America in the 1960s
The Pride and Shame
The Election of JFK
The Election of 1960 truly ushered in the 1960s. Kennedy was the first president born in the 20th century and inspired the youth of America to become more involved in politics. I am proud that many young Americans joined organizations Kennedy started such as the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps' mission was to improve conditions in third world countries and win the "hearts and minds" of people abroad.
John F Kennedy 'Ask not'
The Economic Opportunity Act
The Economic Opportunity Act was part of LBJ’s War on Poverty and included programs to combat poverty in the 1960s. Programs like Job Corps gave vocational training to young people. I am proud of the government for making attempts to combat poverty because the poverty level dropped as young people received job training. My evidence is a poster for Job Corps which was used to encourage young people to get job training.
The Counter Culture
American youth had changed a great deal by the mid-1960s and some young people began to express themselves in ways that mainstream Americans viewed as dangerous. The counter culture took shape in urban areas such as San Francisco and young people dressed in outrageous fashions, experimented with illegal drugs, explored their sexuality, and music of the day began to correspond with these changes. I am proud and ashamed of these changes. Some great music came out of the mid-60s, however a serious epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases arose and illegal drugs such as LSD presented real problems in these urban areas.
" Jefferson Airplain " - White Rabbit (HD Video) - A = 432Hz