1960s America

1960s America

U.S. Studies

Kennedy Administration

• 1960 Election—closest ever (until 2000)

• Televised debates• Peace Corps: US

education efforts in 3rd World

• Alliance for Progress: Peace Corps for Latin America

• Equal Pay Act

Lyndon Johnson Presidency

LBJ’s Effectiveness

• Used the “Ghost of JFK”• Was a “close talker”• Former legislator—knew

how to get bills passed (and many were passed)

• Meetings continued into the bathroom

• 1964 “Daisy” campaign commercial

• Vietnam did him in

The Great Society

• Tax cut (this increased government revenue)

• Civil Rights Act• Head Start• VISTA (inner-city Peace

Corps)• Medicare & Medicaid• Elementary & Secondary

Education Act (inner city funds; college loans & grants)

• Immigration Act (ended quotas)

Effects of the Great Society

• Positives– Attention was focused on

the less fortunate– Poverty decreased 50% in

America– College—more affordable

• Negatives– Federal government—too

powerful– Taxes not spent wisely– Poor became dependent

on government

Hippies!

What Were Hippies?

• A counterculture movement

• Disliked mainstream values, wanted to make America better (LOVE!)

• Generation gap• Higher level of

consciousness (drugs?)• Many wanted revolution

(only way to bring change)

Fashion

Gatherings

Summer of Love

1968 Democratic Convention

Communal Living

Popular Culture