The 1960s in the US was a fantastic time, despite the turbulence of the decade. The entire decade was played out on television. Beginning from the presidency to the declaration of the winner of the space race and landing on the moon.
This era witnessed the dawn of a new America as several important events unfolded, which made history. The decade brought many societal advances for women, the start of civil rights, and even the beginning of space explorations.
Every American family had a black and white TV set and enjoyed three channels. Thus, they started to rely on TV news for the day's important events. There were several major events on TV that affected the entire country. Aside from TV news, families relied on television for entertainment.
After dinner, families gathered around the TV, and the living room would become a family theater. Some of the popular shows during the 60s were The Beverly Hillbillies, Bonanza, Dick Van Dyke, Andy Griffith Show, & Star Trek. The late 60s saw women entering the workforce, and the structure of the families began to change.
This trend indeed challenged the social order. Road trips gained popularity and became a new way to relax and chill during weekends. Automobiles became a fixture in front of every home since gas costs around 25 to 30 cents per gallon.
The 1960s was also an excellent decade for sports. Baseball was never more exciting than it was in 1961. Roger Maris & Mickey Mantle raced to break Babe Ruth's Major League Baseball Season record for home runs. In 1964, Olympic Gold Medalist Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) defeated Sonny Liston to win the Heavyweight Boxing Championship.
If you came of age during the 60s, your best time was probably spent riding your banana bike with friends or listening to the Beatles. It also included wearing gogo boots or bell-bottom jeans, watching American Bandstand, and learning to do the twist.
