Counterculture of the 1960s

Definition

The counterculture movement was a social and cultural phenomenon that developed first in the United States before spreading throughout much of western society. It rejected mainstream values, norms, and behaviors, embracing instead alternative lifestyles and political activism.

Analogy

Imagine if one day all your friends decided they didn't like popular music anymore but preferred underground bands. They also started dressing differently than what's considered 'normal' or 'mainstream'. That's kind-of what happened with counterculture - it was about rejecting what was popular or accepted by most people.

Related terms

Civil Rights Movement: A struggle for social justice that took place mainly during the 1950s and 1960s for Black Americans to gain equal rights under law in America.

Woodstock Festival: A famous music festival in 1969 that became a symbol of the counterculture movement.

Beat Generation: A literary movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-war era.