Question

Some historians have defined the historical period of the 1960s and 1970s as a watershed moment in US history because it represents critical change. The emergence of movements for equality, a well-organized political activist youth culture, and a counterculture that rebelled against established norms in society are all factors that highlight this change. Is there a single person or event you think exemplifies the changing US society of the 1960s and 1970s? Explain your choice and why you chose it. Or, explain why you think no single person or event exemplifies this period. Then, name an event that you think illustrates the changing perceptions of authority within the United States in the 1960s and 1970s and explain your reasoning.

Answer 1

It would be very difficult to argue that one person/event can accurately summarize the huge political, social, and economic changes that took place during this era. One must consider that this time period saw the anti-war movement, civil rights movement, environmental movement, and parts of the women's rights movement. No one person or event involved all of these different changes at once.

However, if you were to make this argument you could use the following:
a) Martin Luther King Jr.- His role in the Civil Rights movement and peace movement make him one of the biggest civil rights icons of the 21st century.
b) March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom- This 1963 march included hundreds of thousands of Americans and allowed MLK to give his "I have a dream speech."

Answer 2

Answer:

It should be strongly believed that there is no single event or person that influenced the great cultural changes that occurred in the 1960s and 1970s. Rather then pinpointing a single influence, historians can agree several events and leaders shaped these changes. For example, the confusion over the purposes for the Vietnam  war caused doubts for authority. But the class and reputation of the Kennedys opened the minds of the youth towards different cultures and attitudes to older generations. One of the most famous events that changed the perception of authority is the equality revolution pioneered by Martin Luther King Jr. because the public saw non-violent rallies as effective in pushing their rights

Explanation: