Hippy Movement

Who were the hippies?

Hippies were young people who rejected society, choosing not to work or go to college.

Why did the hippy movement develop?

There were 2 main reasons the hippy movement developed:

• ❖ A counter-culture developed in the 1960s which was against the culture of older generations and the 'establishment' - those in authority such as the government and police.
• ❖ It was a reaction to the political and social issues of the time. For example, the hippies objected to the actions of the US government in the Vietnam War.

What was the hippy movement?

There were 3 main activities the hippies were involved in:

• ❖ They promoted messages of peace, love and happiness and experimented with sex, drugs and art, especially music.
• ❖ They lived in communes or travelled around in buses or vans. They usually wore their hair long and unstyled, and colourful clothing.
• ❖ They were involved in various protest movements and campaigned on environmental issues.

Was the hippy movement a success?

The hippy movement had 2 main effects:

• ❖ Many Americans viewed hippies as 'wasters' who corrupted society. With the exception of the civil rights movement, hippies had little impact on government policies.
• ❖ While few young Americans actually became hippies they did adopt some aspects of the movement, such as listening to rock music and experimenting with drugs.