The Counterculture of the 1960’s

1. The Counterculture of the 1960’s • Counterculture was a movement made up of mostly white, middle-class college young people who were disillusioned with the war and injustices of society • They turned their backs on traditional American and founded a society based on peace and love • Hippies

2. Materialism, Technology, and war were hollow • Harvard Psychology and counterculture philosopher Dr. Timothy Leary urged the youth to “Tune in, Turn On, Drop Out!” • Many left home, work, and school to create an ideal community of peace love and harmony

3. Which picture represents mainstream culture, which the counterculture? Explain why.

5. Hippie Culture • The Age of Aquarius • Rock ’n’ Roll Music • Sexual Revolution (Free Love) • Marijuana and LSD ( Illegal Drugs) • Eastern Religions (Zen Buddhism) • Ragged Jeans, Tie-dye shirts, military garments, love beads and muslin shirts • Long hair and beards

6. Hippie Culture Many also chose to live in large groups called communes. Many hippies moved to San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district. This community was popular mainly because of the availability of drugs.

7. The Manson Family

8. After a few years, the counterculture movement began to decline. Some aspects of the movement became violent. More than anything else, hippies eventually found that they couldn’t survive outside mainstream America. They needed $ to live.

11. Art of the 1960’s • One celebrated pop artist was Andy Warhol. His work was characterized by bright, simple, commercial looking images such as portraits of soup cans & other icons of mass culture. • The movement affected the worlds of art & fashion. The 60’s saw the rise of popular, or pop, art.

12. Art of the 1960’s • Pop-Art by Andy Warhol

13. Music of the 1960’s • The music was a form of protest that grew out of African-American rhythm and blues of the 1950’s (Folk and Rock) • The Beatles, The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead, the Who, Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and the Rolling Stones • In 1969 the appex of the counterculture was the music festival Woodstock • The 1970 Concert at Altamont Speedway was a disaster and ended the era of peace and love

15. Perhaps the most influential band was the Beatles. The British group took America by storm & helped rock music become part of mainstream America.

16. A dramatic example of rock ‘n’ roll’s popularity was an event known as Woodstock. More than 400,000 people attended….far more than expected. For 3 days, popular bands & musicians performed. Despite the crowd, however, the festival was peaceful & well organized.

20. Woodstock!!! • Expected 200,000 at only $24 for tickets for the entire weekend. • Turned into a free concert for over 500,000!!

22. New Rounds of Protests • Kent State University • National Guardsman opened fire. • Killed 4 students. • Jackson State College • 2 students dead and 12 injured.

23. The Conservative Response • Many saw the values as decadent, un-American, immature and irresponsible • Nixon, Agnew and J Edgar Hoover expressed anger and concern over the counterculture and the threat to traditional values • Conservatives presented their own solutions to crime and lawlessness