Not much to discuss about this topic anymore.


Well other people who haven't seen this thread yet might want to share their opinions.

That was ONE of the reasons. The other was the natural course of things. That is, the natural inclination of the younger to rebel against the values of their elders. So you had the exact opposite of the Baby Boomer/hippie generation rebelling against their conservative 1950s era parents. You now had the as-yet-unnamed Gen X rebelling against the hippie-ish parents and the only way to go was to the right. Hence the "Alex P. Keaton" type character. The term "Young Republican" could only have come from the 80s. It would have been unheard of in the 60s and 70s. No less a Boomer icon than John Lennon predicted this as early as 1966 or so when he said "our children will hate us too, you know".

SO...between the return of the actual 1950s conservatives in 1981 and the dawning of Generation X, you had a perfect storm for the conservative 80s.

By the way, one of the earliest examples of the emerging Generation X rebelling against 1960s parents is the 1979 film "Over The Edge", but this is REALLY early in the game and is a bit nebulous.  A pretty good film nonetheless.
this is also probably  of the reasons why many Millennials now are Liberal

I don't remember where I read it, but many cultural historians argue "The Sixties" is actually not so much a decade as a phase, and that it stretches all the way from 1955 (with the beginning of the Civil Rights movement) to 1974 (the end of Nixon and Vietnam).

The year 1960 was the '50s in all but name, and even arguably part of the '50s cultural zeitgeist.

1961-1963 was the "Kennedy Era", the transition between the cultural '50s and the cultural '60s. 1961 is when Kennedy became president, the space race started, and the Berlin Wall went up. 1962 was when the first Bond film came out, when Marilyn Monroe died, when the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred, when surf rock became popular, and even the Beatles released their debut single. 1963 was when you had the Beatles release their first album and Beatlemania begin to take shape, when the first episode of "Doctor Who" aired, and when Martin Luther King made his "I Have A Dream" speech in Washington DC.
However, if there's one specific date the cultural '60s would've truly begun, it would've been November 22, 1963, with the assassination of John F. Kennedy. The JFK assassination was to the '60s what 9/11 was to the '00s, it marked a major shift in the political and social climate, especially in the US, at the time.

1964-1966 are what I consider the "Heart of the '60s". Firstly, it was in those years when you had a major shift and overall modernization of the music scene. In 1964, you had the British Invasion, led at the forefront by the Beatles with them visiting the United States and going on the Ed Sullivan show of February of that year, but other bands such as the Rolling Stones, Kinks, and Animals also played a major role into this as well. The British Invasion was quite possibly the biggest shift in the music industry of all time, and 1964 is quite possibly the most revolutionary year for music in general. The British Invasion continued into 1965, and it was also in that year when you had Bob Dylan go electric, and at the very tail end of that year, you had the Beatles release "Rubber Soul", which marked a major pivot in the band from the cheesy bubblegum-y boy band that giddy teenage girls knew and loved, into a more sophisticated soul-felt group of artists that pushed the rock genre to a creative peak. 1966 was the year rock music was beginning to reach a creative peak, with the release of two phenomenal albums; The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds", and the Beatles "Revolver", which both really brought rock & roll's artistic revolution into full swing. Also, this period was marked by major political and social shifts as well. 1964 saw the Gulf of Tonkin Incident and the US Congress authorize war against North Vietnam, as well as the Civil Rights Act signed into law, and Johnson's presidency, which started after the JFK assassination, extended due to his overwhelming electoral victory. 1965 saw the US involvement in the Vietnam War increased, as well as the Anti-War movement begin to take shape, the Voting Rights Act passed, the Watts Riots in Los Angeles, and when health warnings began to show on cigarette packets. 1966 saw the continuation of race riots, as well as US public opinion on the Vietnam War turning mostly negative, and fashion inspired from the Swinging London scene becoming popular.

1967-1969 are the "Hippie '60s", despite being in the late part of the decade, the vibe in those years is the vibe many younger people automatically think of when they think of "the '60s", they're basically the most stereotypical years of the '60s. 1967 saw the Hippie Movement really come into full swing with the Summer of Love, plus with the release of albums such as Velvet Underground's "The Velvet Underground and Nico", the Jimi Hendrix Experience's "Are You Experienced", and the Beatles "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band", as well as a wide assortment of others. 1968 and 1969 were a continuation of the Hippie Movement, 1968 was the most turbulent year of the '60s, and arguably the most turblent year after World War II, with the assassination of MLK and the race riots following, and the chaos surrounding the 1968 election.

If I were to split the decades culturally, here's how I'd do it;

1955-1960 = '50s Cultural Zeitgeist
1961-1963 = '50s-'60s Cultural Transition
1964-1969 = '60s Cultural Zeitgeist
1970-1972 = '60s-'70s Cultural Transition
1973-1978 = '70s Cultural Zeitgeist
1979-1982 = '70s-'80s Cultural Transition
1983-1988 = '80s Cultural Zeitgeist
1989-1991 = '80s-'90s Cultural Transition
1992-1997 = '90s Cultural Zeitgeist
1998-2001 = '90s-'00s Cultural Transition
2002-2007 = '00s Cultural Zeitgeist
2008-2010 = '00s-'10s Cultural Transition
2011-2016 = '10s Cultural Zeitgeist
2017-2020 = '10s-2020s Cultural Transition (TBD)

I think 65 is when the "60s" began. From what I've seen 64 was not all that different from 63 besides the Beatles. Look at the movie Goldfinger, shot in the US. For myself it is when British music totally subsumed American music that the 60s peaked. In 64 a lot of the Kennedy era feel was still lingering in sight and sound. It was still the Jetsons, futurism era. Kennedy was killed but replaced by a President who insisted on completing Kennedy's agenda and retitled it the Great Society. When British music totally overtakes American pop, and ground troops land in Vietnam, that's when "the 60s" begin.

Music hits of 1964 besides The Beatles (songs that were #1 on the Hot 100 at some point during the year):

"There I've Said It Again" - Bobby Vinton
"Hello Dolly" - Louis Armstrong
"My Guy" - Mary Wells
"Chapel of Love" - Dixie Cups
"I Get Around" - Beach Boys
"Rag Doll" - Four Seasons
"Everybody Loves Somebody" - Dean Martin
"Oh Pretty Woman" - Roy Orbison
"Doo Wah Diddy" - Manfred Mann
"Baby Love" - The Supremes
"Leader of the Pack" - The Shang Ri Las
"Mr Lonely" - Bobby Vinton
"Come See About Me" - The Supremes.

You have surf rock, Bobby V, Doo Wop, girl pop, bubblegum, and even Dean Martin having massive hits in the mainstream in 64....This list could easily have been from 63. The only exception was The Beatles, but even in 64, the Beatles were a pop group, a massive, fun pop group who were novel because of their "long" hair. In 64 they were musically more poppy and softer than Elvis had been in 1956. Basically in 64 The Beatles were Elvis without Brylcreem.

Music hits of 1964 besides The Beatles (songs that were #1 on the Hot 100 at some point during the year):

"There I've Said It Again" - Bobby Vinton
"Hello Dolly" - Louis Armstrong
"My Guy" - Mary Wells
"Chapel of Love" - Dixie Cups
"I Get Around" - Beach Boys
"Rag Doll" - Four Seasons
"Everybody Loves Somebody" - Dean Martin
"Oh Pretty Woman" - Roy Orbison
"Doo Wah Diddy" - Manfred Mann
"Baby Love" - The Supremes
"Leader of the Pack" - The Shang Ri Las
"Mr Lonely" - Bobby Vinton
"Come See About Me" - The Supremes.

You have surf rock, Bobby V, Doo Wop, girl pop, bubblegum, and even Dean Martin having massive hits in the mainstream in 64....This list could easily have been from 63. The only exception was The Beatles, but even in 64, the Beatles were a pop group, a massive, fun pop group who were novel because of their "long" hair. In 64 they were musically more poppy and softer than Elvis had been in 1956. Basically in 64 The Beatles were Elvis without Brylcreem.


While a lot of late Eisenhower and Kennedy Era music was still popular in that year, 1964 was still a very revolutionary year for the music industry, much more than 1965 was. The Beatles were not exactly an "Elvis without Brylcreem" in 1964 as you stated. The song "A Hard Day's Night", which came from the album of the same name, has a strong Swinging London vibe to it. You also had the Kinks, Rolling Stones, Animals, and other British groups becoming popular in this time period, and the sound and overall vibe of these songs was a major shift from what was popular in the Kennedy Era. 1964 and 1965 were very much a part of the same era, perhaps the "Post-Kennedy Era" of the '60s. The "Swinging Sixties" would've really began in 1966. That's when Swinging London inspired fashion really became popular, when public opinion on the Vietnam War became mostly negative, and it marked an even bigger shift in the music industry. This shift started with the Beatles "Rubber Soul", sure it may have been released in 1965, but it was released in December of that year, and was, therefore, more relevant in 1966, this marked when these rock artists shifted from being performers to being true artists. 1966 saw the release of albums such as Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde", the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds", the Beatles "Revolver", and Rolling Stones "Aftermath" to solidify this shift.

While a lot of late Eisenhower and Kennedy Era music was still popular in that year, 1964 was still a very revolutionary year for the music industry, much more than 1965 was. The Beatles were not exactly an "Elvis without Brylcreem" in 1964 as you stated. The song "A Hard Day's Night", which came from the album of the same name, has a strong Swinging London vibe to it. You also had the Kinks, Rolling Stones, Animals, and other British groups becoming popular in this time period, and the sound and overall vibe of these songs was a major shift from what was popular in the Kennedy Era. 1964 and 1965 were very much a part of the same era, perhaps the "Post-Kennedy Era" of the '60s. The "Swinging Sixties" would've really began in 1966. That's when Swinging London inspired fashion really became popular, when public opinion on the Vietnam War became mostly negative, and it marked an even bigger shift in the music industry. This shift started with the Beatles "Rubber Soul", sure it may have been released in 1965, but it was released in December of that year, and was, therefore, more relevant in 1966, this marked when these rock artists shifted from being performers to being artists. Also in this year you'd have the release of Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde", the Beach Boys "Pet Sounds", the Beatles "Pet Sounds", and even the Rolling Stones "Aftermath".


What I meant by that comment is in 64 they were huge, but a novelty. I mean without benefit of hindsight, they could've been a passing fad from the perspective of the times. They also besides their hair weren't as radical as later on, or as serious. The Stones wouldn't become mainstream here until Satisfaction in 65. They were popular here, but dwarfed by many other acts. It's my opinion that 64 is a very very transitional year.

There is a quote from Keith Richards somewhere. He talks about how when the Stones first toured America in '64, it was all malt shops and innocence whereas it was like another country altogether in '69.

Look at these pix from the 64 NY World's Fair. Still has that very prim and proper look of the earlier 60s.
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rHHqiblxD6cjRKV3d5BkiHMPcHE=/0x600/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4950929/1964-65_New_York_World_s_Fair_Unisphere_fountain.0.jpg
https://fthmb.tqn.com/hvP8NOUIk-T7M4OA6mPhIw2TR6U=/960x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/its-a-small-world-ny-worlds-fair-56a9516d3df78cf772a5ccdd.jpg
http://www.tioorlando.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/its-a-small-word-Feira-New-York3.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5021/5621166056_33446048f9_b.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bananaphone5000/GORILLLAS/1964GE2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/GM_Concept_Car_1964_NY_World%27s_Fair.jpg
http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/oldfairmonorail.jpg

What I meant by that comment is in 64 they were huge, but a novelty. I mean without benefit of hindsight, they could've been a passing fad from the perspective of the times. They also besides their hair weren't as radical as later on, or as serious. The Stones wouldn't become mainstream here until Satisfaction in 65. They were popular here, but dwarfed by many other acts. It's my opinion that 64 is a very very transitional year.

There is a quote from Keith Richards somewhere. He talks about how when the Stones first toured America in '64, it was all malt shops and innocence whereas it was like another country altogether in '69.

Look at these pix from the 64 NY World's Fair. Still has that very prim and proper look of the earlier 60s.
https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rHHqiblxD6cjRKV3d5BkiHMPcHE=/0x600/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4950929/1964-65_New_York_World_s_Fair_Unisphere_fountain.0.jpg
https://fthmb.tqn.com/hvP8NOUIk-T7M4OA6mPhIw2TR6U=/960x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/its-a-small-world-ny-worlds-fair-56a9516d3df78cf772a5ccdd.jpg
http://www.tioorlando.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/its-a-small-word-Feira-New-York3.jpg
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5021/5621166056_33446048f9_b.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/bananaphone5000/GORILLLAS/1964GE2.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0b/GM_Concept_Car_1964_NY_World%27s_Fair.jpg
http://forgotten-ny.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/oldfairmonorail.jpg


Would you agree with splitting the '60s like this?

1960-1961 = The "'50s '60s"

1962-1965 = The Classic '60s (James Bond, Surf Rock, British Invasion, Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK Assassination, Gulf of Tonkin)

1966-1969 = The Swinging '60s (Swinging London fashion, public majority against Vietnam War, progressive rock, Flower Children)

I do think that 1964 and 1965 were still very much part of the same era. 1965 was basically a continuation of the British Invasion that started in 1964, public opinion on the Vietnam War that year was still mostly positive, The Beatles were still very pop sounding up until the very tail end of that year when they released Rubber Soul, and the hippie youth culture wasn't really popular yet.
1966 is referred to as "the year youth culture exploded". It was in that year public opinion on the Vietnam war turned mostly negative, when Swinging London fashion became popular in the US, when rock music really matured with the advent of albums such as Blonde on Blonde, Pet Sounds, Revolver, Aftermath, Love, Face to Face, and Freak Out!, as well as when the British Invasion was countered by an American wave with the advent of groups such as the Monkees and the Mamas and the Papas debuting and becoming popular, as well as with the aforementioned comeback from the Beach Boys. Not only did the Beatles shed their giddy innocent image with the change of sound, but 1966 was also the year the band decided to quit touring, as well as when John Lennon made his infamous "more popular than Jesus" quote that received mass backlash in the United States.

I would divy it up more like:

1959-November 1963: Kitchen Debate, Sputnik era, era of plastic on furniture, era of mass consumerism, Doo Wop, Rock N' Roll, early Motown, Phil Spector sound. The Television Set helps swing the very close 1960 in Kennedy's favor. Pantie raids, Connie Francis, Spring Break becomes a thing. Sean Connery is James Bond; JFK helps turn a little known series of spy books into a film franchise when he lists From Russia With Love as one of his favorite novels. Jackie O inspires women all over the world in fashion with her gloves and pillbox hats. Mid Century Modern and Googie look dominate in design. Everything is pointing toward the future. Cuban Revolution, Bay of Pigs, Missile Crisis. America undermines Communist regimes in Africa and Latin America via the CIA. Height of the American Mafia's power and influence. Jimmy Hoffa is a massive sign of corruption and is hounded by RFK. Calypso music and other Latin sounds are popular in US. Color palette of this era is in the Pastels. Color TV begins to filter into homes. Breakfast at Tiffany's; Cary Grant is one of the most popular male stars. Hitchcock is at his peak. Twilight Zone. Saturday Morning Cartoons begin. Folk music is popular among college students and makes brief splashes into the mainstream. A mainstream man is either cleanshaven or at most has a small mustache (and the latter is usually only found on older men). Beats grow goatees and are mocked on TV in the form of Maynard G. Krebs. March on Washington brings sympathy to civil rights movement among whites, Kennedy moves to push a civil rights bill into law. Betty Friedan publishes the Feminine Mystique in 62, starting the Women's Lib movement although that won't peak for another half decade. The tail fin, malt shop era of futurism and optimism which begins to die a death with JFK.

November 1963-Mid 1965: Transitional year which sees the start of the British Invasion and continued hope for a better future, tail fins start going away, you have a wide array of sounds musically from Doo Wop, Surf, and now British inspired pop rock. LBJ is very popular; Civil Rights Act of 64 followed by the Voting Rights Act of 65; Liberalism is at its peak in America; Kennedy's New Frontier becomes Johnson's Great Society; Medicare, Medicaid come into existence (Medicare had been a hot button issue since the Truman years; Kennedy tried and failed to pass Medicare).

Vietnam isn't a real war until August of 65 (Johnson campaigns as the peace candidate in '64). Bondmania and Beatlemania at their heights. Goldfinger is massive; Thunderball makes earns over a billion dollars in modern money at the Box Office in 65. The Sound of Music. America is still very conservative in dress (The "long" Beatle haircut is popular, but you would only very rarely see men with truly long hair). Male hair is still typically short, women still style their hair like Jackie O (a 65 survey found Jackie to be the second most admired woman in America next to Mamie Eisenhower). A comparison to this period would be like, late 1990 to early 92 wherein hair metal and grunge pop culture and fashion coexisted, and until the tail end, grunge was more popular with college kids than the mainstream. Likewise in 63-65 the New Left, Pot, and ideas like Free Love were really only contained to the campuses. "Straight" (meaning short hair, traditional) culture and "Hip" culture coexist.

Mid 1965-Early 1968: Mod era. Psychedelia. Bright, vivid colors (Think the original Star Trek). "Swinging 60s"; high point of the Mini Skirt. LSD. Beatles mature as a group at the end of 65 and cease touring in 1966. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Stones is the hit of Summer 1965. Civil unrest and division begins to deepen with the Watts riots in 65, followed by Newark riots; Backlash to Civil Rights movement; white flight begins. Music is very diverse but only in the field of rock; other genres fade or are contained to "older" (above 30) people. Vietnam War becomes a growing source of division. Tide begins to turn against LBJ in late 66-early 67; the public is now divided on Vietnam and the generation gap widens deeply. Hair gets longer, skirts get shorter. Countless Riots and protests every year. Civil Rights movement becomes more "radical" with the birth of the Black Panthers and other groups; Malcolm X is murdered.

Mid 68 to Late 1972: The time period the 60s are most remembered for, even though it goes beyond the 60s in years. Earth tones. Environmental movement. Brady Bunch. Tet Offensive turns the public against the War; Cronkite declares the war can't be won (LBJ says privately "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America). Rock returns to its roots with a harder, blues based sound. The New Left gains momentum and the youth openly picket LBJ, "Hey, Hey LBJ, How Many Kids Have You Killed Today?" Sci Fi films enjoy a renaissance with 2001 and Planet of the Apes. 68 Democratic Convention, Altamont, followed by Woodstock and the Moon Landing. 

Stonewall; gay rights movement begins in earnest but won't make great strides until the late 70s. Women's Lib is at its peak. Push for Equal Rights Amendment.

Hippies. Young men have hair at or below shoulder length. Older men grow their sideburns long. Mustaches and Beards become popular and acceptable. Bell bottoms popular. Women begin parting their hair down the middle. MLK is killed, riots across cities, and the Civil Rights movement splinters and loses strength without strong leadership. The Southern Democrats break away from the mainstream and George Wallace actually wins a few states. Nixon is elected promising to bring order back and to win "peace with honor" in Vietnam. Elvis returns in 68. Brian Jones dies aged 27 in July 1969, the first major rock star death of the decade. Kent State in 70. Expansion of Vietnam into Cambodia. Jimi Hendrix dies Sept 70 aged 27. Janis Joplin dies Oct 70 aged 27. Jim Morrison is sentenced to prison and dies in July 1971, aged 27, while appealing his conviction. All in the Family. Manson murder trial; Backlash to Hippie movement; "Archie Bunker for President." Nixon wins re-election in November over McGovern, who is perceived to be the counterculture candidate and he is very popular.

I would divy it up more like:

1959-November 1963: Kitchen Debate, Sputnik era, era of plastic on furniture, era of mass consumerism, Doo Wop, Rock N' Roll, early Motown, Phil Spector sound. The Television Set helps swing the very close 1960 in Kennedy's favor. Pantie raids, Connie Francis, Spring Break becomes a thing. Sean Connery is James Bond; JFK helps turn a little known series of spy books into a film franchise when he lists From Russia With Love as one of his favorite novels. Jackie O inspires women all over the world in fashion with her gloves and pillbox hats. Mid Century Modern and Googie look dominate in design. Everything is pointing toward the future. Cuban Revolution, Bay of Pigs, Missile Crisis. America undermines Communist regimes in Africa and Latin America via the CIA. Height of the American Mafia's power and influence. Jimmy Hoffa is a massive sign of corruption and is hounded by RFK. Calypso music and other Latin sounds are popular in US. Color palette of this era is in the Pastels. Color TV begins to filter into homes. Breakfast at Tiffany's; Cary Grant is one of the most popular male stars. Hitchcock is at his peak. Twilight Zone. Saturday Morning Cartoons begin. Folk music is popular among college students and makes brief splashes into the mainstream. A mainstream man is either cleanshaven or at most has a small mustache (and the latter is usually only found on older men). Beats grow goatees and are mocked on TV in the form of Maynard G. Krebs. March on Washington brings sympathy to civil rights movement among whites, Kennedy moves to push a civil rights bill into law. Betty Friedan publishes the Feminine Mystique in 62, starting the Women's Lib movement although that won't peak for another half decade. The tail fin, malt shop era of futurism and optimism which begins to die a death with JFK.

November 1963-Mid 1965: Transitional year which sees the start of the British Invasion and continued hope for a better future, tail fins start going away, you have a wide array of sounds musically from Doo Wop, Surf, and now British inspired pop rock. LBJ is very popular; Civil Rights Act of 64 followed by the Voting Rights Act of 65; Liberalism is at its peak in America; Kennedy's New Frontier becomes Johnson's Great Society; Medicare, Medicaid come into existence (Medicare had been a hot button issue since the Truman years; Kennedy tried and failed to pass Medicare).

Vietnam isn't a real war until August of 65 (Johnson campaigns as the peace candidate in '64). Bondmania and Beatlemania at their heights. Goldfinger is massive; Thunderball makes earns over a billion dollars in modern money at the Box Office in 65. The Sound of Music. America is still very conservative in dress (The "long" Beatle haircut is popular, but you would only very rarely see men with truly long hair). Male hair is still typically short, women still style their hair like Jackie O (a 65 survey found Jackie to be the second most admired woman in America next to Mamie Eisenhower). A comparison to this period would be like, late 1990 to early 92 wherein hair metal and grunge pop culture and fashion coexisted, and until the tail end, grunge was more popular with college kids than the mainstream. Likewise in 63-65 the New Left, Pot, and ideas like Free Love were really only contained to the campuses. "Straight" (meaning short hair, traditional) culture and "Hip" culture coexist.

Mid 1965-Early 1968: Mod era. Psychedelia. Bright, vivid colors (Think the original Star Trek). "Swinging 60s"; high point of the Mini Skirt. LSD. Beatles mature as a group at the end of 65 and cease touring in 1966. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Stones is the hit of Summer 1965. Civil unrest and division begins to deepen with the Watts riots in 65, followed by Newark riots; Backlash to Civil Rights movement; white flight begins. Music is very diverse but only in the field of rock; other genres fade or are contained to "older" (above 30) people. Vietnam War becomes a growing source of division. Tide begins to turn against LBJ in late 66-early 67; the public is now divided on Vietnam and the generation gap widens deeply. Hair gets longer, skirts get shorter. Countless Riots and protests every year. Civil Rights movement becomes more "radical" with the birth of the Black Panthers and other groups; Malcolm X is murdered.

Mid 68 to Late 1972: The time period the 60s are most remembered for, even though it goes beyond the 60s in years. Earth tones. Environmental movement. Brady Bunch. Tet Offensive turns the public against the War; Cronkite declares the war can't be won (LBJ says privately "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America). Rock returns to its roots with a harder, blues based sound. The New Left gains momentum and the youth openly picket LBJ, "Hey, Hey LBJ, How Many Kids Have You Killed Today?" Sci Fi films enjoy a renaissance with 2001 and Planet of the Apes. 68 Democratic Convention, Altamont, followed by Woodstock and the Moon Landing. 

Stonewall; gay rights movement begins in earnest but won't make great strides until the late 70s. Women's Lib is at its peak. Push for Equal Rights Amendment.

Hippies. Young men have hair at or below shoulder length. Older men grow their sideburns long. Mustaches and Beards become popular and acceptable. Bell bottoms popular. Women begin parting their hair down the middle. MLK is killed, riots across cities, and the Civil Rights movement splinters and loses strength without strong leadership. The Southern Democrats break away from the mainstream and George Wallace actually wins a few states. Nixon is elected promising to bring order back and to win "peace with honor" in Vietnam. Elvis returns in 68. Brian Jones dies aged 27 in July 1969, the first major rock star death of the decade. Kent State in 70. Expansion of Vietnam into Cambodia. Jimi Hendrix dies Sept 70 aged 27. Janis Joplin dies Oct 70 aged 27. Jim Morrison is sentenced to prison and dies in July 1971, aged 27, while appealing his conviction. All in the Family. Manson murder trial; Backlash to Hippie movement; "Archie Bunker for President." Nixon wins re-election in November over McGovern, who is perceived to be the counterculture candidate and he is very popular.


You're right on the money there, and I think it tracks the public consensus for how the decade was divided. It's reflected in Mad Men, notably.

Yes, IMO most really only remember '68 to 72 as "the 60s"...The Mad Men era, which I feel runs from 60 through 65 (Take it from the campaign of 60 to the first combat troops landing at Vietnam) is a forgotten era. I really look at 64 as one of the biggest traditional years ever. It is like, the bridge between the 50s 60s and the 60s 60s. For myself, the combat troops landing in 65 and The Beatles releasing Rubber Soul are when "the 60s" really began. 1964 is still the era of the tail fin, Twilight Zone, the World's Fair - the last burst of pre Hippie mid century American and the last "Googie" year. There are some landmark, watershed years in American history, and these are them, I feel:

1933 - FDR takes office
1941 - Pearl Harbor
1956 - Elvis
1960 - Kennedy and a new generation of leadership as such are electee
1963 - Kennedy's murder
1964 - The pendulum year between innocence and maturity of the 60s
1968 - Tet and death; the beginning of the end of the New Deal coalition
1972 - Nixon triumphant; the end of the New Deal era in full
1974 - Gas lines, Watergate, American prestige at a low
1980 - Reagan's election, America takes a hard right turn
1991 - The pendulum year bridging the 80s and 90s culturally
1992 - A new generation of leadership; a new generation of music; LA Riots
1995 - OJ Trial
1999 - Clinton impeached
2001 - 911
2008 - Obama elected
2015 - Trump announces run for President and dominates the news ever since.

1964 is a banner year for an even bigger reason: death of the Dixiecrats and their subsequent absorption into the Republican Party with the emergence of civil rights as a major Democratic Party platform. It changed the political landscape of this country into a form that it has maintained up until this day.

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/rHHqiblxD6cjRKV3d5BkiHMPcHE=/0x600/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4950929/1964-65_New_York_World_s_Fair_Unisphere_fountain.0.jpg
https://fthmb.tqn.com/hvP8NOUIk-T7M4OA6mPhIw2TR6U=/960x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/its-a-small-world-ny-worlds-fair-56a9516d3df78cf772a5ccdd.jpg
Don't remind me!!!!!!

One huge reason why people tend to put the beginning of the cultural 1960's as 1964 was because of the Civil Rights Act. I mean, colored people being treated like human beings is a huge thing. Or at least, ideally. Obviously, racism was still very blatant in the 1960's, but the Act gave racial minorities, like me, hope.

The Civil Rights Act kinda gives a 'before 1964' and 'after 1964' line that people tend to simplify, and sometimes oversimplify.

I don't remember where I read it, but many cultural historians argue "The Sixties" is actually not so much a decade as a phase, and that it stretches all the way from 1955 (with the beginning of the Civil Rights movement) to 1974 (the end of Nixon and Vietnam).


I can actually see what those historians are getting at. The social changes from 1954/1955 to 1974 were HUGE! 1955 and 1974 seem like four universes away, it's like we were in a whole other universe in just 19 years. Even just compare 1967 to 1962 and it's different.