Unit 16 -- 1960 THROUGH PRESENT 3.0 weeks
Organizing Principles - Disillusionment with the increasingly violent protest of the 1960s led to the entrenchment of conservative ideology between 1968 and 1992.
Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, America's foreign policy groped for ways to promote world peace with minimal U.S. involvement.
Technological developments between 1950 and 2000 radically altered the economic, social, and moral fiber of the nation.
Counter Culture of the 1960’s 70’s
The end of “Leave it to Beaver”
This was a time of loss of conservative control as TV brought the Civil Rights Movement and the Viet Nam war into everyones living room the youth 16-29 turned on the adult population and question all preceeding values in America – churches lost population and control over society – parents lost control over their kids as all aspects of society were put into question.
Berkley Mario Savio and the Students for Democratic society began the counter culture movemtn with a protes on the University of Berkley’s campuss for not allowing political meetings and speachhes to occur on campuss – protested in the name of freedomn pf speech.
The counterculture of the 1960s began in the United States as a reaction against the social norms of the 1950s, segregation in the Deep South, and the Vietnam War
White middle class youth, for the first time since the Depression of the 1930s, had sufficient leisure time to raise concerns about social issues--especially civil rights, the War in Vietnam and women's rights
As the 1960s progressed, widespread tensions developed in American society that tended to flow along generational lines regarding the war in Vietnam, race relations, sexual mores, women's rights, traditional modes of authority, experimentation with psychedelic drugs and a predominantly materialist interpretation of the American Dream.
The Hippies became the largest countercultural group in the United States, fighting for racial equality, women's rights, sexual liberation (including gay rights), relaxation of prohibitions against recreational drugs, and an end to the Vietnam War. The Hippies mostly expressed their views through the new genre of psychedelic rock music. Bands and artists such as Jefferson Airplane,The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors,The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Janis Joplin expressed their views about drugs and Vietnam. The pop-art culture led by figures such as Andy Warhol and Edie Sedgwick also played a prominent part in the social change in the United States. Warhol and Sedgwick expressed views of glamour, art, and drugs very prominently through Warhol's paintings, films, and music (through his sponsored bands such as The Velvet Underground and Nico).
1969 WOODSTOCK
The Woodstock Music and Art Fair in 1969 drew more than 450,000 people to a pasture in Sullivan County. For four days, the site became a countercultural mini-nation in which minds were open, drugs were all but legal and love was "free". The music began Friday afternoon at 5:07pm August 15 and continued until mid-morning Monday August 18. The festival closed the New York State Thruway and created one of the nation's worst traffic jams. It also inspired a slew of local and state laws to ensure that nothing like it would ever happen again.
Gathered that weekend in 1969 were liars and lovers, prophets and profiteers. They made love, they made money and they made a little history. Arnold Skolnick, the artist who designed Woodstock's dove-and-guitar symbol, described it this way: "Something was tapped, a nerve, in this country. And everybody just came."
The counterculture's biggest bash - it ultimately cost more than $2.4 million - was sponsored by four very different, and very young, men: John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfeld and Michael Lang. The oldest of the four was 26. John Roberts supplied the money. He was heir to a drugstore and toothpaste manufacturing fortune. He had a multimillion-dollar trust fund, a University of Pennsylvania degree and a lieutenant's commission in the Army. He had seen exactly one rock concert, by the Beach Boys.
500,000 people
And the Guest List...How about...
Anti-War Protesters / Vietnam Vets
Black Militants / Rednecks
Anti-Gays / Gays/Lesbians
Legalize Drugs advocates / Ban Drugs advocates
Anti-Government advocates / Pro-Government advocates
and
The "I'm Just Here For The Music" Group
On the negative side, according to police reports, there were 2 deaths (but there were also 2 births!).
Although there were more than a few drug busts, there were no reports of burglary or violent crime in the surrounding communities. (Trespassing was a definite problem though and one judge did get his lights knocked out!).
The counterculture in the United States reached its peak between 1965 and the mid-1970's. It eventually waned for several reasons--the public tired of its excesses, some notable countercultural figures died, the Civil Rights movement achieved its main goals, and the Vietnam War ended.
Recent social trends in the 2000's have signaled the possible rise in a new counterculture rebelling against the conservative social norms of the 1980's. Though most of the 1960's countercultural groups have died out, they have left their mark on society.
The Civil Rights Movement
The American Dilemma 20th century
1950’s
15 million blacks living in America of which 10 million lived in the South where a strict segregation system as a result of reconstruction was in place – Jim Crow Laws all based upon the 1896 Plessey V. Ferguson case of Separate but Equal also only 20% of the eligible southern blacks were registered to vote
NAACP strategy was not to combat racism in the streets or against local authority but to rather when its point in the federal court system and the Supreme Court.
Civil rights under IKE
1954 a unanimous decision by the Supreme court headed by Chief Justice Warren (Did not get along with Ike) for the first time the court over ruled an early decision – when it passed Brown V the board of education of Topeka Kansas _ segregation in the public schools is unconstitutional and illegal - the law stated states had to desegregate with all deliberate speed (what ever that means)
1955
Rosa Parks and Claudette Colvin (student of BTW) Colvin did it nine months before Parks both arrested – launched the Montgomery Bus boycott
1957
Governor Orval Faubus Little Rock Arkansas at Little Rock Central HS National Guard federalized after 9 blacks were stopped from entering school. Same year Ike passed the first Civil rights Act since reconstruction – it was a mild act to please southern senators and calm northern ones – it set up a commission to investagate Civil rights violations in the country.
Martin L King Jr created SCLS (southern Christian leadership conference) used to mobilize the power of the black churches – onbly place in the south blacks were allowed to meet in large numbers
1960
Feb Greensboro Sit ins at lunch counters at Woolworth’s started with 4 grew to a thousand in a week grabbed national attention- throughout the year sit-ins pray in and lie ins spread to transportation facilities restaurants and housing areas.
April SNCC was formed Student non violent coordinating committee. College students – would eventuall cause conflict with SCLC and NAACP. (go fig students)
Civil rights Under J.F.Kennedy
One of Kennedy’s campaign promises was to end racial discrimination in housing “with the stroke of a pen” it took nearly two years and thousands of black pens to start on the promise.
Kennedy could not more on civil rights as he needed southern votes for the economic social and medical plans he had for the country. He hoped by passing these they would help blacks in the long run and ignored civil rights until it back fired and the civil rights movement became a national event.
1961
Freedom Riders waves of back and white Americans from across the country boarded busses to invade the south to force desegregation by making it public. It turned violent fast in Alabama and Mississippi wher busses were burned and attacked. – Kennedy was forced to send federal marshals to protect the buss riders. The Kennedy administration now Reluctantly joined forces with the Civil rights Movement. Had his brother RFK Attorney order the FZBI to keep tabs on MLKING and watch for any RED movement in his organizations. At the same time the Kennedy encouraged and help to fund SNCC and voter registration groups
1962
Ole Miss James Meredith retired from the USAF wanted to attend the college was prevented Kennedy dispatched 400 marshals and 3000 troops to enroll him at Ole Miss.
1963
MLKing in Birmingham Al – labeled as the most segregated city in America – blacks made up over half of the cities population but only 15% of the voters 1957-63 attempts to crack the city’s racism resulted in massive violence 50 cross burnings and 18 bombings of black homes and businesses.
June1963 King said some us of us will die in this march today and the world watched as the fire hoses were turned on the demonstrators. – on June 11th Kennedy was forced to address the nation - calling for new civil rights legislation
Aug. King lead 200,000 Americas on a March through Washington D.C. ending in his I have a dream speech on the Lincoln Memorial.
Sept. Miss. Medger Evers was shot by whites – and whites bombed a church in B-Ham killing 4 little black girls
Nov. Kennedys Civil Rights legislation is not even making head way in congress – Dallas TX he is assinated by Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby Kills him LBJ sworn in on Plane.
Civil Rights Under LBJ
1964
LBJ challenged congress to honor Kennedy by passing his Civil Rights Act – after along attempted filibuster the Civil Rights Act was passed into law – banned racial discrimination all private facilities that served the public and strengthened the federal Govt. to rule over public schools it created the EEOC – equal employment opportunity commission to eliminate discrimination in hiring. Conservatives attempt at the last minute to derail the bill by adding sexual discrimination to it thinking no man would give women rights. It failed
Nixon
Already seen foreign policy with Vietnam and China
1968 Nixon elected to the presidency defeated Humphreys and Wallace
Nixon faced a stagnating and declining economy – U.S. spent to much in a war with little return and simultaneously spent to much on domestic policy Medicare /medicade – American productivity had doubled since WW II but in 1970 it stopped – U.S. no longer enjoyed a comfortable lead in technology both Germany and Japan nations without “militaries” passed the U.S. and began selling cheaper quality goods – Also the laws allowing women and teenagers into the work force played a roll less eeducated and less experienced workers without commitment entered jobs lowers productivity rates – Rising oil prices from the middle east forced an energy crisis under Nixon that would top off under Carter. The U.S. entered its worse inflationary period in the 20th century.
Supreme Court under Nixon
Bring back good old American conservatism Nixon sought to get rid of the liberal Supreme Court –
History of the court up to Nixon
Warrens Court (last liberal court)
Warren’s court passed several landmark cases that gave liberal rights to sexual freedom-criminals-religion and civil rights-
1962/63 Engel v Vitale and School District of Abington Township V Schempp Prayer in school outlawed
1963 Escobedo and Miranda 1966 both gave criminals or the accused the right to remain silent
1964 New York times v Sullivan public figures could sue publications for malice
1965 Griswold V Connecticut legal counsel to the poor in criminal cases
by 1972 Nixon appointed 4 conservative judges and Warren Burger replaced Warren. As chief justice. Conservative did not stop liberal ruling – 1973 unanimous decision on Roe v Wade.
Liberal legislation
Expanded welfare increased spending on food stamps Medicad and aid to families with dependent children and approved increased Social Security benefits as COL went up – sent affirmative action into all jobs causing reverse discrimination cases to appear. Nixon also created the EPA and OSHA all designed to protect the environment and the people.
1972 election
Went after Wallace made him run as a democrat or face jail time – Wallace was shot. Ran against McGovern Landslide victory took every state but Mass.
Oil Problems – Six day war in Israel brought the U.S. in on the side of the Israelis – and the Arab nation placed an oil embargo on the U.S. causing an energy crisis – U.S. realized how dependent they were on mid east oil.
Congress authorized the construction of the Alaskan Pipeline and lowered the speed limit to 55 mph
Watergate
June 17 1972 5 republicans were arrested for attempting to plant listening devices in the Democrats headquarters – Nixon was watching his enemies and was going to use Govt. offices to do it.
V.P Agnew was found guilty of taking bribes while in office and was forced to resign. Congress replaced him with senator Gerald Ford
Senate conducted hearings on Watergate and went after Nixon – who refused to cooperate orders by the Supreme Court to turn over his tapes Nixon say no way out of an impeachment and he resigned from office Making Ford the President un elected – Ford immediately pardoned Nixon would cost him his election