Social Issues of the Seventies

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The 1970s can be best understood as a transitional period in America. Starting in the 1950s, the power of the youth was on the rise, through civil rights activism and anti-war protests. This decade’s ideal citizen seemed to be the person helping others. Then the 1980s are more financially centered and individualistic. This decade’s ideal citizen is the one who measured success by how much money they made. The 1970s proved to be a time of bitterness, cynicism, and increased interest in one’s self for most of the people in America. Some of the events that contributed to this were the Kent State Massacre, Roe v. Wade, and the economic stagflation that happened in the latter part of the decade.
President Richard Nixon announced on April 30, 1970 that the United States was going to invade Cambodia as part of the ongoing war in Vietnam. This announcement triggered huge protests, especially on the college campuses around the nation. At Kent State University in Ohio on the next day a protest started that consisted of around 500 students. This was a relatively peaceful protest. A few acts of vandalism and rioting happened that night and some students went into town the next day to help with the cleanup efforts. The vandals then set the ROTC building ablaze the next day, which prompted the Governor of Ohio to send in the National Guard to restore peace. Over the next few days the protest grew to 1500 demonstrators and about 1500 bystanders and tear gas was often used to disband the crowds. All these events culminated on May 4 when the National Guard troops began to fire into the demonstration on the common grounds of the university. A group of 28 members of the National Guard fired over 60 shots into the students, killing 4 a...

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...nts along with Watergate, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War turned the public from being filled with hope and fighting for each other’s rights to being disillusioned and filled with cynicism. American citizens were worried about and looked out for each other in the 1960s and then they started to worry more about themselves in the 1980s. This loss of American’s confidence in their Government and in each other can still be seen in today’s society. The way to restore this confidence still remains unanswered.

Works Cited

Gordon, William A. “Four Dead in Ohio: Was There a Conspiracy at Kent State?” El Toro, Ca: North Ridge Books, 2011. Print.
“Roe v. Wade: Its History and Impact.” Plannedparenthood.org. Planned Parenthood Federation of America, 2013. Web. 2 Dec. 13
Amadeo, Kimberly. “Stagflation.” USeconomy.about.com. About.com, 2013. Web. 29 Nov. 2013.

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