Music
"The sixties was known as the decade of the British bands and the changes they brought to the genre" (1960s Music 1). The early sixties was a continuation of the fifties, with doo-wop sounds and soulful ballads leading the charts. There were many teenagers in the sixties so, American Bandstand promoted dances like the Twist, the Swim, the Locomotion, and the Mashed Potato. "The British invasion was actually started by a bootlegged version of I Want To Hold Your Hand being played on a Washington DC radio station" (1960s Music 6). "Popular bands like The Animals, Herman's Hermits, Manfred Mann, Donovan, Petula Clark, Freddie and the Dreamers, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and the Rolling Stone dominated the Charts with their fair share of #1 hits" (1960s Music 7). By 1963 the Beatles's music was a sensation in the US.
Cars
1964 Ford Mustang- "The Mustang was a hard top and a convertible" (1960s Cars 6). The 1964 Ford Mustang became the car of the decade. (1960s Cars-Ford 6). "It's first full season Ford sold over a million Mustangs a record which has never been broken and probably won't be. Cost: $2,615.00
1969 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham- "The Fleetwood is almost like a limousine it so well appointed and spacious" (1960s Cars- Cadillac 11). The Cadillac had control of the #1 luxury spot (1960s Cars-Cadillac 11). Cost: $8,815.00
Historical Events
1960- "Democrat John F. Kennedy wins the U.S. Presidential Election after defeating Republican Richard Nixon" (1960s Important News and Events 5). "The United States decides to send 3,500 U.S. troops to Vietnam" (1960s Important News and Events 8).
1961- "Construction on the Berlin Wall begins in an effort to separate East and West Berlin" (1960s Important News and Events 8). The Bay of Pigs invasion was unsuccessful, and the U.S. backed operation to overthrow Fidel Castro (1960s Important News and Events 9).
1962- "The Cuban Missile Crisis had the world on the edge of another World War, and the USSR came close to launching nuclear attacks (1960s Important News and Events 12). "The Beatles released their first single, Love Me Do, in the United Kingdom" (1960s News and Important Events 15). "Sam Walton opened the first Wal-Mart store in Arkansas" (1960s Important News and Events 16).
1963- John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald (1960s Important News and Events 17). Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream speech" (1960s Important News and Events 18). 1964- "NASA's Mariner 4 space probe successfully approaches Mars and becomes the first spacecraft to take images of a planet from deep space" (1960s Important News and Events 23).
1964- "Sidney Poitier wins the Academy Award for "Best Actor" becoming the first black actor to win that honor" (1960s Important News and Events 24). Ford begins to produce and sell Ford Mustangs (1960s Important News and Events 26).
1965- "The Voting Rights Act is signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson" (1960s Important News and Events 27). "Martin Luther King Jr. leads a peaceful civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery in Alabama (1960s Important News and Events 29).
1966- The first episode of Star Trek airs (1960s Important News and Events 32).
1967- "The Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs play against each other in the first Super Bowl" (1960s Important News and Events 38). 1968-
1968- Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated by James Earl Ray (1960s Important News and Events 42). "Richard Nixon wins the United States presidential election" (1960s Important News and Events 45).
1969- "Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men to arrive on the moon during NASA's Apollo 11 mission" (1960s Important News and Events 47).
Style
Men's Fashion: "Longer hair and relaxed clothing went with a more casual lifestyle" (1960s Mens Fashion 2). Longer collars, flared pant legs, and geometric designs were all new elements in the 60s (1960s Mens Fashion 3). "Knit shirts came in a variety of colors and designs" (1960s Mens Fashion 4). "Sweaters were popular in the 60s" (1960s Mens Fashion 5).
Women's Fashion: "Baby-doll dresses with round necks and fitted waists were seen on women of all ages and sizes" (Guide to 1960s Women's Fashions 9). "Culottes jumpsuits were another popular clothing item" (Guide to 1960s Women's Fashions 11). Tie-dyed shirts allowed women to show individually (Guide to 1960s Women's Fashions 12). Many women also wore bell bottom jeans, long flowing dresses, gyspy skirts, and fringed vests (Guide to 1960s Women's Fashions 15).
Technology
Trim Phone
"The trim phone was the nearest thing you could get to mobile phone in the sixties" (60s Gadgets 21). "A long cable with a stretchable curly cord meant that you could carry it around at parties" (60s Gadgets 21). Field trials started in 1965, but you couldn't have had one until the end of the sixties (60s Gadgets 22).
Phillips E3300 Cassette Tape Recorder
"This was the world's first cassette recorder" (60s Gadgets 9). It came with a microphone to record your own voice (60s Gadgets 9). "The E3300 was a high quality and expensive product" (60s Gadgets 9).
Houses
"Some of the features that were implemented into floor plans during this period in history include concrete driveways, squeak proof flooring, as well as lath and plaster walls (instead of drywall)" (Homes in the 1960s 2). Many homes built houses with swimming pools in the front yard (Homes in the 1960s). In the 1960s living rooms were very spacious, and bedrooms had ample closet space (Homes in the 1960s 2).
TV
The Andy Griffith Show
"The And Griffith Show is a syndicated family situation comedy series created by Sheldon Leonard and Aaron Ruben" (The Andy Griffith Show 1). The show involves Andy Taylor and his family and friends in a small town called Mayberry, North Carolina (The Andy Griffith Show 1). "The Show comprises 8 full seasons and 249 episodes" (The Andy Griffith Show 8).
Gilligan's Island
"Gilligan's Island was centered around a group of people who were stranded on an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific Island" (Gilligan's Island 1). "Gilligan was the first mate on the boat, SS Minnow" (Gilligan's Island 1). Many episodes were about the castaways trying to get off the island, but Gilligan fooled their plans (Gilligan's Island 1).
Art
Pop Art
Hackney"Pop Art began in the 1950s, but became popular in the 1960s" (Pop Art 2). Pop Art started in the United Kingdom, and became an art movement in New York City (Pop Art 2). "Pop Art uses images and icons that are popular in the modern world" (Pop Art 3). Some Pop Art ideas are famous celebrities, rock stars, movie stars, soup cans, comic books, and soft drinks (Pop Art 3). Some famous Pop Art artists are Keith Haring, David Hockney, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol (Pop Art 6).
Movies
The Sound of Music
"When The Sound of Music was released in 1965 it took the world by storm, earning 5 Oscars" (The Sound of Music 1). The musical is about Maria, who takes a job as a governess and decides if she should become a nun (The Sound of Music 3). Maria falls in love with the children and their widowed father, Caption Von Trapp (The Sound of Music 3). He is ordered to accept commission in the German Navy, but they decide to flew from Austria with the kids.
Mary Poppins
The kids get the attention of their business man father when scaring away all of their nanny's (Mary Poppins Synopsis 1). The kids put out an add for a new nanny with a little kindness and imagination (Mary Poppins Synopsis 1). "Mary answers the children's ad by parachuting down from the sky with an umbrella (Mary Poppins Synopsis 1). Mary Poppins' role in all this leads to some moments when it is possible to fear that all her good work will be undone, but like the magical being she is, all her "mistakes" lead to a happy result by the end of the film (Mary Poppins Synopsis 1).
Credits:
Created with images by WikiImages - "john f kennedy president usa"