1. 1960s Counterculture

2. Reason: The Three P’s Some young people, known as hippies, were so “ turned off” by the modern world that they retreated from it, finding refuge in communes, drugs, and mystical religions, often wandering aimlessly from place to place. Most hippies were unwilling to confront the problems of society that most Americans faced. They wanted more freedom in the way they dressed to how they lived their lives. The upheavals of the 1960s can largely be attributed to the three P’s: 1) the youthful POPULATION bulge, 2) the PROTEST against racism and the Vietnam War 3) the apparent permanence of PROSPERITY, but as the 1970s rolled around, this prosperity gave way to stagnation.

3. How We Can See It… The look of the 1960s was frivolous, distinctive, and free, but it was the signal of changing attitudes. The youth of the 1960s challenge authority and rejected restrictions. Women chose freer fashions than that of the 1950s- ex. Hair- long and free; Loose fitting dresses. Men, too, let their hair grow long and wore beards. Their clothing was different from the grey flannel suits of the 1950s. However, the “counterculture” of the youths of the 1960s did significantly weaken existing values, ideas, and beliefs.

4. Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out… The counterculture was a movement to challenge the values of the “affluent society” of the 50’s and 60’s and try to find life’s meaning in a new view of the world. The person most famous for advocating the use of acid (LSD) was Harvard professor, Timothy Leary who advised youth (before he got fired) to “turn on, tune in, and drop out.” Needless to say, this movement caused a bit of a generation gap and some serious backlash.

5. What You Probably Know There are two famous incidents that capture some of the spirit of the counterculture: San Francisco’s “summer of love” (1967) and Woodstock (1969).

6. Non-Conformist Artist- Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollack

7. 1960s-Student Activism In the early 1960s, members of the baby-boom generation began to graduate from high school. The post-war prosperity gave many of these students opportunities unknown to previous generations. As college enrollment swelled, these students were being taught by New Deal liberals that the government had a great responsibility to the people. The Civil Rights movement became a stepping stone to other movements for change.

8. Student Activism Civil rights activists were among those who helped organize Students for a Democratic Society ( SDS) in 1960. They issued the Port Huron Statement in 1962 that explained the feelings behind this movement. This organization had a major influence on the development of the New Left, who believed that poverty and racism called for radical changes. This led to the Free Speech Movement- UC- Berkley- 1964, MSU- Spring of 1965 Teach-In Movement began at the University of Michigan in March 1965.