Chapter 18 Section 1: The Student Movement and the Counterculture

  1. The Growth of the Youth Movement
  2. The Roots of the Movement
  3. Roots stretch back to the 1950s “Beat” movement where artists and writers criticized American society believing it valued conformity over independence and financial gain over spiritual and social advancement.
  4. The concern about the future led many young people to be active in social causes and by this was also in part due to the “baby boom” generation.
  5. 58.4% of the population was 34 or younger in 1970.(48.9% in 2000)
  6. In the early 1960s, the rapid increase in enrollment in college also fueled the youth movement.
  7. Economic boom of 1950s led to higher education and more can afford to send their children to college.
  8. College life empowered young people and allowed them to meet and bond with other who shared their feelings about society and fear of the future.
  9. College campuses saw the loudest protest throughout the nation.
  10. Students for a Democratic Society
  11. Youth saw that few wealthy elites controlled politics and wealth itself was unfairly divided.
  12. This group formed the new Left and the prominent group known as the Students for Democratic Society (SDS) formed form this group.
  13. 1962, Tom Hayden, in the Port Huron Statement, the SDS declared for an end to apathy and urged citizens to stop accepting a country run by big corporations and big government.
  14. The SDS focused on protesting the Vietnam War and also poverty, campus regulations, nuclear power, and racism.
  15. 1968, the SDS leaders organized a 8 day occupation of Columbia University in New York to protest a plan to build a new gym in a area that served a neighborhood park near Harlem.
  16. The Free Speech Movement
  17. Led by Mario Savio and others at the University of California at Berkely, the Free Speech Movement received national attention when the University tried to restrict the right to distribute literature and recruit volunteers for political causes.
  18. On December 2, 1964, Savio made a speech at the administration building and conducted a sit-in.
  19. Governor Pat Brown then sent in 600 police to break up the demonstrators arresting more than 700 protestors.
  20. In response to the arrest, a larger strike took place in support of the Free Speech Movement resulting in the administration giving into the students’ demands .
  21. The Supreme Court validated the students’ First Amendment right
  22. The Berkeley revolt was an early outburst in a decade of campus turmoil which then served as a model for future college demonstrators of abandoning classes and occupying buildings.
  23. Counterculture
  24. Hippie Culture
  25. While many sought to challenge the system, others wanted to leave it and build their own society.
  26. These people with their alternative ways of life formed the counterculture movement and were referred to as “hippies.”
  27. Counterculture at its core was to held up a utopian ideal: the ideal of a society that was freer, closer to nature, and full of love, empathy, tolerance, and cooperation.
  28. The this movement grew, new comer did not understand the original ideas and instead focuses on not representing modern society.
  29. Long hair, headbands, boots, long dresses, shabby jeans, and use of drugs came to be associated with hippie culture.
  30. Communes were formed to allow hippies to drop out of society and live together with other hippies.
  31. These were established in small or rural communities while other lived in parks or crowded apartments in large cities.
  32. Most popular destination was San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district where thousands lived.
  33. New Religious Movements
  34. To abandon materialism, many embraced spirituality including astrology, magic of Eastern religions, and new forms of Christianity.
  35. Religious groups centered around authoritarian leaders who dominated the followers life and were accused of using mind-control methods
  36. Unification Church and the Hare Krishna movement were two groups that showcased these ideals.
  37. Unification Church members were known as “Moonies” after their Korean founder Reverend Sun Myung Moon.
  38. He told his followers that Moon was the next messiah and was charged in restoring the kingdom of God
  39. The Hare Krishnas traced to the Hindu sect in the 1400s and worshiped the God Krishna.
  40. Counterculture declines
  41. The movement declined as communities turned into dangerous places and drug use led to addiction and overdoses.
  42. Most returned to mainstream society since they could not establish their “ideal society.”
  43. Impact of the Counterculture
  44. Fashion
  45. The fashions turned the fashion industry upside down with uni-sexed clothing and now fashion would takes cures form young men and women from the street before designing new collections.
  46. Clothing became more comfortable and more colorful.
  47. People expressed themselves with their clothing and showed their identity.
  48. Military surplus attire was worn during protest because it expressed rejection of materialist values and blurred the lines of social classes.
  49. Old clothing was reused, worn clothing was patched together, ethnic clothing was popularized.
  50. Native American beads and fringes
  51. Tie-dyed shirts borrowed techniques from India and Africa.
  52. Hair styles became the symbol of the counterculture movement and also long hair symbolized defiance.
  53. Art
  54. Pop art derived its subject matter from elements of popular culture including photographs, comic books, advertisements, and brand name products.
  55. Andy Warhol used images of famous people or every day protect and repeated them over and over or made them more realistic
  56. Roy Lichtenstein used frames from comic strips to create bold primary colors with blamand pow into his paintings in comic book fashion.
  57. Music and Dance
  58. Counter culture musicians hoped their music would be the means to topple the establishment and reforming society.
  59. The Beatles with “Beatlemainia” swept through the nation inspiring other groups in both Britain and the US.
  60. The Use of electrically amplified instrument also changed the sound and the master was Jimi Hendrix who inspired countless musicians even today
  61. In August 1969, Festivals such as Woodstock in upstate New York showcased rock ‘n’ roll and allowed all types of people to celebrate this new type of music.