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 18th)
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.
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