Question

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

The person that exemplifies it can be Martin Luther King.

He was the leader of the civil rights movement and was a huge figure in everyday American life before his assassination. He exemplified it because the period was a time of change and he wanted for things to change in order to help the African-American population which was suffering at the time because they had been denied their rights.

The event can be the Watergate scandal

In the 70s, it was proven that President Nixon was spying on his political opponents using government resources, which resulted in people starting to look down on the government authority even more and believe that the government was working against them. This led to a huge change in perception of government authority and the government was no longer perceived as someone who is willing to do good for the people.