billion for classrooms and libraries. During this decade, universities became not only areas to gain knowledge; they were central to the growth of the nation as there was a greater demand for educated workers.  Americans from all backgrounds were competing for schooling and the ‘education dollar’, and even the military was forced to provide an education system for its enlistees.  However, the minority of students who were critical of the educational institutions spurred a decade of student protest and the creation of the New Left, a ‘radical student activist movement’ that protested against controversial issues.   

  African Americans were a demographic greatly impacted by the changing educational system during the 1960’s, as desegregation was a prevalent issue. Although the Brown vs. Board of Education decision had taken place in 1954, making segregation in education unequal, changes in the system were not quick, nor were they easy as many southern schools were unwilling to accept this change and refused to obey court-ordered desegregation. The federal government was forced to intervene, forcing schools to desegregate using the force of the National Guard. However, the federal government faced the defiance of state governors and riots by white students.  In 1962, James Meredith, a black man who sought to apply at the University of Mississippi, was denied entry despite the orders of the federal court. After charging Governor Barnett $5,000 a day for defying a federal order, Meredith was finally allowed to attend classes, showing the challenges the federal government faced in desegregating the school system. As the decade progressed, more schools and colleges became willing to desegregate. Many northern institutions, such as Ivy Leagues, encouraged black applicants; By 1968, Princeton had increased black enrollment by 200% from 1960 (CITE). Desegregation continued throughout the decade, a basis for rapid social change, and society began placing a large emphasis on education as the foundation for success and growth although its goals may still have been unclear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fashion

 

"Fashion is not frivolous. It is a part of being alive today." 
~Mary Quant

 

Many of the fads and fashion of the 1960's were shaped by the youth of this decade. Specifically because there were many teenagers after the the Baby Boom post WWII. Throughout the decade the fashion itself transformed with America life. At the beginning of the decade, the fashion stuck to a more conservative, classy look mainly inspired by JFK's wife, Jacqueline Kennedy. Both dresses and suits were tailored and made to look neat. By mid-decade the fashion changed from conservative looks to more revealing and bold looks. Miniskirts with go-go boots were in fashion for women while men started to wear their hair longer and Nehru jackets were in style. By the end of the decade, unisex dressing was popular, for example bell bottom jeans were popular with both men and women.

 

Fashion throughout the 1960's

 

Jacqueline Kennedy was a huge influence to the fashion of the early sixties. Appearing with her husband John F. Kennedy she held the gaze of everyone with her beauty and fashion. She was a rather quiet influence because she barely spoke when she was in the public but she was still a trend setter and a model for many women in the early sixties. What was a Jacqueline Kennedy look? Her signature look included a well fitted suit jacket with a fitting blouse and an A-line skirt. There was little or no embellishments in what she wore and the colors were not extremely bold but it wasn't boring either. She would top it off with long gloves and a pearl necklace. She also had big hair, or the bouffant hairstyle, which was a hairstyle popular among many women. This is the signature Jacqueline look that many women desired. It was elegance through simplicity. Her look of simplicity lasted until the point where a new look was introduced by a young, British designer Mary Quant.

 

 



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Mary Quant was a British fashion designer and what drove her to create a new fad was at the frustration of the dullness of youth fashion. She believed that the clothes of the youth "should reflect their youthfulness" and not "stuffy and boring". This was what drove her to create the mini skirt in the 60's which were aimed toward girls in their late teens and early twenties. Her mod trend was part of the youth movement in fashion. The Beatles were also an important influence for men in this mod movement in America. The collarless jacket and the straight cut hair were two prominent styles modeled after the Beatles. Also, the hippie influence in sixties fashion cannot be ignored. With the growing issue of the war in Vietnam, many of the younger generation were horrified and started a movement. They defied the the materialistic America and created their own flow. These people would be known as the hippies or flower children. The hippies went against the "traditional" clothing of America to separate themselves. The fashion revolution was a way for the hippies to show their rebellion. A hippie would often dress in secondhand clothing. Flowers, bell bottoms, and psychedelic tie dye t-shirts were the most iconic styles of the hippies. Most people didn't fall into the fad of hippies but they were still in some ways an influence to the fashion of 1960's.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Film and Theater

 

     The world of media in the 1960’s was not so much revolutionary as the other aspects of the 1960’s like fashion. Film and theater evolved a lot in this decade technologically.

The color television was introduced in the 1950s and in the 1960s the people in America were getting used to this technological advance. The color television provided opportunities for filmmakers and also television more appealing to its audience. Many shows were 

being broadcast in color and soonalmost everything was broadcast in color. In September 23, 1961 ABC televised its first ever animated show in color, The Jetsons. (Baughman). Pretty soon color television became popular in the American household. In fact by 1967, 15 percent of American homes were equipped with color television. (Baughman)

      With the pressures from society about the civil rights movement and the Vietnamese War and its effect, the television industry was indirectly pressured to a dress these issues in whatever they broadcast. With the pressure from the civil rights movement and the youth revolution, both blacks and youth gained a position in the television industry. The world of television tried to bring in various groups to draw the American society in. It wasn't perfect but it was move forward to groups such as the African Americans.

     American society, specifically middle class whites, had issues on understanding the roles of blacks in television. They were not a big fan of this changed and had misconceptions in their head about the blacks. They judged the blacks on how they were represented in television which is incorrect. Either way, it was a step forward for blacks. A prominent black actor would be Bill Cosby. Also, the first show starring a black character was Julia. Surprisingly it was popular.

     The film industry did not make as great of a success as the television industry. Since television was free for all to watch, people began to lose interest in films. Since the number of people going to watch movies declined, filmmakers had to come up with creative means to draw more people in. Filmmakers also began to sell their movies to television so people could watch their films on TV. On November 3, 1956,the first feature film was broadcast on American television, The Wizard of Oz. (Film History of the 1950s) Also, many films were not filmed in America because it cost too much. Even with the competition with television, Hollywood still managed to make few of the best movies of the 60s.

 

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Food &  Drink

 

 

        In the 1960's food and drinks were the new "inventions". Everyone loved it and it was the new thing happening in the 1960's. Some of the foods and Drinks that were made in this decade were brown rice, life cereal, instant mash potatoes, Buffalo wings, pop tarts, sandwiches, Gatorade, Slurpees, Snack Pack, and Space food sticks. But these were only some of the foods that the 1960’s had. The 1960’s was also represented the decade for international food. Indian, Italian, French, Swedish, and Chinese cuisines had gained up and provided a new taste to our country. Many immigrants would come far and wide to come to America and share their foods with us. They would provide a whole variety of dishes from their homelands. The new foreign cooking took a full effect on America changing its way of eating styles and the styles of cooking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Print Culture

 

During the 1960’s, television was what people were using as a source or reference the most.     The television had made into people’s homes and changed their lives

 forever by adding in color, watching movies and shows, and also for around the world news. Television has the big “idea” that changed the 1960’s. Besides that obsession for television, it wasn’t the only source of entertainment. People still read newspapers and some considered it to be way to get news. After the TV stopped giving the real details, people went for newspapers which had been provided with in depth information which was people were exactly looking for. Soon the newspapers were considered to the new TV. Everyone was reading them every single day. During the newspaper era, hundreds of new publications had entered as well as the opposing publications. Some of them were the comics like by Marvel which included Batman, Superman, and the Fantastic Four.

 

 

 

Sports &  Games

 

 

                                                                   "Winning is not everything; it is the only thing" - Vince Lombardi, American football coach

 

This quote shows the mindset of people in America toward athletics and the 1960's was a decade where "American cynicism infected athletic competition." Three Olympics took place in the decade of the 60's. The Olympics during this time commercialism took over the games, paying athletes to show off their company logos. It was important to win during this time because a good athlete attracted sponsors and gave athletes a headstart in preparing for their future career since the publicity helped. So to many athletes competing in the Olympics, losing was not an option. Also, with the urge to win, many athletes went to now illegal methods to give that the upper hand they wanted. The sixties was the decade where steroids were being popularized in America but the harmful affects of this drug were not fully discovered in this decade. Also,the new technology of television shaped the perception of sports greatly because fans were able to watch from home comfortably. This made the sports world more know to everyone and grabbed the attention of its audience. This fact was also a reason why American teams wanted to win. Teams would need fans for support and now that the television arrived, they could branch out to more fans but to keep the support of the fans, teams needed to win.

      A specific sport that was becoming popular even more through broadcasting through television was basketball. At the start of the 1960s the NBA or the National Basketball Association had about eight teams but as the decade progressed the eight teams grew to seventeen teams. Not only that, the attendance went "from under two million to over five million." Two famous basketball players from this decade was 

Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain. The rivalry between these two great players also provided drama for basketball, publicizing it even further. The numbers of teams did grow during this decade but in the 1960's there was only one super team, the Boston Celtics.  The Celtics were coached by Red Auerbach who helped them win ten of eleven NBA championships between 1959 and 1969. The Boston Celtics had the best center during that time, Bill Russell (who would later take up the position of the coach of the Boston Celtics). The only challenge the Celtics face was from the Philadelphia 76ers which was led by Russell's rival, Wilt Chamberlain. The sixties overall was a defining moment for basketball also because in an era of racism, the game of basketball was considered a "black mans game" in this decade, Bill Russel being the first black coach. It was a sign toward more racial freedom for blacks and in the game of basketball, an African American was considered equal to the eyes of the fans.

 

 

  

 

  

  Music 

 

 

The music of the 1960’s was an expansion of the jazz, folk, and classical styles of the 1950’s. The songs created by many artists reflected the events of the era, including social and political issues such as the Vietnam War and civil rights movement.  This decade is mainly known for being the era when the genre of rock and roll underwent a significant transformation, and hard rock and soft rock or pop became distinct, separate genres.

                Artists such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez brought a revival to folk music in the 1960’s, gaining large audiences because of the political issues addressed in their music. Later in the decade, folk and rock music merged giving rise to groups such as Simon and Garfunkel.

                The “British Invasion” in music occurred during the 1960’s and was largely dominated by one British group, the Beatles. The group made its first appearance in the United States in 1964, and took America by storm with their unique appearance and sound, giving pop-rock a new meaning. Other British groups, such as the Rolling Stones, the Animals, and the Who, also gained popularity with American audiences.

 

 

                The Beatles and Rolling Stones were examples of how rock and roll branched off into different subgenres during the 1960’s. The Beatles, with their lighter, bubblier music, such as “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and their album Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band represented soft rock, along with the Beach Boys and their surf music. In contrast, the Stones gave rock a harder edge, in compliance with their bad-boy looks. The hard rock genre split off further with bands such as the Grateful Dead and Jefferson Airplane, who created psychedelic rock, and Jimi Hendrix who had a style known as acid rock.

                Motown Records in Detroit also gained significance in the 1960’s, giving rise to the biggest hits of the decade in soul music; jazz, gospel, R&B, and rock and roll. Many prominent artists find their origins at Motown, such as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Smokey Robinson, the Temptations, and Stevie Wonder.

                The 1960’s was also home to a defining cultural event in the history of music. The Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, one of the most significant music festivals in the rock history, took place in New York in 1969. Woodstock featured the top performers in rock including the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and the Who. The festival brought a much larger-than-expected turnout, attracting almost half a million people, which created mild chaos however there were no reports of violence among the hippie attendees. Woodstock symbolizes the era of a fun-loving, carefree, peace loving youth. It represented the hippie “flower power” mindset of the youth in the 1960’s, and their willingness to avoid violence and create a better society through love and music.

 

 

"The Way We Lived"

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The 1960s were a time of great social change in American history. During this time many students were going questioning the government’s decisions and challenge many of the laws of that time. As the 1960s progressed, widespread tensions developed in American society regarding the war in Vietnam, race relations, sexual mores, women's rights, traditional modes of authority, experimentation with psychedelics, such as LSD and psilocybin. Several new cultural reforms emerged, including the pop music of the British band The Beatles, which impacted greatly on youth society. Several other music groups from the United Kingdom and many topical American singers and songwriters also impacted the cultural life style.

Because of antiwar (Vietnam) movement aggressively increasing, it also started creating civil disobedience. Some people, who received military service letter from the government, even started burning those letters. Many of the Americans did not want to be a part of this war as many soldiers lost their lives. In addition the assassination of John F. Kennedy also led to many people doubting the government. The loss of trust in the government led to many protests and riots.

There was also a huge civil rights movement and a feminist movement during this time. Both of these minority groups demanded for their rights during this time. They had both been discriminated against for many years. The women activist groups and the African American activist groups would protest and boycott to bring attention to the fact that they are not getting equal rights. This encouraged many people to consider giving these minorities equal rights.

During late 1960s a new fad of using drugs had come up. Many people used drugs and had dropped out of schools. In addition much of the music affected people during that time. Scott McKenzie’s song encouraged a whole new way of living and style during the 1960s. The hippies believed in living a very free and simple life, mainly dominated by music. They also did drugs and lived communally. The hippies lived a very ‘fun’ life and they basically did what they wanted. “If you can remember the '60s, you must not have been there,” (The 1960s: Lifestyles and Social Trends: Overview).

 

 

Government & Politics  

          Government and Politics in the 1960's were the years where there were enormous contrasts in the American politics. To President John F. Kennedy's challenge to "Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country" at his inauguration in January 1961 to the time the others joinedthe Civil Rights Movement and the Students for a Democratic Society, the 1960's was the era to bulid upon it's government and politics.

          At the very start of the 1960's, bipartisan consensus for the activist role of the United States in it's global affairs. At the end of World War II the United States had become the single most powerful nation in the world, militarily and economically. The United States had become known as the leader of the "free world". In his inaugural address President Kennedy summarized American's perceptions of their country's role by saying, "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hard-ship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty." At that time most of the American public accepted this commitment, but they were clearly aware of the dangers involved in this committment. In the early 1960s, the conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States, most Americans expected that there would eventually be a war between the two countries, that would possibly involve the use of nuclear weapons. As Kennedy was inaugurated in 1961, the indigenous Communist movements were threatening armed takeovers in Southeast Asia. The Kennedy administration increased levels of military aid and numbers of American military advisers, but the American public paid little attention to the situation in Vietnam. This then brought America to face an unpopular war in Vietnam. The war was about creating a divison within America. But when that didn't happen, it caused boycotts and riots to the growing unpopularity of the Vietnam War.

         In John F. Kennedy's election, Kennedy's domestic promise lied on the programs such as insuring an aid for the education, federal support towards health care, and civil rights and urban renewal.But with all of these promises, Kennedy was not able to fulfill the deeds in passing his laws towards the Conservative Democratic dominance in the House of Congress and Representatives. After Kennedy had passed away, a man named Lyndon B Johnson took over Kennedy’s post and fulfilled all of the promises that were supposed to be done by Kennedy. During the 1960’s, The Civil Rights Moment took a full impact on Kennedy and Johnson. Both of the presidents at the time wanted equality for minorities. But things didn’t turn out the way that they were supposed to. The March to Montgomery led by Martin Luther King Jr. Johnson had promised great importance on the Civil Rights. But when Johnson couldn’t satisfy that promise, conflicts were turned on between Islam and the race riots in Detroit.

 

Leadership

 

The 1960s started off with the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower. He accomplished many tasks in America before the end of his term. Eisenhower went past  the isolationism phase of America and immediately became involved with other world affairs. He also led America when it was involved in the Korean War.  He involved Americans with Vietnam in order to reduce the spread of communist. However his presidency soon came to an end in 1961.

            The next great leader of the United States was John F. Kennedy. John F. Kennedy had a very charming attitude which won over the viewers minds. Kennedy was the first catholic president of the United States. Events during his administration include theBay of Pigs Invasion, theCuban Missile Crisis, the building of theBerlin Wall, theSpace Race, theAfrican American Civil Rights Movementand early stages of theVietnam War. He had many plans on how to handle the Vietnam was however was assassinated before on November 22, 1963.

            After Kennedys assassination his vice president took over. Lyndon Johnson was the president of the United States after Kennedy was assassinated. He was far more determined than Kennedy to improve social policies. Also he had a great persuasion skill which helped him get his policies passed. He contributed a great deal to the Vietnam war. A huge turning point in America.

            Another issue during this time in America was the civil rights issue. The man who lead the civil rights movement was Martin Luther King Jr. He questioned the inequalities that were in America. He also stood up for African American rights and respect. Martin Luther King Jr. was also one of the inspirational leaders of the 1960s because of his contribution to the civil rights movement.

 

 

 

 

  

 

Law &  Justice

 

                During the 1960s there were many controversies about the laws in the United States.  There many people who followed the law, while many people went against it. The soldiers who fought in World War II decided to remain patriotic and follow all the laws passed by the United States government.  World War II had benefited many people positively and helped them socially and economically after the soldiers came home from war. Also the War had impacted many people by showing to them what was morally right and wrong. People who had committed crimes were admitting to their crimes because it was the morally right thing to do.

            In 1960s the main focus was the trial of Richard Hickok and Perry Smith for killing four Kansas farm family members. “Hickock and Smith fit the popular criminal image,”(Gale). Richard Hickok was from a well to do family, however it seemed as if he had turned to a crime as a flaw in his character. In addition, Smith was poverty stricken. Both men were guilty of the cause that they thought was not justified. However the men never stood up for their rights. This shows that the nature of the people was to completely believe in the government’s decision without second thoughts.

            As time went by the attitudes of the generation of people changed. The next generations of children were born in a time of prosperity they were used to living in high standards. They were not as coherent to the law as their parents would. This generation of people was the people who started questioning the government and its decisions. “But unlike Hickock and Smith, Manson proudly pro-claimed that what he and his followers had done was morally good,” (gale).

            During this time the New Deal was in progress and blacks were waiting for their voting rights. Many blacks had fought for their voting rights for many years and it was almost time that they get their voting rights. Some soldier’s in some confederate states were given the right to vote. However congress kept delaying the right for blacks to vote so that African Americans do not gain power in the society. Also laws such law that the right to be silent, the right to a hearing, and the right to refuse unjustified searches and seizures were assured to criminals.

 

Religion  

 

      The 1960’s was a period of religious controversy and change. America was no longer the pure Christian Anglo-Saxon nation it was when first created; the country was changing and expanding, allowing new religious influences to flood its borders. Social concerns involving race, sexuality, and war made people question the role of church in daily life, causing religion to change much during the decade. Bible readings were taken out of school curriculums, challenging the Christian ideals of the nation. While the war had brought a revival of religion, many Americans agreed that religion faced a decline in the decade of the 1960’s as the liberal, free-thinking youth sought independence from conservative, oppressive traditional religious values.

 “In 1957, 14 percent of the Americans polled said religion was in decline in the United States. In 1970 that figure had increased to 75 percent”

           

At the beginning of the decade, Protestant churches maintained a position of dominance in society. They strived to unify the church to gain more

 influence in societal issues, such as ending segregation, America’s role in the Vietnam conflict, and race and gender debates. The election of John F. Kennedy, the first Roman Catholic president, and the Second Vatican Council changed the practice of Christianity in America through ways such as changing the mass from Latin to English. Through these means, the Vatican democratized itself, gaining support in America and unifying Christians amidst the changing society around them. Although the church succeeded in this aspect, as many of its goals for social reform such as desegregation were achieved, churches still saw a decline in membership by the end of the decade. However, conservative Protestantism saw a rise as those who were critical of the mainstream church’s ideals supported it.  

         

 

  

 

 

 

     However, influences from abroad challenged the goals of the church as eastern religions gained support form hippie idealists who saw the church as an

oppressive force that inhibited free thought. The Immigration Act of 1965 allowed more immigrants to flood into the countries borders, bringing Asian influences to the United States. Many Americans looked towards Eastern religions such as Buddhism for their spiritual philosophies, while others looked inwards and traded religious affiliations for free, independent thought. This allowed room for other influences to become known. Malcolm X, for example, was widely known for his branch of Islam that dealt with the racial injustice blacks were facing. The “God is Dead” movement was another liberal mindset that stemmed from advancing science during the decade.

           Even with the changes to mainstream religion that occurred during the decade, America still remained a religious nation as Americans sought to broaden their influences and expand liberal thought.

 

 

 

 

 

Positive Political Cartoon 

 

 

This political cartoon is about the United States accomplishment in launching the space probe, Mariner II on August 1962. This was the first spacecraft that successfully flew by another planet (Venus). This enabled the U.S. for further exploration of space and the U.S. is also catching up to their comitition, Solviet Union. This was a huge technological accomplishment for the U.S and this advanced the technological innovation in the United States. This cartoon also shows one of the accomplishments made in the 1960s and how it was a time for great improvement in the U.S. The cartoon shows that this discovery was going to open up a whole new world for the U.S. Also in the newspaper that the alien is holding which advertizes the U.S.’s success, shows that with this discover the U.S. will gain more respect worldwide. This comic also establishes that, now that the U.S. has launched a space probe there a lot more ahead of them for them to explore.

 

Negative Political Cartoon

 

 

This cartoon is a depiction of how the US was invading Vietnam. The scrawny people on the left are Vietnamese citizens and you see them reaching for food that is held up by bombs. This is trying to say how USA was threatening innocent Vietnamese citizens. With the purpose of getting rid of communism in Vietnam, USA ends up depriving the innocent people of the basic necessities. This cartoon depicts the suffering and hardship the Vietnamese people faced with the threat of a bomb. This sheds USA in a negative light because it makes USA seem greedy and intimidating. 

 

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

 

 

      The 1960’s were a period of immense change in America. With the Depression and victory in World War II long behind them, Americans during the 1960’s began to demand change in society to escape the conservative nature of pre-WWII America. The 1960’s was when America shed these conservative ideals, as rapid progress was made towards making America a more liberal nation, much like it is today. Driven by the younger generation, the decade experienced the rise of the civil rights movement, the controversy about the Vietnam War, changing social norms, a decline in religion, and the changing role of leadership. These changes allowed the creation of a more liberal post-WWII American society, distinguishing the 1960’s from other decades of the 19^th century because of its role in laying the foundations for modern America. 

 

     During the 1960's the youth had much influence over the culture of America as a whole, creating a youth revolution and counterculture. They rebelled against conservative ideals, creating a more liberal society through fashion and music. The youth  rebelled against the war in Vietnam and other pressing social issues. They would no longer conform to society. This youth revolution needed ways to differentiate themselves from society and their rebellion was not enough. Along with this counterculture came a new sense of fashion and music. The clothing itself was liberating; women wore pants and miniskirts, and fashion trends began to reflect those of today. Music also transformed significantly as rock and roll took its place as a major music genre. The new fashion and music is iconic to the new culture influenced by the youth. Looking specifically at fashion, what started at the beginning of the decade as a simply, classy trend set by Jacqueline Kennedy, transformed into a psychedelic fashion that was greatly influenced by the youth of America. By drastically changing their fashion into something contrary to the norms, the youth set themselves and their movement apart. Even today when we think of hippies we immediately think of colorful shirts and peace signs. This was an image that was set by the youth in the 1960s and it still exists in our minds today. And even today, American fashion is still inspired by the revolutionary fashion the late 60s.

 

Many influential leaders whom are still revered today find their origins in the 1960's. Leaders such as John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Both these presidents wanted change in America. They tried to achieve this change by become involved in world issues. They tried to avoid the of communism by becoming involed in Vietnam and helping it establish a new government. This increased the United States influence all around the world.  However ever the United States faced contriversies with Vietnam which lead to the war. Almost a decade after America's victory in World War II, the bonds holding the country together were yet again strained by the conflict caused by the American government's descision to take part in the Vietnam War. Many Americans were unsupportive of their country's role in the war, causing many to question thier leadership and protest the violence occuring. This was a significant factor in the civil unrest during the decade and the rise of the anti-war movement.

 

     The 1960's also experienced a change in social norms as outside influences caused a more diverse American community. There was a significant increase in the number of young people being educated. The 1960's laid the foundation for the importance of education in the success of individuals, as Americans flooded universities and the number of jobs for skilled workers increased. Educated Americans were more open to a broad range of influences, a cause for the decline of mainstream Christianity during the 1960's. People were more open to Eastern ideals, and as the Protestant church struggled to consolidate its power, liberalists gained momentum from the individualism emphasized in other practices.

 

    Inequalties that existed in American society were once again questioned in this decade, leading to a rise in the Civil Rights Movement. Leaders such as Malcom X and Martin Luther King Jr. gained support from the masses, and the conservative ideas of pre-WWII America were brought up against the liberal thought of the new decade as the 1960's brought up one of the oldest battles in American society. The Civil Rights Movement gained significant momentum in the 1960's, as this was the period during which people were challenged to be accepting of new ideas and people. This also led to the rise of the feminist movement and the 'sexual revolution', during which people asserted their rights and freedoms and fought for acceptance into society.

 

     Overall, the 1960's were a time when people had much influence over their society. The rebellions, protests, and social movements that pushed for change in society caused America in this decade to be a rapidly changing and turbulent nation. Through events such as the Vietnam war, the Civil Rights Movement, the rise of Hippie culture, and the revered and influential leadership, the 1960's connected the conservative WWII society with the liberal independent nation that exists today, and was a major era in the transformation of post-WWII American society.

 

 

 

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