Challenging Traditional Social Norms: The 1960's

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During the 1960’s young adults began to challenge traditional social norms through new forms of self-expression and opinion. New organizations arose to provide a platform for social change and the realization of new agendas to include the fight for free speech and the breakdown of segregation. Throughout the 1960’s more than 70,000 participated activism throughout thirteen states (Anderson 47). Over the course of the sixties many activist organizations fought side by side for their rights as a full American citizen. The sixties was also a time of unmourns growth in population size. In 1964 and 1965 the first babies born after World War II were celebrating their 18th birthdays. Postwar birth rate resulted in the largest generation in history, just over 70 million (Anderson 89). The sixties generation included baby boomers and their older siblings born during World War II who were referred as the “first wave”. With a great economy, new technology and post war validation, these young baby boomers brought new life to America. New adventures like Spring Break offered many new adventures for young guys, in search for “beach, broads and booze” (Anderson 89). Furthermore, birth control also became available for married women in the sixties. Although most single women wore their friend’s wring in order to get their monthly prescription. “Sexy” was the new fashion during the sixties. Media quickly changed the way women dressed, instead of high bobby sox; women felt comfortable showing more skin without feeling objection (783). Postwar era also saw a big change in the number high school students that went to college. College attendance nearly doubled and a college education became critical marker of entry into the middle clas... ... middle of paper ... ... was definitely one of the most important time of country. Realizing that without the fighting for our Constitution rights and the breakdown of segregation the United States would not be what it is today. Although there plenty of other political organizations supporting different ideas, all these groups had one thing in common; the rights for American citizens. Works Cited Anderson H. Terry. The Movement and the Sixties. New York: Oxford University, 1995. Print. Catsam, Derek Charles. "'Mister, This Is Not Your Fight!': The 1961 Montgomery Freedom Ride Riots." Studies in the Literary Imagination 40.2 (2007): 93+. Academic OneFile. Web. 13 Apr. 2014. Hewitt A. Nancy and Steven F. Lawson, Exploring American Histories. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2013. Print. Weinberg, Jack “The Free Speech Movement and Civil Rights.” fsm-a.org . n.p. Jan. 1965. Web. Apl,13.

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