[Malia Taqbeem, Nabila Khan, Kohar Shrikian, Harry Smith]

 

 

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

 

    

 

 

 

Business & the Economy

 The United States experienced its longest uninterrupted period of economic expansion in history during the 1960s. The domestic economy was increasing and unemployment was down. Many firms were increasingly productive, and the use of technology continued to rapidly transform. Big businesses began to dominate the industry. Firms like General Motors and Exxon grew very large during the 60s. There was an enlargement of factories and new private businesses.This caused more people to work in urban areas and new cities. The amount of farm worker and farms decreased. The gross incomes of large firms were greater than all the farms in America. The 1960s were mixed for organized labor. The relations between employees and public became more united which caused better relationships. Credit cards were created, and many people now did not have problems with paying in cash. The economy was good so there was a rise in the wage of workers. With the economy stable, there were more white collared workers than there were blue collared workers. 

     Throughout the 1960's many major events shaped the decade : the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy; the killings of important leaders like  Martin Luther King Jr., Robert Kennedy, and Malcolm X Also the crises around the cold war with the Soviet Union, the increasing Civil Rights movement, and the rising of war in Vietnam. The Civil Rights movement was a large part in the decade. Many people wanted to have peace between the races and no longer wanted segregation. People like Rosa Parks created boycotts against racial discrimination.  

  

 

Education

                                        

      Even though the country was increasing through technology and political change, the education was not increasing. There was a large shortage of teachers and classrooms across the country. Many people at this time were uneducated or did not have a substantial level of education. The country began to realize that there was a need for an increase of education.    

     Once there was an increase in education, more schools and community colleges were being built. More and more students began to apply for college applications. There were more problems in the area of elementary and middle school. Mostly education was under the control of state and local control, but as the students increased the federal government had an increasing part in education.      

 

 

Fashion

Fashion in the 60s was extremely innovative, new fashion trends were emerging seemingly every day. It was a big decade for fashion improvement in the women population, a few things being that they could now wear fashionable pants outside of the house and during physical activity. Going braless was also a big trend for women in order to promote female empowerment and equality of men and women. The hippies and their anti fashion movement composed of tie-dye t-shirts, jeans, clogs, and overall comfortable clothing were a big influence on the clothing styles of the era. Hippies’ drug abuse and their fight for peace were clearly shown on the clothing they wore, the style of large, printed icons on a shirt became widely popular in the mid 60s. Second hand clothing from different ethnic fashions like paisley print and long flowing skirts with other Asian influences were also popular as were dirty jeans and other casual wear.

 

                                               

     Aside from the various fashion movements there were major influences who most people followed. One of the most influential fashion icons of the time was an extremely thin model named Twiggy, who most women idolized. She was the symbol of fashion; everything she wore and everything she modeled became all the rage within the population of America. Another influence was Jacqueline Kennedy, the attractive wife of President John F. Kennedy, her style contrasted Twiggy’s and was much more refined. Her style stated that one could look good and still be simple. André Courrèges was also one of the most influential designers, for example he introduced hemlines above the knee, a daring new statement for women. He also designed other innovative fashions that took the world of fashion into the next decade. Other aspects of the 1960s culture that affected the fashion were the multiple scientific advancements made, because of this many people wanted to not only be more modern, they wanted to look more modern as well and get rid of the old styles.

 

 

Film and Theater

 

     Towards the end of 1961 Twentieth Century Fox had dismantled their back lots, this marked the end of the hollywood studio system which became final later on in the sixties. Movies in the sixties became much higher in production cost, but lack of ticket sales due to a shrinking audience caused movie to gross significantly less money. The movie genre audience was shrinking do to the decline in moral values found in movies of the time. Movies were becoming increasingly violent and sexual in nature. the first movie to feature a nude scene was The Carpetbaggers (1964).

 

                                          


     There was a unanimous concern over the content of movies at the time. Parents were concerned mostly with what movies they were allowing their childen to see. This was a big issue at the time because there was no motion-picture rating at the time. Movies at this time were tending to target young audiences, such as the James Bond movies, which made the lack of censorship a big deal in many parents eyes. Through it all movies began to grow in popularity due to the extravagent and exotic locations shown; movies of this sort drew much larger audiences.    

 

Food & Drink

 

     Food rations during the 1950's were no longer needed during the 1960's. The new decade began to create new, more elegant foods. The taste of new foods was influenced by French culinary and cooking. Not only was the 1960's about more extravagant food, but also by new ethnic foods. There was also the start of many different types of candy and junk foods. Fast food places like Wendy's, was created in 1969. A popular cook during the 60's was Julia Child. She created food with french taste and influence. 
      

                               

Print Culture

 

     Print culture throughout the 1960’s produced some of the best selling and well known literature of all time. Novels of the time helped to inspire and lead young people to question society and the way they lived. Best sellers of the time include the James Bond novels (Ian Fleming), Hotel (Arthur Hailey), To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee), The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger), The Outsiders (S.E Hinton) and the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (E.L Konigsburg), Where the Wild Things Are (Maurice Sendak) and many books from Dr. Seuss. Popular magazines were launched in the 60’s, Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan and the Advocate. The comic book industry also thrived, Marvel Comics created one of their most famous heros, Spiderman in 1962.

            The print culture of the time is still read, taught and talked about in today’s world, and the impact of the literature changed the way American literature addresses current events and its views on society.

 

                                              
                                        

 

Sports & Games

 

     The 1960s was a decade marred by American Cynicism in athletic competition. Vince Lombardi, Green Bay Packers head coach, said it best when he said “Winning is not everything; it is the only thing”. With the increase of cynicism came the decrease in amateurism, athletes became synonymous with paid entertainment. Some of the larger names in sports made hundreds of thousands of dollars. Soon the increase in wages led to an increase in cheating through drugs and fixing games as well as illegal activity such as gambling.

                                                                                                          

     Popular betting sports had long histories of drug use to increase performance. One of the most noteable sports for drug use is horse racing. In 1968 Dancer's Image won the Kentucky Derby, then was disqualified for having been injected with painkillers. Football was also subject to unprofessional behavior. In 1962, Alex Karras of the Detroit Lions and Paul Hornung of the Green Bay Packers, two of the most respected professionals in the sport of football were suspended for gambling on football games. Through it all, Fans remained undeterred and sporting events only grew through the 1960s. 

 

 

Music

     Music was extremely influential and experimental during the 60’s throughout the younger generations. Rock and roll began to grow and become a very dominant music genre writing songs about sex, love, drugs, peace and war. The music of the time persuaded and influenced the young people and addressed contemporary and political issues such as the civil rights movement and the Vietnam War.

     Different music genres began to immerge. Motown music produced some of the biggest hits of the decade with artists such as Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. Soft rock was lead by The Beatles as well the Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and the group Peter, Paul and Mary. Hard rock included Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, The Who, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and Santana.

                                           

            The most famous rock festival of all time took place in 1969. Woodstock took place in a diary farm just outside of Woodstock, New York. Because of the major bands and artists performing at this event such as, The Who; Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; Joe Cocker and Santana, the festival and crowd overpopulated and the festival organizers were not properly prepared for crowds control, traffic jams; lack of food, toilets, and medical care; security and drug use, and many other problems. Although Woodstock faced many health problems, the festival remained mostly peaceful and was the highlight and last major event and celebration of the youthful decade.

 

 

 

 

"The Way We Lived"

     

The way of life of Americans during the 60’s changed very much in comparison to previous decades. Many civil rights and ethical movements were taking place such as the gay liberation movement and the women’s rights movement. Throughout the 60’s the young population lead the culture trends and social activism. The youth of the era appreciated and celebrated freedom, love and change. Young people of the time are known for promoting sex, love, drugs and peace. Also, anti war rallies and demonstrations lead by college students and young people challenged the government to listen and understand Americans.  

                                                                                              

 

     Leaders of the time began to emerge as well. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. became the face of the civil rights movement in the 60's. King practiced and taught peaceful and non violent protests and lead the march of 1963 in Washington D.C, a protest raising and addressing the civil rights of blacks. Feminists began to join together and push for equal rights. Gay liberation began to make headlines in the later 60’s and this movement also pressed for equal rights and treatment of homosexuals in the community. The 1960’s addressed sex and race like no other decade before has and was the starting place for many of these civil rights movements. 

 

Government & Politics

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     The two candidates who ran for the 1960's elecetions were Richard M. Nixon and John F.Kennedy. They were both very different candidates and their campaigns were nothing alike. Their debate was the first presidental deabte to be broadcasted on national television. Since there was a difference between the broadcast on television and the radio, people who watched the debate believed Nixon would win the election and people who heard it thought Kennedy would win. In the end, John F. Kennedy had won. 

     A great political conflict during the 1960's was the Cold War. The Soviet Union and the United States were the two most powerful countries in the world, but neither wanted to fight a war with eachother.The Cold War began after World War II and ended with no real war. Another political conflict was the Civil Rights movement, which was a movement for equality between all people, colored or white. 

 

Leadership

                                                                                John Fitzgerald Kennedy (1961-1963)                                                        Lyndon Baines Johnson (1963-1969)

                                                                                                                                                   

            JFK won the 1960 election making him the first president of the 1960s. He was also the first president who was born in the twentieth century. JFK originally made his name in the navy, becoming a decorated captain after his boat was rammed by a Japanese destroyer, causing him and the soldiers he was leading to seek refuge on a nearby unoccupied island. Between his war hero past and his charismatic personality, JFK was certainly a new breed of president. John Kennedy was known for playing both sides of the floor, writing bills that supported the ideas of one side, and then voting against that bill to show support of the other side. JFK was the man who did everything but didn’t accomplish anything.

            Playboy Antics were a problem for JFK; monumental scandals plagued the White House such as his involvement with movie star Marilyn Monroe. His father Joe Kennedy had to cover up such indecent activities paying huge sums of money at a time. These antics first started in WWII when John was known to be having an affair with a known German spy. His father promptly had him sent back to the states. Although John Kennedy was loved by most for his charisma, his presidency ended abruptly when he was assassinated. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was fatally shot in Dallas, Texas on November 22^nd, 1963.

            Lyndon Baines Johnson often referred to as LBJ, was the vice president under JFK. LBJ ran for the democratic nomination against JFK, until his father Joe Sr. stepped in and persuaded him to run as JFK’s vice president. LBJ took over as president after JFK’s assassination. Johnson then ran again in 1964 winning the presidency by a large margin. Lyndon Bates Johnson was well liked as president and known for his Great Society legislation that upheld laws surrounding civil rights, healthcare, environmental protection and education.

            At the same time Johnson steadily increased America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. Our increased involvement was inversely proportionate to Johnson’s decrease in popularity. Johnson continued to send more and more troops to war seeing it as his responsibility to end the war. When the war ended Johnson was very unpopular among America’s population, Johnson promised that it would be his last term and showed that through not running for presidency in 1968. Historians state that Johnson had a successful presidency.

 

 

 

Law &  Justice

      The 60s were not a major decade for an extreme change in concerning law and justice. Of course there were still a few changes that occurred. For instance the baby boomers were now coming into the age of adolescence and becoming young adults, they regularly expressed their individuality by rebelling and constantly stretched the rules and the law. Improvements that took place in the 60s was the passing of the Civil Rights act of 1964, which allowed the government to take action against discrimination against the black population and to take control of desegregating public places. Also, the right to an attorney, the right that most of the population now take for granted, was established.

                                                                               

     Major events that took place were the trial of Richard Hickock and Perry smith, the murder case of Charles Manson, and Civil Rights movements. Richard Hickock and Perry smith fit the popular view of criminals that most Americans had. They murdered four people and were eventually executed after being caught and tried. After the execution the population of America thought that the decision was morally wrong. Another famous case in the era was the case of Charles Manson. In 1969 Charles Manson slaughtered 5 people including the 8 month pregnant actress Sharon Tate, and at the trial Manson and his baby boomer followers referred to the Manson Family said what he had done was “morally good” which horrified the average American citizen. The group that had committed the murders were recorded to be on drugs such as LSD and others, they were extremely gruesome in their killings and had shown no mercy to the victims. For instance, Susan Atkins had ignored the cries of mercy of Sharon Tate. Finally, the civil rights movement was still going on in the 60s fighting for equality for black Americans, civil disobedience was one of the tactics in achieving this goal. Martin Luther King followed the words and advice of civil disobedience by Mahatma Ghandi. 

 

 

Religion

 

     Religion in the 1960s was not a big influence of the era, most people were not so much into religion as much as race, gender, sexuality, and war. However there were a few religious milestones in the time period. There was a renewed jewish faith in the 60s because of Israel’s success in the Six Day War against Egypt, Syria, and Jordan. This inspired the Jewish population to restore hope in their faith. There was also an Islamic movement by Malcolm X. A new rising of black Muslims came into view; the Black Nationalist movement of Elijah Muhammad’s Nation of Islam took place in the era.

 

      New groups of Christianity form like Evangelicals, Pentecostal Protestant and more. The Roman Catholics felt comfort in their religion because John F. Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic president elected in 1960. Another religious expression was the creation of freedom songs by Civil Rights movements also in the 60s. Unreligious expressions included the “Death of God” theory, the Christian atheist movement that God was not present in the world any longer. Homosexuality was also a rising movement that challenged many religious followers. 

 

                                
                            


 

 

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

 

     The attitude of American citizens in the 60s was greatly influenced by the time, by culture, events, and the leadership that took place in the era.  The main mindset of the 60s was carefree and rebellious. People wanted to change things, the war had a huge effect on everyone and most wanted to promote peace and live simple lives.  Following relgion was not as enforced anymore, and most were more preoccupied with other issues, music was a huge sensation in the era, creating legendary artists who would be praised for decades to come and memories that the world will never forget. The immense amount of stress and fear that WWII put on citizens lead them to almost "not care" about what would happen next.  The carefree culture and mindset of the 60's, along with the current events of the time, helped to shape and reflect post WWII America. 

      After WWII the citizens of the United States were not looking for another war. Younger generations did not want to go through what previous generations had during war times. During the 60's many people wanted to change and be free. The different trends of music, fashion and overall way of thinking and living revolved around current events, civil rights, and the Vietnam war. These trends lead and persuaded Americans to protest, change, and criticize the government. The young people of the decade began to fight, protest, and get involved and interested in the events of the time. Younger generations learned that they do have a voice in the government and the culture waves of the time reflected this. 

     Post World War II America was a completely different place. No longer would modesty and religion shape culture of the time, a new breed of care free, rebellious Americans were shaping the country into something totally different. The war in Vietnam increased negative feelings towards the Government and Politics, bringing about the creation of the "hippie" lifstyle and "flower power". The role of women in America changed drastically in the 1960s with the beginnings of the feminist movement and the new found open mindedness people of the time had. The sixties as a decade were punctuated with protesting from every race, religion, ethnicity, gender, and age. 

 

 

 

        

 

 

 

Works Cited

 

"Sports in the 1960s: Overview." DISCovering U.S. History. Gale Research, 1997. Reproduced in History Resource Center. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale.

 

"The 1960s: Religion: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010.

 

"The Death of God." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 June 2010.

"The 1960s: Law and Justice: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 8 June 2010.

 

      "Civil Rights Act of 1964." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 June 2010.

 

"Criminal Law in the 1960s." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 June 2010.

 

"The 1960s: Fashion: Overview." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 June 2010.

 

"Twiggy (Hornby, Leslie) 1949-." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 June 2010.

 

"Courréges, André 1923-." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 12 June 2010.

 

"1960s: The Way We Lived." Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-Bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: 1960s-1970s.

 

     Detroit: UXL, 2002. 921-922. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 15 June 2010.