The 1960s

Introduction

                The 1960s were a decade of combined advancement and deterioration. While many advances were made technologically and otherwise, the moral standards of the world, most particularly the United States, were in decline. This paper will seek to mention the historical, political, cultural, and technological high-points of the 1960s.

Major Events

                One of the major events towards the beginning of the 1960s was the construction of the Berlin Wall. It separated East and West Germany, and some believed that it significantly lessened tensions in the area. Previous to the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, tanks were regularly facing off in the streets. The Wall eliminated that problem.

                1962 was the year of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The United States discovered that the Soviet Union was building missiles in Cuba. Due to the fact that it was currently the middle of the Cold War, this was a major problem as that country was within shooting distance of the United States. Castro had a large role in this. However, Robert Kennedy narrowly averted the near disaster.

                The year of 1963 was a big year for two primary reasons. One was that Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “Dream” speech, which is quoted frequently even now, 50 years later. One of the best known quotes is the following: “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the songs of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.” In November of the same year, John F. Kennedy, President of the United States, was assassinated.

                1967 saw the Six-Days War in Israel. It lasted June 5-10. Israel triumphed over Egypt, Jordan, and Syria. They won for themselves the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula.

                Several assassinations of important people occurred in 1968 – specifically, Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. were both killed. But 1969 was the year on which the first man walked on the moon.

Fascinating World Events

                As I studied the 1960s, I encountered a few events that caught my attention – but weren’t truly major events, merely things that interested me. One of those was an earthquake in 1960 known as the Valdivia earthquake. It measured a 9.5 on the Richter scale, making it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in the world. It hit Chile and Hawaii especially hard. In 1964, the “Good Friday Earthquake” hit the United States. Clocking a hefty 9.2 on the Richter scale, it was the largest ever measured in the States. It mostly shook Alaska.

                Another world disaster was Hurricane Camille. It was a category five hurricane that formed in the US Gulf Coast. It is very rare that a category five hurricane will make landfall – in fact, Hurricane Camille is one of only three that have done so. It reached sustained winds of 190 miles per hour – Camille is one of four known to have reached and sustained such wind speeds.

                In 1962, there were three men who escaped from the island prison of Alcatraz, located outside San Francisco on the California coast. The men left on an inflatable raft. The police were unable to fully trace them, and they were never recaptured. It is not known whether they lived and escaped safely or perished at sea.

                In 1963, there was a great train robbery in England. The thieves made away with £2.6 million. In today’s coinage, that would be worth £46 million. Unfortunately, most of that money was never recovered. The criminals, however, were caught.

Big Names

                The United States had four presidents in office over the span of the decade of the 1960s. Dwight D. Eisenhower was in office at the turn of the decade. John F. Kennedy was in office for just over two years, from January of 1961 to November of 1963, when he was assassinated. His death was followed by the leadership of Lyndon B. Johnson, who was in office from 1963 to January of 1969. It was then that Richard Nixon was elected to finish out the 1960s.

                There were many musicians who made it big in the sixties and are still fondly remembered today. Louis Armstrong’s career actually started in the 1920s – he was known in the sixties for his jazz music and trumpet playing. Other big names included the Beatles (English rock), Johnny Cash (country, among other things), Bob Dylan (who apparently wrote songs that were used for civil rights anthems – but not written for that purpose), Janis Joplin (known for her acid rock, among others), Bob Marley (reggae), Elvis (rock and roll), Frank Sinatra, and the Rolling Stones. And that is naming only a few of the most popular musicians.

                Other well-known people of the era were the actors and actresses who everyone loved to watch on the big screen during the weekends. Big names of the time included Julie Andrews, Lucille Ball, Richard Burton, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Barbra Streisand, Elizabeth Taylor, Dick Van Dyke, and John Wayne.

                It was during this time that Alfred Hitchcock made many of his movies. Dr. Seuss (a pen name for Theodor Seuss Geisel) wrote some of his immensely popular books at this time – these included “Green Eggs and Ham” and “Fox in Socks.” These were also the days of Muhammad Ali (a boxer) and Jackie Robinson (a baseball player).

Titles

                By the 1960s, more and more people around the nation were TVs and watching movies. Some of the most popular TV shows included Star Trek, Beverley Hillbillies, Bonanza, the Dick Van Dyke Show, the Tonight Show, the Andy Griffith Show, and the Lucy Show.

                This decade also saw the premiere of many immensely successful movies that have remained popular into the 2000s. The most successful movie during those years was The Sound of Music. Other loved movies included Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Italian Job, The Lion in Winter, Mary Poppins, and in 1962, the first James Bond movie (Dr. No).

                Many books were written in the 1960s, but few of them saw lasting success. There were three with which I was familiar. One was To Kill a Mockingbird. Another was A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. And the one I have loved longest and best is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Technological and Medical Advances

                Great advances were characteristic of the 1960s in these areas. For example, in 1961, the first industrial robot was created and put to work. It was in 1964 that the 8-track tape became popular, and 1963 when the first cassette tape was invented. 1964 also saw the creation of the computer mouse. Sadly, the first birth-control pills were invented in 1960. But 1967 saw the first successful heart transplant (performed in South Africa!). It was also in 1964 that Ford made their first Mustang car. The first ATM (Automated Teller Machine) was made in 1967. This was the decade too of the first Wal-Mart!

Culture

                The quality of the movies and TV shows during the 1960s was on a sad decline. While the literal quality, in terms of the picture and sound, no doubt improved, the moral quality rocketed downwards. The movies were breaking the common social taboos concerning on-screen sex and violence. Some of the movies rated PG in the 1960s would now be rated R. They were regularly dramatic, unbalanced, and hectic. This, sadly, was a realistic portrayal of the culture at the time.

                During the 1960s, crime reached new highs across the United States; highs that set records, some of which still have not been broken. There were massive riots in big cities like Chicago and Detroit. (Notably, my grandparents were caught in a riot in Detroit in the early sixties!) Many of these riots were concerning the racism that was still rampant across parts of America.

                Other causes that increased in popularity as the decade continued included feminism and rights for Hispanics, among others. Gay rights also began to grow – homosexuality was still outlawed in most places, but sadly, it grew in popularity. Also becoming more accepted and common were things like public nudity, premarital sex, and abortion. Various drugs also greatly increased in popularity, including LSD and acid. Actors and singers, the popular people of the decade, openly used the drugs. It is thought that one in five teens used marijuana regularly during the sixties.

                On a lighter note, popular toys included Barbie and GI Joe. Also popular during this decade was the smiley face, which could be seen on anything from shirts to cars to toys to sunglasses.

                In 1960, gas cost 25 cents a gallon. By 1969, it had risen to 35 cents a gallon. The average income of 1960 was $5315; the income for 1969 was $8540. Minimum wage was $1. An oven-ready turkey cost 39 cents a pound.

                One major cultural event in the United States that is still celebrated every ten years is Woodstock. Occurring from August 15-17 (and also spilling onto the 18^th) in 1969, Woodstock was advertised as “An Aquarian Exposition: 3 Days of Peace and Music.” It featured dozens of artists who played night and day, including Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. Unfortunately, multiple problems arose. At the peak, 400,000 people were in attendance. Due to recent rain, there was mud everywhere. Sanitation was minimal, if existent. Bethel, New York, the town Woodstock was held in, experienced food shortages due to the unexpected number of people. Two people are known to have died during the event – one from a heroin overdose, and one who was run over while sleeping by a tractor. Two babies were also born. Drugs were prevalent.

Conclusion

                While a variety of advances were made throughout the 1960s in music, movies, technology, and medicine, it is heart-wrenching to notice the corresponding increase in crime, gay rights, and loose living. The people who lived in the sixties believed they were living the life – free love and happiness for everyone. Unfortunately, the bad effects of such behavior became abundantly obvious in later decades. While the sixties had their high-points, there were also clear signs of a new decline.