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