The 60s and 70s Life in America Cultural

The 60’s and 70’s Life in America & Cultural Revolution

JFK • 1960 Election – In 1960 John Fitzgerald Kennedy faced Richard Nixon for the presidency – It was the first Presidential election where TV played a major role – The first televised debates took place. . . Showing us the power of the picture for the first time. • Nixon was a strong debater who was confident in his ability to beat Kennedy on the issues • Kennedy relied on his calm demeanor and goods looks • Post debate polls showed that those listening the debate on the radio had Nixon as the winner, but those that watched gave the victory to JFK

• New Frontier – Jack Kennedy became the first true WW II veteran elected to the Presidency – He was young (youngest president ever elected at the age of 43) and idealistic – Despite the fact that America was in the middle of the Cold War Kennedy brought a confidence to office and challenged Americans to reach new goals – Kennedy in is inaugural address called on Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you, but you can do for your country”

• Domestic Affairs – Kennedy proposed a very small domestic agenda very similar to the traditional democratic position on things such as education and minimum wage – JFK did not move immediately to propose Civil Rights legislation despite having the support of many African Americans in the 1960 election – Not until 1963 did JFK make a shift on Civil Rights legislation and actually begin to push for comprehensive change in civil rights – JFK did establish the Peace Corps an organization of volunteers who serve in various capacity to provide aid to developing countries

• Foreign Problems – Largest single issue of JFK’s foreign policy was dealing with the Soviet Union, just as it had been for Eisenhower – This was manifest in everything from the space race to eventually the Cuban Missile Crisis – Race to the Moon • In 1961 the Soviets put a man into space, JFK demanded that the U. S. catch up and be the first to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade • Congress funds the Apollo project which in 1969 successfully places a man on the moon; the modern space program was born

– Bay of Pigs • The president approved a plan to take down the Communist Regime of Fidel Castro in Cuba • In April of 1961 the U. S. backed an invasion of Cuba by 1400 CIA trained Cuban exiles at the Bay of Pigs • The invasion failed to gain popular support and within days all of them men had been captured – Initial Issues With the Soviets • Kennedy met with Nikita Khrushchev in the spring of 1961 • Kennedy felt that Khrushchev had made him look weak and determined to never appear that way to the Soviets again

• In later meetings Kennedy held his ground and insisted that the U. S. would not withdraw from Berlin despite Soviet threats • It looked as if the countries would go to war over Berlin because neither was willing to move on their involvement in the city • In August of 1961 the Soviets erected a wall dividing east and west Berlin • The problem faded as the Soviets determined they no longer cared about the U. S. presence in West Berlin

– Cuban Missile Crisis • In October of 1962 a US spy plane discovered missiles being built on the island of Cuba • This posed a major threat to the US because it limited the time the US had to strike at the Soviet Union if it ever became necessary to do so • Kennedy is faced with a decision regarding the missiles; he decides against an invasion and bombing the missile sites. He decides on a naval blockade of Cuba until the Soviets remove the missiles • On October 24 th Soviet ships approach the blockade line – but stop just short of crossing it Khrushchev does not challenge Kennedy’s resolve in this situation

• The Soviet’s agree to remove the missiles in exchange for Kennedy’s assurance that the US would not invade the island • The US also agrees to remove several missiles from Turkey

• The End of Camelot – On November 22, 1963 JFK traveled to Dallas along with Jackie – While part of a motorcade through the city Kennedy was assassinated – With in hours Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested as the shooter – The following day Oswald was shot and killed in the police station by Jack Ruby – Several investigations were done regarding the assassination, including the Warren report. – Because of the nature of the assassination speculation and conspiracy have followed the story for the past 40 years

Lyndon B. Johnson • The Great Society: LBJ’s Plan for America – Great Society was the name of the domestic agenda of LBJ – Civil Rights: Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – Johnson was a throwback to FDR in many ways – He saw it as the federal governments responsibility to ensure housing, income, employment, and health care – Above all Johnson saw the elimination of poverty as the major responsibility of the federal government, thus developing the War on Poverty

– Just as FDR did LBJ institutes a myriad of social programs; Department of Housing and Urban Development (new cabinet position), Medicare and Medicaid, the Job Corps, Higher Education Act, etc. – LBJ’s domestic policy was big government spending and an ever increasing role for government in eliminating societal ills – Along with the civil rights legislation passed by congress LBJ also introduced America to the concept of Affirmative Action – LBJ also was the first President to name many African Americans to high level government positions including cabinet positions and Supreme Court Justices

Counterculture • A New Generation: The Baby Boomers – Of all the activities of the 1960’s nothing left as much of a mark on American society as the countercultural movements of the decades youth – The 60’s began like the 50’s ended: clean cut and straight laced was in, Elvis was King, the Drive in was the place to be and life was for the most part good. – By 1970 America had experienced the British Invasion, the drug culture, Woodstock, hippies, radical feminism and the sexual revolution – What I want to do when I want to do it was the mantra of the times

• Anti-Establishment – Student Movement • In the early 60’s the SDS – Students for a Democratic Society was established in Michigan. The group called for students to have a direct say in any issue directly effecting them • The first target was the American University – conduct requirements, dress codes, dorm rules and everything else that indicated an authority was questioned and protested • This mindset grew out of many things, but it was most widely influenced by the literature of the 1950’s which was very critical of the standard middle class life

• The first major student protest was held on the campus of the University of California Berkeley in 1964 • Greatest catalyst of protest was the Vietnam War – Foundations of Cultural Shift • No one incident began the revolution but rather a combination of mindsets and events • In the 1950’s America had experienced a tremendous jump in prosperity. This translated into more leisure time and more money for the teenage population • Parents gave their children more of the “life they never had” and a generation grew up that never faced a significant struggle

• Adding to this was the attitude of disregard for the previous generation ushered in with the Rock and Roll movement • Also larger numbers than ever before were not going to work, but to college, where they sat under the influence of Marx, Lenin, and other communist ideologues. • Mix into this already potentially volatile situation a disillusionment spurred by the assassinations of JFK, MLK, and RFK heroes of change and ignoring the status quo • The final piece was an increasing lack of religion and disregard for God and morality in general

– Results • Remaking society became their objective • Rejection of capitalism in favor of theoretical wonders of communism • Rejection of everything that was an indication of the previous generation, especially dress and hair • Rejection of God led to an inward focus for many seeking a connection to the spirit world. Eastern mysticism became popular with the concept that god is a part of everything including each person • Drug use becomes a means of making that connection and fulfilling the searching that seemed to characterize the times.

• The rise in the drug culture led the dropping of many other previous barriers • The “free thinking” of the drug culture and the production of the morning after pill led to what we call the “sexual revolution”. The acceptance of promiscuous behavior became the standard for the youth of the day. • Distrust of authority and government in particular led to the protest of the Vietnam war and the protest of the war along with the influx of eastern thinking brought into being the anti-war anti-violence, peace, love and harmony mindset that typified the hippie movement

– Women’s Rights • In the 1960’s the modern women’s rights movement was born • Betty Freidan writes the book The Feminine Mystique analyzing the role that society played in shaping women’s opinions on what was necessary to be happy • As with all of the other movements of the decade women’s rights rejected the TV mom image of the good little 50’s housewife • Women also began to protest against unequal pay scales for men and women

• Also on the books were laws severely restricting the rights of married women when it came to ownership of property and participation in business • the Civil Rights act of 1964 legal barred discrimination against women in hiring practices but enforcement was slow in developing • To push for this the National Organization for Women (NOW) was established • Although many of the points made by the women’s rights movement were valid there was also a more radical tone taken in the 60’s then in the voting rights movements of the early 1900’s

• Along with equal pay the women’s rights movement began demanding a change in access to contraceptives and the abortion law • The women’s movement changed from one of equality to one of superiority – in the mantra of many of its leaders men were nothing but would be tyrants who sought complete subjugation of women • Radical feminism sought to completely blur the lines between men and women, not just bring work place equality

– Environmental Movement • the 1960’s also brought the environmental movement • it grew primarily from the new focus on oneself being a part of nature, and the mysticism of the time • The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established to investigate environmental issues