Culture of English Speaking Countries

Vietnam War

A conflict in Vietnam involving the United States and South Vietnam against North Vietnam and the Viet Cong.

Folk Rock

A musical genre that combines folk music elements with rock music.

Motown

A record label founded in Detroit in 1959 known for developing the careers of numerous soul artists

Fidel Castro

1959 - Gained power in Cuba after toppling a military regime - his land reform (communist) threatened America and led to an American Embargo of Cuba

The Bay of Pigs

1961 - A failed military invasion (unsuccessful due to lack of preparation and troops) of Cuba in 1961 by a CIA-led force of Cuban exiles aiming to overthrow Fidel Castro's government.

Vietnamization

Nixon began to build up the South Vietnamese army while progressively withdrawing U.S. troops from Vietnam, aiming to reduce American involvement in the war.

Richard Nixon

Became president in 1969 after Johnson, with polices such as Vietnamization and attack harder to force Viet Cong into negotiation

Déntente

1972 - Nixon and Kissinger aimed to ease tension with the communist nations- specifically aimed to halt the nuclear arms race, and the aid of both countries to North Vietnam

The Moscow Summit

1972 - the First visit of the U.S. president to the Soviet Capital which held major symbolic value as well as achieving SALT, a five year freeze on new nuclear missiles

Oil Crisis

1973 -74 - OAPEC imposed an oil embargo on all of Israel’s allies amidst the Arab-Israeli war leading to economic turmoil for the United States

Stagflation

Following the Oil Crisis in the 70s, stagnant growth and soaring inflation lasted for a decade

Conservative Revival

1970s - America’s ‘silent majority’ concerned with a perceived moral corrosion and issues such as religion, racial integration, divorce and the family, and opposed to state interference in people’s lives

Phyllis Schlafly

1970s- Headed the campaign against the proposed “Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)”- because women will be forced to enroll in the draft and not receive protection from predatory males

Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

1923 - 72: “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

White Flight

1960s - 70s - Bussing plans transported children black areas into mainly white schools to achieve racial balance which led enraged white families to move away from the cities and into the suburbs beyond the reach of the bussing plans

Reverend Billy Graham

1970s - founded a revivalist movement known as Youth For Christ - his rallies used catchy slogans, pop music, quizzes, and even magicians, all building up to preaching the Bible

Jerry Falwell

70s - The Moral Majority - against the traditional Evangelical principle of separating religion and politics - sought to mobilize conservative Americans to defend its Christian code of morals

Ben Hur

1959 - An MGM remake of a silent film of the same name from 1925 - a biblical epic about Jesus’ crucifixion- the most expensive and highest grossing film in history (at the time), rewarded 11 oscars

Spartacus

1960 - a Universal Studios historical drama starring Kirk Douglas as the rebellious slave, Laurence Olivier as the Roman general Crassus, and Peter Ustinov as the slave trader

Cleopatra

1963 - another historical drama starring Elizabeth Taylor as the Queen of Egypt and Richard Burton as Roman general Mark Antony.

New American Cinema

1960s - Began to emerge in the 60s blending film noir and character based movies

Shadows

1959 - First example of independent new American cinema- About interracial relations in NYC during the beat generation

Psycho

1960 - Hitchcock - starred Anthony Perkins as a distrubed motel owner Norman Bates and Janet Leigh as secretary on the run Marion Crane

The Graduate

1967 - satirical comedy drama starring Dustin Hoffman as Benjamin Braddock, an aimless young college graduate who is seduced by an older woman

Easy Rider

1969 - quintessential road movie, starring Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda as Billy and Wyatt, two carefree bikers who travel across the American South only to meet a tragic end

A Space Odyssey

1968 - a groundbreaking science fiction epic in 4 acts, partly based on the short story The Sentinel by Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the screenplay with Kubrick.

Soul Music

1950s - 60s - combining aspectsof African-American gospel music and Rhythm & Blues

Ray Charles

one of the pioneers of the soul genre - He had his first major hit with his first original composition, I Got A Woman (1954)

Sam Cooke

1957 - Soul artist recording You Send Me - was shot dead at the age of 33

James Brown

1956 - The Godfather of Soul, was another trailblazer of soul music, as well as a founding father of funk and a major influence on rap and hip hop- Please Please Please and Get Up Offa That Thing

Aretha Franklin

1960 - The Queen of Soul, was placed number 1 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 100 Greatest Singers of All Time list from 2008 - Respect and Say a little Prayer

Smokey Robinson

1955 - 72 - lead singer, songwriter and producer of the vocal group “The Miracles”

Marvin Gaye

1962- 80s - one of the most distinctive singing voices in the history of soul music, with an impressive vocal range that earned him the accolade The Prince of Soul - “Ain’t no Mountain High Enough” and “Let’s Get it on”

Otis Redding

Began his recording career in 1962, when Stax Records released the hit single “These Arms of Mine” - tragically died in a plane crash

Stevie Wonder

a child prodigy, whose single Fingertips (1963), a live recording, reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 when he was just 13 years old

The Temptations

the most prolific and successful male vocal group of the 1960s and early 1970s

The Shirelles

1960 - the first black girl group to achieve crossover success - “Tonight’s the Night”

The Supremes

Founded in 1958, they signed with Motown in 1961, but failed to achieve chart success until 1964, when they released “Where Did Our Love Go”

The Ronettes

Consisted of lead vocalist Veronica (Ronnie) Bennett, her elder sister Estelle and their cousin Nedra Talley - “Breakin’ Up” and “Walking in the Rain”

Tribalism

The media associated the new youth subcultures - mods and rockers - with social issues such as teenage pregnancy, drug taking and violence.

Mod Subculture

Centered on scooters, fashion (parkas, suits, and short hairstyles), and various musical genres (ska, soul, R&B and British groups like The Who and The Small Faces).

Rocker Subculture

Centered on motorcycles, fashion (black leather jackets, jeans, boots or brothel

creepers, and relatively long hairstyles), and 1950s Rock and Roll music.

Mary Quaint

1964 - leading British designer of the decade and is credited with inventing the miniskirt

The Angry Brigade

A British anarchist group that carried out a bombing campaign between 1970 and 1972 - targeted banks, embassies, politicians, and the BBC

Kitchen Sink Dramas

1960s - Film adaptations of Social Realists novels and plays that provided fresh portrayals of the British working classes and their concerns

Tony Richardson Kitchen Sink Dramas

Look Back in Anger (1959) and The Entertainer (1960) - based on plays by John Osbourne

A Taste of Honey (1961)

Jo (Rita Tushingham) a 17- year old school girl, becomes pregnant by a black sailor, after which her relationship with her alcoholic mother Helen becomes strained to breaking point.

Spy films

1950s - 60s - Screen adaptations of the 13 James Bond novels written by Ian Fleming in the 1950s began with Dr. No (1962)

Historical Films

Films about events and figures from British History such as Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Becket (1964), and A Man For All Seasons (1966)

The Servant (1963)

Psychological drama which addresses issues of power, control and social class and in a subtle indirect way. James fox plays the aristocratic Tony and Dirk Bogarde his sinister servant, Barrett.

The Beat Revolution

Early 1960s - a new Genre of Pop emerged - novel mixture of Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues, and soul music influences, with a distinctive backbeat.

The Beatles

began as skiffle band The Quarrymen, founded by 16-year old John Lennon in 1657. Paul McCartney and George Harrison joined the band in 1958.

Beatles Hits

Love Me Do (1962), Please Please Me (1963), Yesterday (1965)

Gerry and the Pacemakers’ and The Searchers

Early 60s - Liverpool Beat bands that followed in footsteps of the Beatles

British Rhythm and Blues

Early 1960s- Success in the wake of the Merseybeat craze of 1963-4, developing mostly in London

Blues Incorporated

1961 - Alexis Korner formed the world’s first white blues group after Muddy Waters visited the UK- Shared passion for electric blues and American R&B

The Rolling Stones

1962 - Formed by childhood friends and ex-members of the Blues incorporated and became on of the most successful British R&B groups

Rolling Stones Albums

The Rolling Stones (1964), Aftermath (1966), Sticky Fingers (1971)

The Yardbirds

Started an R&B band on the London Club scene in 1963, have come to be regarded as one of the greatest guitar groups in the history of rock music

The Animals

1964 - British R&B group that came from Newcastle, although they moved to London in 1964, their sound was dominated by the powerful vocals of Eric Burdon and the keyboards of Alan Price

The Mod Sound

Specific bands that emerged in the mid-1960s, producing fast, energetic songs with lyrics that reflected the lifestyle

The Who

1964 - Gained popularity in the London club scene, pioneered auto-destructive art in popular music

The Kinks

1963 - Formed by Ray Davies (songwriter, lead vocals, rhythm guitar) - music mainly influence by R&B and folk

Surf Music

Emerged in Southern California in the early 1960s

Dick Dale

1961 - Band: The Del-Tones - Surf Rock Guitarist who pioneered the surf music sound, drawing on the example of instrumental rock and roll performers

The Beach Boys

1961 - Vocal surf pop group - “Surfin’ USA”

Bob Dylan

1961 - Dropped out of college and became the first US musician to fuse folk with rock

Bob Dylan Albums

“The Times are a-Changin” (1963) and “Highway 61 Revisited” (1965)

Carole King

1960s - 70s - Singer-Songwriter and Pianist, with songs such as “It’s Too Late” and “You’ve Got a Friend.”

George H.W. Bush

Took over as president in 1989, after serving two terms as vice president under Reagan; hoped that other countries would become more Democratic and open

Collapse of Communism (USSR) in the 1992

Gorbachev loosened the USSR's control in the Warsaw Pact, Poland and Hungary held free elections, free movement was allowed in East Germany, and therefore it began to westernize. Democratization followed by the dissolution of the Soviet Union

Tiananmen Square

June 1989 - 1 million student demonstrators in Beijing protested against communism and unjust elections - Tanks shot into the crowds and death toll is unknown

Gulf War (1981)

After the inconclusive Iran-Iraq war, Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990. The United States formed a coalition with allies (Arab countries, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union) and was successful in removing Iraqi troops.

Operation US Desert Shield/ Desert Storm (1991)

Protect Saudi Arabia and force Iraqi Troops out of Kuwait, Criticized for not invading Iraq and seeking to topple the Iraqi dictator

Bill Clinton (1993-2001)

Shift from Republican to Democratic party, congress was controlled by the opposing party, who wanted to cut taxes and social programs, popularity boosted by positive global market in the 90s

Hillary Clinton’s Healthcare Proposal

A 1300-page proposal to provide universal coverage through a national health care plan. It was detailed to a fault- nearly everyone in Congress could find something to object to.

Monica Lewinsky Scandal

Clinton has sexual relations with the White House Intern, but Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr delivered a report to Congress claiming to provide evidence of acts that constituted grounds for impeachment.

Thatcherism

Arguably the greatest political, economic and cultural shift in twentieth-century Britain, Conservative party won the 1979 General Election after the winter of discontent; bring Britain back to strength

Thatcher’s First Term (1979-83)

1. Economic Crisis worsened

2. Unemployment rose to 1.2 million

3. Civil unrest - Unemployment and police brutality in minority groups

The Miner’s Strike (1984-85)

The longest strike in British history resulted in the virtual end of coal mining in Britain. Thatcher responded by defending the philosophy of economic individualism rather than public ownership or enterprise culture.

Privatisation (1984 & 1986)

Thatcher turned Britain into a “share-owning democracy,” e.g., British Telecom and British Gas. Foreign companies moved in to buy privatised utilities.

Thatcher’s third term (1987-92)

The community charge or poll tax was introduced in 1989 to replace domestic rates, as a flat-rate tax on every adult. The issue of European integration divided the cabinet, and Thatcher lost support. She resigned in November 1990.

The Fourth term under John Major

Led the Conservatives to election victory over Labour in 1992 after Thatcher gained a record of 13 million votes. In 1997, he was rocked by a succession of sleaze scandals (sexual misdemeanors and money corruption).

Maastricht Treaty (1992)

Created the 12-member EU, Major negotiated the UK opt-out of the single currency (the Euro) and the social chapter (directives on employment conditions).

1975 Equal Pay Act

British women’s earnings as a percentage of mens advanced from 63.1% in 1970 to 75.5% in 1977

1975 Sexual Discrimination Act

Made it unlawful in the UK to discriminate in employment, education, housing, goods, services, and opportunities

British Progressive Rock (1975-67)

A number of British bands began to experiment with sound, lyrics, and song length breaking away from the traditional pop single; characterized by complex instrumentation and compositional structure, lengthy guitar and drum solos, pompous lyrics and elaborate live shows.

Pink Floyd

Founded in London in 1965 by architecture students Syd Barrett (lead singer, lead guitar), Nick Mason (drums), Roger Waters (bass guitar and main songwriter) and Richard Wright (keyboards).

Pink Floyd Albums

Pipers at the Gates of Dawn (1967), Atom Heart Mother (1970), The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), The Wall (1970)

Genesis (1967)

Founded by 5 pupils at Charterhouse School in Godalming, Surrey: Peter Gabriel (lead singer, flute), Tony Banks (keyboards), Mike Rutherford (Bass and Guitar), Anthony Phillips (guitar), and Chris Stewart (drums). They developed a mainly middle-class cult, releasing several successful Prog Rock Albums and staging highly theatrical live shows.

Land of Confusion (1988)

Music video from Genesis was a critique of Cold War Politics

UK Glam Rock

By the early 1970s, a new style of music had emerged, combining elements of folk, electric pop, and art rock, although there was little musical unity among its exponents.

Style for Glam Rockers

Marc Bolan and David Bowie began to dress and behave in a sexually androgynous fashion, wearing glitter, make-up, outrageous costumes, and platform shoes. They also adopted an overtly sexual lyrical style, which was both daring and provocative. This reflected changing attitudes in sexual difference following the sexual revolution of the 1960s, including the gains achieved by the gay liberation movement.

T.REX

Formed in 1967 under the full name Tyrannosaurus Rex by singer-songwriter and guitarist Marc Bolan and percussionist Steve Peregrin. The duo gained popularity on the hippy underground scene, performing highly poetic acoustic songs with folk and psychedelic rock influences.

David Bowie

Singer-Songwriter, guitarist, and actor, who became one of the most successful and influential figures in the history of British pop music; famous for his innovative and eclectic work, particularly his 1970s output, in which he projected his songs through different personae, and staged strikingly theatrical performances.

David Bowie Albums

Space Oddity (1972), Hunky Dory (1971), Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972)

Punk Rock

In the mid-1970s during a period of economic uncertainty, rising unemployment and social unrest, a new musical genre and youth subculture emerged on Britain’s streets; had its roots in elements of US Protopunk and British Mod Groups.The characteristic sound was fast, energetic, and raw, with highly distorted electric guitar chords, heavy drumming, and a loud, off-key vocal style.

The Sex Pistols

Formed in London in 1975 by Johnny Rotten, Steve Jones, Glen Matlock, and Paul Cook. They were inspired by the nascent punk scene in NYC; Evolved from the London band "The Strand,”

The Sex Pistols Hit Singles

Anarchy in the UK (1976) and God Save the Queen (1977)

The Clash

Formed in London in June 1976 by Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Nicky Headon. The band evolved from the protopunk act London SS who were friends of the Sex Pistols.