Woodstock Chantelle Cunning US History Per. 8 June 10, 2010

Overview Woodstock was a music and art festival between August , 1969 There were about 500,000 attendees It was intended to be a ticket show, but because of poor security, many jumped the fence, so the producers declared it free. Tents were put up for food, water, drugs, a place to sleep, and to cool down and recover from a "bad trip" There were three deaths and three births

Introduction The hippie movement that emerged in the sixties came about as a rebellion of the current American culture. Some people said they were "a red warning light for the American way of life," and even compare them to early Christians. (The Hippies) They preach the use of drugs, protesting American culture, and social unity. One of the biggest hippie events, the Woodstock Music ans Art Festival reflected all of these ideals. http: //30daysout.files. wordpress.com/http: //30daysout.files. wordpress.com/ 2009/07/woodstock_csg022.jpg

Thesis Woodstock reflected the ideology of the hippies in the 1960s in its excessive use of drugs and other hallucinogens, its protest of the current American government and culture, and, most importantly, social unity and harmony.

Drug Use Woodstock reflected the hippie ideology of its acceptance and overdosage of drugs during the 1960s. o Hippies believed and promoted the use of psychadelic drugs o LSD (Lysergic acid dietylamide) and marijuana were most popular. o LSD was called "the mind detergent" (The Hippies) "We were very fortunate to have a little time in history when LSD was still legal and were able to experiment with drugs just like we were doing with music." - Jerry George ( 10 Amazing Woodstock Era Quotes) "With no cops present, drug use reached such epidemic proportions that the festival's public address system lept up a running commentary on the best kinds of LSD." (Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll).

Protesting Woodstock reflected the hippie deology if its protests of the Vietnam War, and equal rights for all during the 1960s. o Hippies protested American culture by forming their utopian communities. o Woodstock was a peaceful protest of the Vietnam War, its three days of peace and love greately contrasting with the war. "Festival organizers pointed out that anyone buying a ticket was contributing to a united front against the war. (History They Didn't Teach in School) "If you want to stop the ******* war, you'll have to sing louder than that." - Country Joe (History They Didn't Teach in School)

Protesting "You had the war in Vietnam. You had civil rights, you had women's rights, gay rights, and you had the music, which was a form of communication that we used strongly back then." - Duke Devlin (10 Amazing Woodstock Era Quotes) "And after Woodstock, many like Zeke Boyle and Joe Dipone (festival participants) went on to protest the war." (Woodstock Encapsulated an Era of Political and Social Unrest) small/USR179/ _Peace%20Not%20War.jpg

Social Unity/Harmony Woodstock reflected the most important part of the hippie ideology, social unity and harmony during the 1960s. o Hippies believed in everyone being completely equal, sharing everything they had. o At Woodstock, there was almost no violence, only three people died. Two died from overdoses, and the other was run over by a tractor. o They shared everything, food, water, clothes, joints, places to sleep, etc. "The way people were sharing at Woodstock, if you were wet and cold, they would offer you their extra shirt. They would offer you food. People were sharing everything. - Zeke Boyle (Woodstock Encapsulated an Era of Political and Social Protest)

Social Unity/Harmony "You know my best Woodstock memory, my favorite thing? It's in the movie. You see a kid taking a bite of a sandwhich, and passing it to the next kid, who takes a bite and passes it, on down the line until 12 kids have had a bite. Sharing, that's what woodstock was, people helping another." - Artie Kornfield (Sex, Drugs, and Rock n' Roll) "All we are saying is to give peace a try." - John Lenon (10 Amazing Woodstock Era Quotes) Woodstock/Artie_Kornfeld_1969.jpg

Conclusion Woodstock was a very important event for the hippies of the sixties. It's events and what it stood for reflect exactly the hippie culture of the time period. Woodstock greatly promoted the use of psychadelic drugs, protesting the American culture/government, and social unity and harmony. The hippie movement reached its peak with Woodstock in 1969, and it shall never be forgotten. spangled-banner-woodstock-1969http:// spangled-banner-woodstock-1969

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