In order to completely understand the context of the novel The Outsiders, you

must first be introduced to what life was like in America in the 1960s.

Welcome to the 1960s!

The Sixties was a time of immense change in both public and private life.

The Sixties are still seen as having been a revolution on a global scale.

Often called the “Swinging Sixties” because of the attitudes that arose during this time period.

Social change was created by the American civil rights movement, the rise of feminism and gay rights, invention of the microchip and Moore's Law.

The Sixties has become famous for being responsible for everything new and exciting, as well as anything radical and dangerous that happened during this period.

John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960 He was assassinated on November 22, 1963

Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965

Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968

Many revolutions took place – people were beginning to question the government and authority of the time

People began demanding more freedoms and rights for women, gays, and minorities

These movements were marked by excessive drug use and psychedelic music

There were massive anti-war movements opposing the Vietnam War as well as conscription (“The Draft”)

“If you're old enough to die for your country, you're old enough to vote...”

Population 177,830,000 Unemployment 3,852,000 Average Salary $4,743 Teacher's Salary $5,174 Minimum Wage $1.00 Life Expectancy:  Males 66.6 years, Females 73.1 years A great decade for musicals such as:  Camelot, Hello

Dolly, Oliver, Man of La Mancha, Hair, and Funny Girl.

There were also many Civil Rights movements, fueled by the Anti-war protests rattling the country:

Freedom of Speech movement being one of the most effective

There were also countless technological advances in the Sixties, as well the first man walked on the moon in 1969

Chubby Checker introduced the Twist on American Band Stand in 1961 and a new craze was born with dancing becoming something you didn't need a partner for.

The Mashed potato, the Swim, the Watusi, the Monkey and the Jerk followed the Twist.

This was also the decade of the Go-Go girls, on stages or in bird cages, who danced above the crowd.

The Flintstones became the second cartoon on in primetime. (The first was Rocky and his Friends in 1959). Of course, more followed such as Alvin & the Chipmunks , the Jetson's , and Mr. Magoo.

Family television was Andy Griffith Show.  For our sitcom of that decade it was The Beverly Hillbillies. The sci-fi and supernatural included: Bewitched, The Addams Family,  My Favorite Martian , I Dream of Jeannie, Star Trek, the Outer Limits , and the Twilight Zone.

David Jenkins-Gold in figure skating. Carol Heiss, Gold in figure skating. The US ice hockey team also won the gold

medal in these winter Olympics. Among the US gold medalists were: world

record setting Otis Davis, 400m, Glenn Davis, 400m hurdles, William Nieder, shot put, and Al Oerter, discus. Wilma Rudolph won gold in both the 100m and 200m runs. Muhammad Ali won gold as a light heavyweight boxer.

Figure skating champion Peggy Fleming won Gold for her performance in Grenoble.

It was a decade that was ruled by the young. Hey, the post World War II Baby Boom had created 70 million teenagers they dictated the fashion, the fads and the politics of the decade.

In California surfers took to skateboards, because even back then they were body and health conscious in California. Skateboards like surfing was away to stay fit, when not surfing. By 1963, the fad had spread across the country.

Barbie dolls, were introduced by Mattel in 1959. Hasbro also came up with G. I. Joe, 12 inches tall and the first action figure for boys.

Slot cars overtook toy trains in popularity.

Fellows had crew cuts and bouffant hairstyles for the ladies.

Knee-length dresses were required wear for women in most public places. By the middle of the 60s, miniskirts or hot pants, often worn with go-go boots, were revealing legs, body wear was revealing curves, and women's hair was either very short or long and lanky.  Think of the musical Hair and you will get a very good idea of this time. Remember the song by the Cowsills (ah yes, I just dated myself).

Even the guys had longer hair, along with beards and moustaches. We are talking men's clothes were bright colors, double-breasted sports jackets, polyester pants suits with Nehru jackets, and turtlenecks were in.

Toward the end of the 60s ties were up to 5" wide, and patterned even when worn with stripes. The ladies wore peasant skirts or granny dresses and chunky shoes. Unisex dressing was popular. Think of bell bottomed jeans, love beads, and embellished t-shirts and you had the look.

1961 - Peace Corps created by Pres. Kennedy 1963 - Martin Luther King delivers his I have a dream speech 1963 - Pres. John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas 1963 - Lyndon Johnson becomes President of the United States

The Civil Rights movement made great changes in society in the 1960's.

The Presidential Commission of the Status of Women (1963) gave us some disturbing facts about a women's place in our society. Betty Friedan, Pauli Murray and Gloria Steinem, (National Organization of Women)  gave birth to Women's Lib, and the "glass ceiling."

The birth control pill became widely available and abortion for cause was legalized in Colorado in 1967. Also in 1967, both abortion and artificial insemination became legal in some states.

The Supreme Court decided in Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421, 1962, that prayer in the public schools was unconstitutional.

As the 60's progressed, many young people turned from mainstream religions to mystic eastern religions such as Transcendental Meditation (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) or Zen Buddhism.

The hippie movement endorsed drugs, rock music, mystic religions and sexual freedom. They opposed violence. Four hundred thousand  (400,000) young people gathered in a spirit of love and sharing, at The Woodstock Festival which represents the pinnacle of the hippie movement. Many hippies moved to Haight Ashbury in San Francisco, East Village in New York City, or lived in communes.

In 1962, a spy plane identified long range missiles in Cuba. President John F. Kennedy readied troops to invade Cuba, and the Soviet Union prepared to fire at US cities if we made a move.

The United States sent military advisors and then soldiers, to prevent communist North Vietnam from overtaking South Vietnam.  The war wasn't in the mainstream until 1965, when massive troop buildups were ordered to put an end to the conflict. The draft was accelerated and anti-war sentiment grew in the US. College students organized anti-war protests, many dodged the draft by fleeing to Canada. There were also many reports of soldiers ignoring those in authority and shooting their officers rather than follow orders. President Johnson was blamed by many for the war and the racial unrest in the country. He did not run for re-election in 1968. John Kennedy's brother, Robert campaigned for the nomination for President and unfortunately he was killed. Both Malcolm X and  Martin Luther King were also assassinated. Malcolm X in 1965 and Martin Luther King in 1968.

In the Space Race, begun by the Soviets in 1957, Alan Shepard, was the first American in space in 1961.  John Glenn was the first American to orbit the earth in 1963. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, in Apollo XI, were the first men to walk on the moon in 1969.

In 1965 cigarette manufacturers were required by the Surgeon General, who  determined that smoking was a health hazard, to place warnings on all packages and in all ads.

Dr. Denton Cooley implanted the first artificial heart in a human. It kept the patient alive for three days until a human heart could be transplanted. People became more concerned with their health and their environment. Rachel Carson's Silent Spring awakened the environmental movement and the Sierra Club gained a following. Ralph Nader's book, Unsafe at any Speed, led to the consumer movement.

There was a huge market for rock & blues, fueled by the rise of affluent youth, leading the way for the rise of many young singers and bands:

The Beatles Janis Joplin Jimi Hendrix The Doors Jefferson Airplane The Rolling Stones The Grateful Dead Elvise Presley

There was also a huge rise in the popularity of radical folk music:

Bob Dylan The Mamas and the Papas

The Counterculture Revolution had a huge impact on cinema in the 1960s

Movies began to break social taboos, that brought both fascination and controversy

These new and edgy movies reflected the social changes occurring in the world outside the movie theater

These movies, as well as the era itself, was about experimentation

Rosemary's Baby Doctor Zhivago Bonnie and Clyde Psycho Breakfast at Tiffany'shttp://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=15961

To Kill a Mockingbird My Fair Lady Funny Girl

● Fashion & Fads● Woodstock Music Festival● Music of the 1960s● Television of the 1960s● Sports of the 1960s● Language/Slang of the

1960s● Women's movement● Civil rights movement● Historical events (Vietnam

war)● Assassinations of the

1960s

● Actors & Actresses of the 1960s

● Films of the 1960s● Political movements

(voting)● Technological advances● Gay & minority rights● Women's rights

Overall, the 1960s was a decade of major changes, from the music that

played on the radio, to the movies that played in the theaters, to the way in which people looked at each other.