The United States in 1960s

1
The United States in 1960s

• Reading US Culture
• Kevin Chen

2
Introduction

• The sixties were a time of change, and the
  sixties were the age of youth.
• In the 1960s, 70 million children from the
  post-war baby boom became teenagers and young
  adults. Young people wanted change and they
  believed that they could make America a better
  place. The 1960s was a busy decade. This busy
  decade was probably one of the funniest decades
  youll ever learn about in the history of United
  States. There were several important events and
  issues in 1960s, including the political and the
  cultural ones Vietnam War, Cuban Missile Crisis,
  Civil Rights Movements, The Beatles, Hippie
  Culture, Woodstock Festival and several
  assassinations.

3
JFK

• The sixties began with the election of Americas
  youngest president, John F. Kennedy. During his
  period in the White House, people stepped out and
  said how they felt. They thought that, with
  Kennedy leading America, anything was possible.
  But President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in
  November 1963. The assassination shocked the
  country.

4
Cuban Missile Crisis

• The 60s was in the Cold War Era. The president
  of Cuba, Castro declared that he was a communist
  and thus broke off diplomatic relations with the
  United States. Cuba is just 90 miles from the
  tip of Florida the land of the United States
  could easily become the reachable target of
  missiles. In 1962, an American spy plane
  identified long range of Soviet missiles in Cuba.
  President Kennedy readied troops to invade Cuba,
  and the Soviet Union also prepared to fire at US
  cities if the American army made a move.

5
Vietnam War(1965-1975)

• To prevent communist North Vietnam from
  overtaking South Vietnam, the United States
  secretly sent the army to Vietnam in 1963. In
  1965, President Johnson ordered bombing raids on
  North Vietnam and the war was known by people.
  Americans began protesting the war. People were
  horrified at what they saw in the News and
  increasingly grew opposed to the war in Vietnam.
  Protests of the Vietnam War occurred all over the
  country.

6
Hippies

• As the 1960s progressed, many young people turned
  from mainstream Protestant religions to mystic
  eastern religions. Young people respected less
  for authority, and crime rates increased to nine
  times the rate of the 1950s. The use of
  Marijuana and LSD became popular. The hippie
  movement went along with drugs, rock music,
  mystic religions and sexual freedom. The
  Woodstock Festival could represent the peak of
  hippie culture. In 1969, 400,000 young people
  gathered in Woodstock. Many top rock musicians
  were there. The Festival lasted three days, a
  weekend of music, love and peace. In a spirit of
  love and sharing, The Woodstock Festival
  represented the climax of the hippie movement.

7
The Beatles

• Since 1964, The Beatles became VERY popular.
  They are a British rock and roll band from
  Liverpool. The four members of the Beatles were
  John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and
  Ringo Starr. They played on radio stations all
  over the world in the 1960s. Their performed
  concerts were quickly sold out. All the frenzy
  over the group became known as Beatlemania. If
  we look at their popularity today, the Beatles in
  the 1960s was only the beginning, and their music
  greatly influences the development of popular
  music for generations.

8
American Civil Rights Movement (1)

• The Civil Rights Movement made great changes in
  the society of the 1960s. Some people, like the
  liberals, believe that the ever-expanding social
  movements of the 1960s as positive, but some,
  like the conservatives, see that these movements
  may pose a threat to social order.

9
American Civil Rights Movement (2)

• The most renowned leader of Civil Rights Movement
  was Martin Luther King, Jr. He inspired people
  and made them believe that they could make a
  difference. King believed in nonviolent protest
  against segregation and racial discrimination.
  Many people, blacks and whites alike, joined his
  March on Washington in 1963. In August 28th, he
  delivered his famous I Have A Dream speech in
  National Mall, Washington DC. This speech became
  one of the most inspiring speech of history.
  In1968 Martin Luther King was assassinated.

10
American Civil Rights Movement (3)

• Besides JFK and Martin Luther King, there were
  other shocking assassinations in the 1960s.
  Black Nationalist Malcolm X was assassinated in
  1965 and John F. Kennedys brother, Robert
  Kennedy was assassinated in 1968.

11
Landing the Moon

• Space became another battle field in the Cold War
  Era. The Space Race was begun by the Soviets
  since 1957. Man orbited the earth for the first
  time in Apollo 8 in 1968. On July 20, 1969,
  Apollo 11 landed on the Moon Neil Armstrong
  walked on the moon for the first time of human
  history.

12
Other Interesting Popular Cultures

• There were some other interesting cultures in the
  1960s. Mini Skirts became popular. Bob Dylan
  was the icon of blues and popular music.
  Brigitte Bardot and Marilyn Monroe were the most
  popular movie stars. Rock and Roll music
  flourished. Elvis Presley was the popular idol
  in the United States. The Americans liked
  watching the violent actions and western films
  Clint Eastwood played the main roles in many
  popular films.