Historical, Social, And Political Events Of The 1960's

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Recommended: Culture of the 1950s and 1960s in America

INTRODUCTION
From the Space Race, to the Civil Rights movement, and to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr., the 1960s was a very eventful decade. Americans enjoyed popular shows, including “Leave It to Beaver,” comedians such as The Smothers Brothers, and a well-known news anchor named Walter Cronkite. There were many ways that events of the decade and the television industry affected each other.
1960s Historical, Social, and Political Events
Many important historical and political events took place in the 60s. In 1960, the first televised presidential debate was aired on national TV between John F. Kennedy for the Democratic Party and Richard Nixon for the Republicans (Kennedy). During the debate, Kennedy seemed to be relaxed and comfortable, while Nixon crumbled under the pressure of being filmed. Often times, Kennedy’s confidence on camera is given credit for him winning the presidential election that year (McLaughlin). Then, on November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and news stations all over the country covered the story for days …show more content…

News coverage from the CBS Network showed many Americans the awful reality of things going on in the country (Brinkley), and when big things unfolded on TV, the whole nation was affected (McLaughlin). For example, live broadcasts of events for during the civil rights movement really helped Americans see the issues more clearly and put more emphasis on their importance (Ganzel). Also, to bring war into homes, some networks covered the Vietnam War, and when Kennedy was killed, many people’s first instinct was to turn on the TV and check the news (Ganzel). TV became a paramount resource for Americans to stay updated and connected as a

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