1960s were a decade of the 20th century, filled with some of the most violent events and civil protests in the history of mankind. Chronologically speaking, it covers the period from early 1960 to late 1969, but in political and cultural terms in the United States as "the sixties" refers the period from 1963 to 1974. The 1960’s impacted the United States so deep, that it changed completely people’s traditions. However, a very important period influenced US in the 1960s. The baby boom period, is the time marked by an increased birth rate. This cultural drift was associated with good times and periods of huge economic growth and stability and it happened right after the Post–World War II. Furthermore in the sixties, millions of baby boomers were now grown up into their teenage and they were bringing with them a dramatic change that is still present in our world today. However, 1960s was a period when American culture moved from being traditional to new and observant ways of thinking. Moreover, these changes led to the creation of a completely new, strange culture that is known as the hippie culture. In addition, the hippies (which means modern, stylish) made their way into a new sexual revolution that broke the old fashioned boundaries. There are many contradictions and different opinions in regard to clarifying the nature of the hippie movement. Some people believe that it is more cultural than political phenomenon, while others characterize it as entirely religious. However, the hippies are mostly young people between 15 and 25 years old and come from white middle-class family. The style, expression, behavior and appearance adopted by hippies turned upside down the normal norms of the time. Some of the key... ... middle of paper ... ... first time in 1964 and changes fashion forever. All young women around the world are starting to wear miniskirts. In 1964 comes the so-called Space Fashion - pants, white boots, big sunglasses and a dress. At this stage, fashion is dictated mainly by the British. Very popular are the long fake eyelashes strongly emphasized with black pencil eyes and pale lips. In 1968 miniskirt reached and even surpassed mid-thigh. These skirts that barely cover the buttocks are called micro - mini. Furthermore, in 1964 Charleston trousers became popular. In the 1960s, the hippie movement introduces Charleston jeans and the ladies start to wear very long striped gypsy skirts. Many women throw away their underwear in this decade. Other attributes of the people in the sixties are leather jackets with long fringe dragging tunics over pants, shirts with patterns, scarves and bracelets.
The Different Impressions of People About the 1960s During the 1950s to the 1960s there were many changes in society. Many dramatic events of the twentieth century happened in the sixties, such Yuri Gagarin was the first man in space, the Cuban missile crisis, and more. John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The Vietnam War and the first men on the moon, but the sixties were blamed for many things going wrong in society For teenagers the sixties was a great time for them, they could. finally have their own lives and their own freedom of expression in their clothes, music and tastes.
The government and the older generations could not understand their way of life. Hippies were often portrayed as criminals, subversive to the morals and best interest of the public. Although misunderstood, the hippie had a great impact throughout the country, still surviving today in American culture. The term “hippie” itself became a universal term in the late sixties. It originated in a 1967 article in Ramparts, entitled “The Social History of the Hippies.” Afterward, the name was captured by the mass media as a label for the people of the new movement. (Yablonsky 28) Even before this, the word “hip” described someone who was “in” and “down”, wise to what was going on around him. By the 1960s, some of America’s youth created a gap between themselves and their parents. They grew their hair long because it was natural and therefore considered beautiful.
The 1960's was a decade of tremendous social and political upheaval. In the United States, many movements occurred by groups of people seeking to make positive changes in society.
Freedom Rides, Vietnam, and Social activism among the youths of America have left the 60’s with a very profound effect on our society. Without question, the decade of the 1960’s was one of the most controversial in American History. Throughout this period of social unrest, anti-war attitudes were gaining prevalence in a peace-loving subculture, and individuals began to question certain aspects of governmental policy and authority. This was the decade of peace and war, optimism and despair, cultural turbulence and frustration.
During the 1960’s America was experiencing many historical changes, both pleasant and tragic events, such as Sexual Revolution, Vietnam War, Civil Rights Act and the rise of NASA. These movements have strongly impacted the way Americans’ live today.
The 60s was the period of time when the baby boomers began to grow up and supplement their own ideas. The post World War II Baby Boom created 70 million teenagers for the sixties. This youth swayed fashion into their own favor by moving away from the conservative fifties. Also the fads and the politics of the decade were also influenced by the new generation.
As World War Two came to a close, a new American culture was developing all across the United States. Families were moving away from crowded cities into spacious suburban towns to help create a better life for them during and after the baby boom of the post-war era. Teenagers were starting to become independent by listing to their own music and not wearing the same style of clothing as their parents. Aside from the progress of society that was made during this time period, many people still did not discuss controversial issues such as divorce and sexual relations between young people. While many historians regard the 1950s as a time of true conservatism at its finest, it could really be considered a time of true progression in the American way of life.
Zeinab Atwa Senior English/ Pd. 3 Ms. Ruiz Dec. 5/ 2017. History of the hippie movement The movement that began during the counterculture era in the 1960s, also known as the youth movement, rebelled against the conformity of American life. The main goal the hippie movement was trying to accomplish was being able to change views and ideas politically, socially, and culturally. However, they mainly aimed at changing cultural and everyday values.
More than any other countercultural group, hippies reflected a deep discontent with technocracy- society’s reliance on scientific experts who ruled coldly and dispassionately and who wielded enormous power. Hippies said good-bye to that and hello to the mystical spirit, oneness with the universe- life as passion, passion as life, harmony, and understanding. The...
Although the sixties were a decade in which the United States became a more open, more tolerant, and a freer country, in some ways it became less of these things. During the sixties, America intervened in other nations and efforts were made to stop the progress of the civil rights movement. Because of America’s foreign policy and Americans fight against the civil rights movement, it is clear that the sixties in America were not purely a decade of openness, tolerance, and freedom in the United States.
In 1967, summer of love in San Francisco there were people traveling from across the world to go to Haight-Ashbury street to join the huge crowd. To listen to bands play while going wild. Taking drugs, having sex, dancing to music, people fighting for what’s right. During that year summer lasted a year long and not a lot of people complained. With what happened, there were multiple of things that had an impact on American society and culture, hippie movement became a trend, there were drugs, and music.
The Hippie Movement changed the politics and the culture in America in the 1960s. When the nineteen fifties turned into the nineteen sixties, not much had changed, people were still extremely patriotic, the society of America seemed to work together, and the youth of America did not have much to worry about, except for how fast their car went or what kind of outfit they should wear to the Prom. After 1963, things started to slowly change in how America viewed its politics, culture, and social beliefs, and the group that was in charge of this change seemed to be the youth of America. The Civil Rights Movement, President Kennedy’s death, new music, the birth control pill, the growing illegal drug market, and the Vietnam War seemed to blend together to form a new counterculture in America, the hippie.
When people hear the term hippie, they think of men and woman in loose clothing with flowers weaved in their hair. Although these men and women did in fact wear these things, they left a significant impact on society. Hippies were a part of the Counterculture movement, which basic ideals were to reject the ideas of mainstream society. The movement itself began with the protesting of the Vietnam War. Eventually, the movement was more than just protesting the war. Hippies promoted the use of recreational drugs, religious tolerance; they also changed society’s views and attitudes about lifestyle and social behavior. The Counterculture movement was the most influential era in the 20th century because the people of this time changed society’s outlook, and broached the topics of drugs, fashion, and sexual freedom.
The sixties was a decade of liberation and revolution, a time of great change and exciting exploration for the generations to come. It was a time of anti-war protests, free love, sit-ins, naked hippie chicks and mind-altering drugs. In big cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York and Paris, there was a passionate exchange of ideas, fiery protests against the Vietnam War, and a time for love, peace and equality. The coming together of like-minded people from around the world was spontaneous and unstoppable. This group of people, which included writers, musicians, thinkers and tokers, came to be known as the popular counterculture, better known as hippies. The dawning of the Age of Aquarius in the late sixties was more than just a musical orgy. It was a time of spiritual missions to fight for change and everything they believed in. Freedom, love, justice, equality and peace were at the very forefront of this movement (West, 2008). Some wore beads. Some had long hair. Some wore tie-dye and others wore turtle-neck sweaters. The Hippie generation was a wild bunch, to say the least, that opened the cookie jar of possibilities politically, sexually, spiritually and socially to forever be known as one of the most memorable social movements of all time (Hippie Generation, 2003).
To start this essay, it will introduce the evaluation of the first significant revolution of dressing style in 1960s. A famous designer called Mary Quant created mini-skirts and it becomes the most popular fashion style around that decade (Tracy Tolkien., 2002).