Youth Culture and the Counterculture

The 1960s and early 1970s saw the emergence of a powerful youth culture and counterculture movement in the United States. Young Americans challenged the values of their parents' generation, protesting against the Vietnam War, rejecting conformity, and embracing new forms of music, art, and lifestyle. This lesson covers the key features of youth culture, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and the broader counterculture.

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The Rise of Youth Culture

Several factors explain why a distinct youth culture emerged in the 1960s.

Factor	Explanation
Baby boom	The post-war baby boom meant that by the 1960s, over 50% of the American population was under 25
Affluence	Young people had more money and leisure time than any previous generation
Higher education	College enrolment doubled between 1950 and 1964, creating large communities of young, politically aware students
Television	TV exposed young people to the civil rights struggle, the Vietnam War, and new cultural ideas
Music	Rock and roll, folk, and psychedelic music gave young people a shared cultural identity

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Music and the Counterculture