History of the United States of America
U.S. History covers the history of the United States from the colonial era to the present.
to 1700
18th century
Revolution and Early National periods
Ante Bellum
Civil War, Reconstruction
Gilded Age
20th century
Progressive Movement
Great Depression
World War II
Postwar
Cold War
see Cold War
1960s
The 1960's and 1970's saw enormous societal changes in the United States, a direct result of the Civil Rights Movement. This was an age of prosperity, on a scale greater than other periods of economic growth (Such as the Roaring Twenties and the American Industrial Revolution) In 1960 the US had a GDP of 513 billion dollars, a figure which grew dramatically, even taking into account inflation. GDP was one trillion dollars in 1970, over four trillion by 1985 and six and a half trillion in the mid 1990's. [1] The long period of economic growth provided many opportunities for the average citizen, reflected by the move to the suberbs and an exploding middle class. Higher educational institutions were expanded and took in more and more students every year. A lifestyle that was once confined to the wealthy had now become available to a vast middle class.
Growing prosperity had a huge impact on the young people of this era, leading to the formation of what is now known as the Popular Culture. The evolving youth culture of the time ushered in an era of rock stars, rock concerts (Such as the legendary Woodstock) and for the first time, recreational drugs such as Cannabis, MDMA and LSD. Also, a British 'invasion' of popular culture followed, with Beatlemania gripping the teenage girls of America by storm. [2]
The 'baby boom' generation was reflected by a large increase in the birth rate; during the 1930's the birth rate stood at 20 per 1,000. The boom followed the Second World War, where birth rates raised on average to 25 per 1,000 that stood roughly up until the early 1960's. [3] The post-war babies thus began their teenage years in the late 1950's, and had matured by the late 1960's and 1970's (See The Summer of Love, 1967) American youth culture was helped in 1971 by the 26th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which lowered the voting age to 18.
Social changes were aided by factors of gender as well as age. New contraceptive technologies had loosened the role of reproduction in sexuality, especially with the introduction of the Contraceptive Pill in 1961. This resulted in what is now known as the Sexual Revolution, creating a trend in sexual experimentation the older generation labeled 'promiscuity'. This revolution was stemmed in its tracks by the AIDs disease in the 1980's. Sexual, social and political changes combined to transform the role of women in society. Women of the 1960's and 1970's were much more likely to work outside the home, a trait that threatened the Traditional Family Unit. In 1970 about 43% of women aged over 16 were in the work force, a figure that grew to 52% by 1980 and approached 60% in the early 1990's. [4]
This coincided with the emergence of the feminist movement, and these factors contributed to the rise of divorce. In 1958 there was roughly four marriages for every divorce in the United States. By 1970 the ratio was three to one. By 1976 it reached the level of two to one, a level maintained until the early 1990's. [5] These trends helped change the political landscape and public debate - emphasis was now placed on morality and gender issues like it never had been before. By the 1980's Sexual Harrasment had been defined as a social problem. In 1991, Senate hearings to confirm Clarence Thomas to the US Supreme Court resulted in the airing of sexual harrasment charges that gave the issue the status of a national scandal. The US Supreme Court became a symbol of the new social liberalism; The whole desegregation issue was largely initiated by the Brown Vs Board of Education decision.
Recent
See also
Economic, labor and business history
Political history
- [First Party System]]
Religious history
Social history