Name______________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________

An Era of Social Change

Lesson 3

Culture and Counterculture

Key Terms and People
counterculture  Movement whose members sought to drop out of mainstream
society
Haight-Ashbury  Community in San Francisco that attracted many hippies
The Beatles  British rock group that helped popularize rock ’n’ roll
Woodstock  Massive outdoor concert that demonstrated rock ’n’ roll’s popularity

Before You Read

In the last lesson you read about President Lyndon B. Johnson and
the Great Society. In this lesson you will read about the emergence
of the counterculture movement—and how the nation reacted to it.

As You Read
Use a chart to take notes on the counterculture of the 1960s.

THE COUNTERCULTURE and the use of illegal drugs — in

What characterized the particular, marijuana and a new
counterculture? hallucinogenic drug called LSD. They
During the 1960s many idealistic typically wore jeans, tie-dyed T-shirts,
young people adopted values that and love beads. Many grew long hair,
differed from those of mainstream which conservative adults saw as being
society. These Americans were part of a disrespectful. Many chose to live in large
movement known as the counterculture. groups called communes. Many hippies
The movement was made up mostly moved to San Francisco’s Haight-
of white middle-class youths. Members Ashbury. This community was popular
of the counterculture were known as because of the availability of drugs.
“hippies.” Many hippies shared some of After a few years, the counterculture
the beliefs of the New Left. They were movement began to decline. Some
disillusioned with mainstream society. aspects of the movement became
They did not approve of the way violent. Many urban communes grew
American society supported materialism dangerous. The widespread use of drugs
and technology. They also had very also led to the decline of the movement.
different ideas about war. A majority of More than anything else, hippies
hippies chose to turn their backs on eventually found that they could not
America. They wanted to establish a survive outside mainstream America.
new society based on peace and love. They needed money to live. For many,
Characteristics of the hippie culture this meant returning to mainstream
included rock ’n’ roll, unusual clothes, society.

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

242 Guided Reading Workbook

Name______________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________

Lesson 3, continued

1. Name two characteristics of the importance of civil rights, and outrage

counterculture. about the Vietnam War. Bob Dylan,
long hair for guys, drugs use, rock n roll Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger were among
those who spoke out in song.
The counterculture movement
affected Americans’ social attitudes as
well. The movement’s casual approach
A CHANGING CULTURE to relationships led to the sexual
How did the counterculture affect revolution. The American media began
America? to address the subjects of sex and
The counterculture movement violence. Before this time, few
collapsed after only a few years. Americans discussed these topics.
However, some aspects of it had a
2. Name two areas of society affected
lasting effect on mainstream culture.
by the counterculture.
The rebellious nature of the movement
affected the world of art. The 1960s saw Worlds of Art and Fashion
the rise of popular, or pop, art. One
celebrated pop artist was Andy Warhol.
His work was characterized by bright,
simple, commercial-looking images such THE CONSERVATIVE RESPONSE
as portraits of soup cans and other icons Why did mainstream America attack
of mass culture. These images were the counterculture?
repeated to look mass-produced. They In the late 1960s, many mainstream
implied that individual freedoms had Americans criticized the counterculture.
been lost to a “cookie-cutter” lifestyle. They blamed the movement for the
The most lasting legacy of the decline of traditional American values.
counterculture movement was its music. Some conservative groups called the
Rock ’n’ roll continues to be a popular movement a threat to law and order.
form of entertainment. Perhaps the They also accused members of the
most influential band was The Beatles. counterculture of being immoral.
The British group took America by Mainstream America’s anger toward
storm and helped rock music become the counterculture affected the country’s
part of mainstream America. political scene. In 1968 the Republicans
A dramatic example of rock ’n’ roll’s nominated Richard Nixon as their
popularity was an event known as presidential candidate. Nixon ran on a
Woodstock. This was a massive outdoor platform of conservative values and law
rock concert in upstate New York. It and order. His ideas appealed to many
occurred during the summer of 1969. voters. As a result, Nixon won the
More than 400,000 people attended—far election. He then set the nation on a
more than expected. For three days, more conservative course.
popular bands and musicians performed.
3. Cite two reasons why Americans
Despite the crowd, however, the festival
criticized the counterculture.
was peaceful and well organized.
Protest songs became a popular way the decline of traditional American values and said the
to express political ideas. Young people counterculture was immoral
sang about the ills of society, the

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

243 Guided Reading Workbook

Name______________________________ Class________________________ Date_____________

Lesson 3, continued

Fill out the chart below by listing and describing various elements of
the counterculture of the 1960s.

1. Members or 2. Beliefs about 3. Goals for society and

participants American society for themselves
-known as hippies -hippies shared the same to make community and
-wore ragged jeans, tie-dye beliefs and felt american country of america full
shirts, military garments, society and its of peace, love, and
love beads materialism, technology, harmony
-most members left school, and war had grown hollow
work, or home
-main goal: to maintain
-era marked by rock'n'roll,
peace and harmony
crazy clothing, sexual
license, and illegal drugs

4. Movement center 5. Attitudes and activities 6. Violent episodes

Haight-Ashbury -originally full of peace -people began to fall apart
and harmony then gave -became addicted to drugs
way to violence and have mental
-people began to use drugs breakdowns
and become homeless -led to violence

7. Impact on art 8. Impact on music 9. Impact on mainstream

-embraced rock'n'roll America
rise of pop art was categorized
-mass culture including: tv,
by bright, simple, -#beatles
books, magazines, and
commercial0looking images -woodstock festin
from everyday life movies began to address
^represented the 60s
subjects on permissive
movement of peace and
sexual behaviors that once
love
had been prohibited

© Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

244 Guided Reading Workbook