Other Social Movements of the 1960s and 1970s

The Women’s Movement Major achievements of WRM:

Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique (1963)

Not every woman enjoys staying home

Nat’l Organization for Women (NOW) (1966)

Fought sexism in society

Equal Rights Amendment proposed (1972)

Would outlaw sex discrimination

States did not ratify Roe v Wade (1973)

Legalized abortion during first 3 months

Betty Friedan: In her book, she describes the “problem that has no

name,” referring to the dissatisfaction that women feel as housewives.

The Latino Movement Like A.A. and women, Latinos

organized against discrimination in the 1960s

This began the Latino/Chicano movement Latinos compromise of people from

Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic who had come to the U.S. for opportunity and a better life.

Fought for equal opportunities in employment, housing, and education

Cesar Chavez forms United Farm Workers Union

Used non-violent protests and hunger strikes

Achieves financial, health, and safety gains for farm workers

Native AmericansThe term Native Americans refers to

a diverse group of people making up 100s of tribes

Key issuesNative Americans sought greater

self-gov.NA faced, addiction issues and

unemployment at rates much higher than the national average

Ben Nighthorse Campbell worked

within the system as a member of Congress to improve conditions for

Native Americans

Native Americans Key protests and groups

AIM-American Indian Movement: comprised of militant-minded NAs that sought to protect rights of NAs

“Trail of Broken Treaties”March on DC in 1972, sought to restore land lost in

broken treatiesWounded Knee siege-protest against tribal and

federal policies Legal Victories

Congress passed the Indian Education Act (1972) and Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (1975) giving NAs more control over own affairs and children’s education

The Environmental Movement Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring (1962),

makes Americans more aware of environmental issuesBook was about the harm of pesticides

Government Involvement and Key Events1st Earth Day is celebrated April 22, 1970Nixon creates the Environmental Protection

Agency (EPA) in 1970 to create a unified gov. agency to look at environmental issues and enforce environmental laws

Numerous laws are passed to regulate the environment in the 1970s including the Clean Air Act, the Endangered Species Act, and laws to conserve land in Alaska.

The Environmental MovementNuclear Energy

America’s growing desire to lessen our dependence on foreign oil led Americans to seek alternate energy sources like nuclear power

A near melt-down at Three Mile Island (1979), a nuclear plant in PA led to continuing debate over the use of nuclear power.

Three Miles Island-site of near nuclear accident in

U.S.Chernobyl-nuclear reactor

which exploded (1986)San Onofre Nuclear Power

Plant in San Diego

Counterculture

A counterculture involves the adoption of values and norms that violate mainstream culture.

In the 1960s, the values of these individuals included youth, spontaneity and freedom of expression. Their values were represented in their style of

dress, new forms of music and to an extent, new styles of speech.

These new values created a generation gap, or a lack of understanding and communication between adults and youth.

Counterculture

Counterculture has its roots during the social and political changes of the 1950s.

From there, the beatnik generation furthered the expression of these counter-norms.

As the Vietnam War lagged on, members of the antiwar movement also started to rebel.

Counterculture

The counterculture of the 1960s was characterized by experimentation in music, art, sexuality, drugs and spirituality. All of these challenged the ideas of older

generations. Some members of the counterculture chose to

live with individuals who shared their goals. They chose to live in communes, or small

communities that people have common interests and share resources.

The largest commune and considered the center of the counterculture movement was the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco.