The Counterculture Movement
Youths should be able to help the society through non-violent organized protests without the government intruding.
Youth was starting to take a stand in the issues of their country.
The Free Speech Movement at the University of California began when the university decided to restrict student rights to give out literature and recruit volunteers for political causes. The students were not satisfied with the practices of this. December 2, 1964; a sit-in and a powerful speech took place on campus. All over the country the youth were taking charge with protests about the Vietnam War. They would stand out on the streets with signs that illustrate what they thought about the war going on. They tried to make a difference in this world.
During the 1960s; many things were happening to influence the youth to stand up for what they believe in.
Blacks were not being treated as equals. In the 1960’s racial discrimination was a problem. Blacks were not allowed to drink out of the same water fountains as the whites. They were not allowed to use the same bathroom. This helped lead youth to make a change for their friends who were not being treated as well as them. The youth began to realize that blacks were being treated wrong, and they needed a change. They started protesting for blacks rights with peaceful protests.
John F. Kennedy was president during this time, he was for the youth speaking their mind as long as it was in a non-violent manner. He attempted to make laws that protected the youth protesting as long as it was peaceful and didn't resort to violence. By just attempting to protect them, youth got the message that they were doing the right thing for their country. It led to many more protests about blacks rights and ending the war in Vietnam.
The War on poverty was too expensive especially as the Vietnam war became the top priority for the government. The Nation kept falling deeper in debt. “The Nation was falling apart” Unknown. Many families were going into debt. Youth was greatly affected because their families were struggling to get by. Youth began protesting for the war to end so their families would be able to have enough food and clothes. Youth was beginning to change society just by speaking their mind and fighting for what they believe.
Throughout the century, youth was still doing their best to hold onto responsibility and fighting for what they believe in.
During the Spanish-American War, youth was involved in making a difference. College athletes, cowboys, and ranchers fought for independence and later became known as Roosevelt’s Rough Riders. Rough Riders showed young men everywhere that they were able to do things that they didn't think they could before. The youth was making a stand in a subtle way. Therefore helping in the youth movement by just proving that they are able to fight.
During this Era many youths were being forced to work in unsanitary places for little to no pay. If a child had an accident like slicing off a finger, the overseer would wrap it up and put them back to work without cleaning up the area or giving the child antibiotics. Although the children during this era weren't able to do much, they caused many people to protest against child labor.
Young men under 19 were not allowed to fight in World War 1, but many 17-18 year olds snuck in to fight for their country. Even though they were actually breaking the law to fight, they were proving to everybody that they were capable of more than they thought. In their own way, they were protesting for their rights.
Young girls were offering a voice for women by going out and acting like men to show women are just as good as men women. Women in the 1920s were conservative in the way that they expressed themselves. Flappers were women that showed that it was acceptable to begin getting rights. They wore short dresses, went to the bar, partied, drove around with boys. All these actions were judged harshly, but as the years passed women began to believe that they were right and thus starting the women's rights movement. Flappers were showing society a new path and that path was different than the normality of society at that time.
During the Great Depression the government created the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) offered young men jobs in forestry. At the same time there were 250,000 teens that were homeless. These young men were frustrated with the depression and wanted their families to begin thriving again. Youth began taking responsibilities of working or any other way to get money for their family. They began to understand that youth was able to do things that will help something they truly believe.
The Youth Movement may have stopped, but many youth today learn from them and organize peaceful protests to express their opinion.
Youth today is protesting things, such as gay rights and the feminist movement. They are making a stand in what they believe in a non-violent protest. Many people should look at the youth and realize that they are strong enough to help a cause, no matter how small, if they believe in it strongly enough. Young teens everywhere are taking more and more responsibility to express their opinion on an important issue in our nation.
The Vietnam War Protests
Any person in the U.S. should be allowed to peacefully protest on their opinion of war without government intrusion.
Many people complained on the hazards/damages that the Vietnam war caused.
After we went to war with Vietnam, many youth/college students became involved with the peaceful protests all along the East Coast including Kent State University. Everything in Kent State was peaceful until the Ohio National guard came in on May 4, 1970, and fired 67 rounds over a period of 13 seconds, killing 4 students while permanently paralyzing 9 others from the shooting. This action taken by the Ohio National Guard made everyone protest more (still peacefully) about the damage that the Vietnam war was having in the U.S.
Throughout the last century, there always has been protests on wars to help our country and its needs to better our lives.
Everyone against the Vietnam war usually partook in the protests on the streets which brought attention to them and the people who didn't participate. These actions turned into social norms which broke the nation into three main groups. These three groups included: for the war, against the war, and impartial. A different form of social normality would form during any war.
Throughout the Vietnam war, there were four main presidents that were very involved in the war. Those presidents included (in order) Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, and Richard Nixon. Many people argued that going into the Vietnam was purely political. This put the presidents into a very difficult position that brought threats and lots of stress into the war.
In an economical point of view, the Vietnam war was a very expensive war because of how long it took, the amount of people involved in it, and the recession happening in the U.S. during that time period. Also, many of the protesters would skip work in order to march in the streets for the Vietnam war.
Throughout the century, many people (men, women, and children) would protest for/against war on a national level.
Heading into the 1900s, the US was starting to be scene as a world power. Many Americans thought that we should be isolationists in foreign issues while others protested that war with other countries was inevitable.
During the Progressive Era, there was no major war protesting but there was still protesting on child labor and the debt our country was getting into.
During WW1, there was a lot of war protesting but a lot of it was for the war not against it because it was turning our financial state upwards faster than a bullet. WW1 also helped many people get jobs and earn more money.
Throughout the Roaring 20s, there wasn't a lot of war protesting but women's rights were on the rise with a very creative flair. Even though this type of protesting wasn't about the war, it would later help in WW2 when all of the white men were away. Most women and minorities were able to grasp this win in their protesting.
With the Great Depression and New Deal hot on the table so to speak, protesting about poverty and hunger were the main protesting subject. Without money from the Roaring 20s to maintain financial stability for the country, everything soon after fell apart.
The Vietnam War may have ended but people still protest about the War on Terror and Iraq.
Protests today include lots of anger and frustration about the situation in Iraq as well as the confusion in the war on terror. Lots of secrecy has been dealt over both of these issues for protection of the soldiers.
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