UNITED STATES HISTORY

Chapter 32:

Struggles for Change

THE WOMEN’S MOVEMENT One of the most influential people in the

fight for women’s rights was Betty FriedanThe Feminine MystiqueConcluded that women were unhappy with

their lives as homemakers and mothers Many sought jobs outside the home, even

before Friedan’s bookWomen still earned less than men, even for

the same jobs JFK signed the Equal Pay Act in 1963Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protected

women from discrimination in employmentCreated the Equal Employment Opportunity

Commission to ensure enforcement

GAINING GROUND The National Organization for Women (NOW)

Formed in 1966 Lobbied the government for women’s rights

Gloria Steinem Helped to form the National Women’s Political Caucus that

encouraged women to run for office Founder of Ms. Magazine, created as an outlet for the

liberation of women The government responded in several ways

Education Amendment Act (1972) outlawed discrimination in education

Title IX: required colleges to offer sports for women in a fair manner

Roe v. Wade (1973): overturned laws that prevented abortions

Equal Rights Amendment: gained momentum throughout the 1960s and 1970s, but was dead in 1982

THE CHICANO MOVEMENT Hispanics also fought for their rights Movement began with Mexican American

farm workersLed by Cesar Chavez, a migrant farm workerWorkers of the National Farm Workers

Association (NFWA) fought for better wages in the grape industry, striking for over 5 years

Eventually signed contracts to go back to work, but formed the United Farm Workers in the process

Movement led to a broader Mexican American rights movement, even thought the UFW was not an exclusive Mexican American union

THE CHICANO MOVEMENT Many people fought for the rights in regards

to lands they had lost over the years Reies Lopez Tijerina led the Alianza Federal de

Mercedes (Federal Alliance of Land Grants) in NM

Fought to regain land that had been taken away from Mexican Americas

Violence and arrests plagued the movement and in the end, they did not win, but it inspired a new activist generation of Mexican Americans

Educational reform was also a popular issue Students in LA in 1968 took to the streets

demanding better schools and opportunities Included members of the Brown Berets, a group

similar to the Black Panthers

CHICANO NATIONALISM Other activists stood up for rights outside of

farm workers, education and land grants Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales led the Crusade for

Justice Promoted Mexican American nationalism and

separatism Jose Angel Gutierrez formed the Mexican

American Youth Organization in 1967 (MAYO) Worked in his state of Texas for educational equality Also helped found La Raza Unida Party in 1972

La Raza Unida Party was a Chicano political party Won some victories in Texas, but nationally was

limited in power Eventually dissolved in the late 1970s

NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONALISM Red Power was formed in the 1960s to fight for

rights of Native Americans Called for rights to govern their own communities Demanded payment for lost lands Occupied Alcatraz Island near SF, CA in 1969 in

protest American Indian Movement (AIM) in 1968

Called for renewal of Native culture and recognition of rights

Occupied a trading post in Wounded Knee, SD in 1972, demanding that the government negotiate with them over broken treaties

After two activists were killed, the government agreed to negotiate

The movement helped many tribes regain lands and address the problems that plague many

OTHER GROUPS STRUGGLES… People with disabilities, children and the

elderly fought for their rights Many laws passed to address peoples’

rights Rehabilitation Act: eliminated discrimination

based on disability Education for All Handicapped Children Act:

must provide education to all, regardless of disability

Children’s Defense Fund: funded to help provide children with basic means

Older Americans Act: provide elderly with basic means American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) and

the Gray Panthers: fights for the rights of the elderly

THE COUNTERCULTURE The youth of the 1960s rejected many of the

ideals of the older generation, creating a massive generation gap

College campuses were the scene of countless protests to the establishment

Out of the protest and generation gap came the hippies, hoping to create a new alternative lifestyle, contrary to the norm Open to many “obscene” activities, like public nudity,

profanity, drug use, and multiple sexual partners Many lived on communes, where people worked

together to survive Hippie fashion became popular

Men had long hair and beards Tie dye, jeans and beads Many blacks wore afros

HIPPIES

THE COUNTERCULTURE

Religion began to lose influence, but many became interested in Eastern religions, like Zen Buddism

Art began to appeal to a wider audienceBecame known as pop artAndy Warhol used everyday things to create

psychedelic pieces The movie rating system we know today

was born, giving the movie industry the power to rate

1960S POP ART

SOUNDS OF THE 1960S Music was a large part of 1960s culture Rock music

Influenced heavily by British artists like the Beatles and Rolling Stones

Other artists like Jimi Hendrix plugged in guitars to play distorted, very loud musci

Folk music People like Bob Dylan revitalized folk music, eventually

combining it with rock Motown and Soul

Resurgence of black musicians in the form of R & B and soul music

Woodstock Huge festival in upstate NY in August 1969 3 days with over 400,000 people and dozens of bands Very peaceful even though food and water were short Led to the Rolling Stones playing a free show later in the year

near SF, CA, but turned bloody when the Hells Angels stabbed a concert goer at the show