The BOOM Generation The Early Years… D. Smith/History 12

Pre-Boom America just endured a war and a depression. From 1929-45, the US knew poverty & tragedy. After the war, the US was a lone superpower. After the war, America entered a period of prosperity that created a new middle class. Transportation: Cars, Passenger Air travel Communication: Telephone, TV Living Standards: Appliances, Suburbs This was different from the 20’s: 20’s: excess, reaction to senselessness of WW1 Post ‘45: responsible, driven by purpose & progress They bought homes in the suburbs and had kids!

Enter the Teenager The generation born between 1946-1954 is known as the Baby-Boom generation (defn’s vary). These kids grew up in cities and suburbs, in relative affluence compared to past generations. As they approached their teen years, teen culture grew, fed by mass media (TV, movies, music): Rock and Roll, Cars, Rebellion The 1950’s concept of “teen” soon evolved as the boom generation entered adolescence.

The Beat Generation US author, Jack Kerouac, introduced the term, “Beat Generation” in 1948. It referred to an underground youth counterculture built on the “hipster” identity, (jazz, drugs) By the late 50’s it had evolved into “Beatnik” culture, which fed a range of stereotypes. The most commonly used, and emulated, was a poetic or musical pot smoking anti-establishment cynic wearing black clothes. Older generations saw them as drug driven, violent, subversive thugs (common slang & movies did this)

The Hippie Rejecting the dark cynicism of the Beatniks, some sought a more positive counterculture. This new group of youth were seen as less committed hipsters- “hippies”. They embraced drugs, communal living, the sexual revolution, and anti-war messages. This movement was popularized in the 1967 Human Be-In in San Francisco (Summer of Love). The movement went mainstream, peaking in August ‘69 at Woodstock, attracting 500,000 people.

The Hippie A “Woodstock West” in Dec ‘69, was held at the Altamont Speedway, east of San Fransisco. 300,000 attended with security was provided by the Hell’s Angels, but violence defined the concert. An 18 year old male was stabbed to death by the HA. In total, there was 1 murder & 3 accidental deaths. This marked the decline of Hippie culture. The war ended in ’75 & disco was on the rise.