How Much Do You Remember About '60s Pop Culture?

By: John Miller
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Much Do You Remember About '60s Pop Culture?
Image: Wiki Commons by ingen uppgift

About This Quiz

World War II changed human society all over the planet. When the war ended in 1945, families and nations began reconstructing their societies in new ways. The children of this era — the Baby Boomers — grew up quickly, drastically impacting pop culture and politics of the day. Do you really think you know about the ‘60s trivia in our pop culture quiz?

As the ‘50s gave way to the ‘60s, political turmoil was on the horizon, in part due to a war that just wouldn’t go away. The result? Young people up in arms over issues like power and military conscription. These divisive topics played a huge role in the music, drama and literature of the day. Do you know the biggest hits and music groups of the turbulent ‘60s?

The ‘70s and ‘80s had nothing on the ‘60s in terms of outrageous pop culture events… but that’s largely because the ‘60s were so fraught with violence and terror. Racial inequality, women’s rights and issues of all sorts came to a head, generating waves that affected everything from fashion to career choices. Do you really know how much politics warped ’60s pop culture?

From political assassinations to patchouli incense overload, the ‘60s had it all, providing a flashpoint that still impacts pop culture in major ways. Pull on your favorite tie-dye shirt, turn on the lava lamp, and take our ‘60s pop culture quiz now!

Which music festival became a defining moment of ‘60s pop culture?
Lollapallooza
Lilith Fair
Woodstock
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In August 1969, what was supposed to be a small music festival ballooned into a massive, muddy lovefest called Woodstock. Hundreds of thousands of people gathered to celebrate life, music and the counterculture.

In 1969, which children’s TV show debuted?
“Teletubbies"
“Barney"
“Sesame Street"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the fall of 1969, "Sesame Street" debuted on public television. The ultra-popular kids' show is still going strong, thanks to the likes of Big Bird and Elmo.

Where did the Woodstock music festival take place?
Washington
Texas
New York
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Woodstock happened on a little farm located in the Catskills Mountains of New York. Over three days, 32 acts took the stage, as hungry, mud-stained hippies danced the nights away.

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How did men’s hairstyles change in the ‘60s, particularly with young men?
Everyone used lots of hair grease.
Long hair became fashionable.
Buzz cuts were the norm.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In stark contrast to the short, cropped hair of the ‘40s and ‘50s, young men — particularly those wrapped up in the counterculture — began growing out their hair. Long hair became a symbol of divisiveness in many areas.

In 1965, which fashion item made its first appearance?
cotton t-shirts
miniskirt
black dresses
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At the beginning of the ‘60s, most skirts hovered right around the knees. As the decade progressed, skirts went higher and higher, until they were called "miniskirts," very popular among young women.

Which music group released an album called "Please Please Me" in 1963?
Aerosmith
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1963, the Beatles unleashed "Please Please Me" upon the world. Within a year, they’d exploded as one of the biggest pop culture trends ever.

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In 1963, which famous person was assassinated, altering the course of American history?
Pablo Picasso
John F. Kennedy
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1963, President Kennedy was murdered during a visit to Dallas. His death reverberated through all of the politics and pop culture for a generation.

In the ‘60s, the "Motown Sound" emerged from ______, making a major impact on pop music.
Honolulu
Detroit
Seattle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A Detroit-based record company named Motown created the "Motown Sound" in the ‘60s, adding soul flavor to pop tunes. The Motown Sound accounted for heaps of big hits during the decade.

Which part of the car industry blossomed during the ‘60?
muscle cars
minivans
SUVs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Before the ‘60s, speed freaks "hot rodded" their cars to make them faster. In the ‘60s, though, car makers started the muscle car trend, offering fast production vehicles like the Mustang and Camaro.

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Who wrote the critically-acclaimed 1960 novel "To Kill a Mockingbird"?
Stephen King
Harper Lee
Mark Twain
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1960, Harper Lee published "To Kill a Mockingbird," a book that addressed the racial complexities in America. The powerful novel is still required reading in many schools.

Which supermodel died in 1962?
Cindy Crawford
Twiggy
Marilyn Monroe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1962, Marilyn Monroe, a tragic sex symbol for the ages, died at just 36, likely from a drug overdose. Her death was one of several high-profile celebrity deaths of the '60s.

Which band played a famous set at Woodstock?
Heart
Grateful Dead
Fleetwood Mac
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Grateful Dead, known as icons of the counterculture, played a famous set during the festival. Their set was shortened by electrical problems.

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In 1967, an off-Broadway musical called _____ combined many elements of the counterculture for a controversial performance.
“Grease"
“Hair"
“Titanic"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1967, "Hair" opened off Broadway, generating much controversy with its edgy language and nudity, all meant to comment on counterculture and hippies. Music from the show turned into Top 10 hits.

Which event shook the world in July of 1969?
“Gone With the Wind" debuts
The moon landing
Watts riots
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was a groovy time to be alive, man. In July 1969, NASA landed two men on the surface of the moon, forever altering what people believed was possible in terms of space exploration. The feat also marked the end of the hotly-contested Space Race.

In "One Million Years B.C." actress Raquel Welch gained fame for wearing what item?
a layer of gold paint
animal hide bikini
the blood of her enemies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In this silly fantasy movie, Welch plays the role of a woman from prehistoric times. She wore a (rather revealing) bikini made of animal hide, and the look helped to make her famous.

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In 1968, which famous news program debuted on TV?
“60 Minutes"
“48 Hours"
“How to Marry a Millionaire"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1968, "60 Minutes" debuted on CBS. Its long-format stories caught on. Reporters investigated and presented the news in a innovative manner that found fans all over the country.

“Bell bottoms" refers to which clothing item popular in the ‘60s?
hats
blouses
pants
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the ‘60s, bell bottom pants became very popular. They were easy to spot, as they flared out at the leg bottoms in a bell shape.

In 1964, about what percentage of U.S. households had a color TV?
about 3%
about 88%
about 99%
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1964, just 3% of Americans had a color TV in their homes. By the end of the decade, just under half of homes had a color TV.

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What were America’s demographics like in the ‘60s?
very young
half of the population was Mexican
one-third more men than women
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Following World War II, soldiers returned home and started families — the Baby Boom generation was born. By the 1960s, more than half of the country’s population was under 18, a fact that greatly impacted the nation's culture.

How did mainstream religion fare during the ‘60s?
nothing changed
church attendance dropped
church attendance exploded
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You know those hippies weren't going to church, right? The cultural upheaval of the ‘60s had a drastic impact on churches. All across America, churches found their attendance numbers dropping, in some cases by double-digit percentages.

“Valley of the Dolls" was a popular book in the ‘60s. It portrayed a stark vision of which cultural phenomenon?
plastic surgery
drug use
legalized prostitution
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

“Valley of the Dolls" is a novel that portrays three women whose lives suffer from drug abuse. They start popping pills... and years later, their lives are not quite what they’d hoped for.

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During the ‘60s, what was the primary way to listen to prerecorded music in a car?
cassette
vinyl
8-track
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the ‘60s, radio was very popular, but if you wanted to play your own music, you could pull out your collection of 8-track tapes. These big, chunky tapes were common until the early ‘80s.

Young people of the ‘60s often rejected the social norms of their parents. The ______ was born.
Kurdish movement
counterculture
dirtbag movement
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the ‘60s, war and social turmoil led to a popular uprising among young people. The ‘60s counterculture is still regarding as a major turning point in 20th-century culture, creating new trends in music, fashion and politics.

Much of the pop culture in the ‘60s resulted from turmoil swirling around which conflict?
WWII
Korean War
Vietnam War
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As the Vietnam War escalated and conscription began, young Americans began questioning the point of the ever-increasing body count. War protests contributed to much of the music and trends of the ‘60s.

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True or false: The Doors played at the Woodstock music festival.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many iconic bands of the ‘60s didn’t make it to Woodstock for one reason or another. The Doors turned down the opportunity because they thought Woodstock would just be another typical music fest. They were, shall we say, dead wrong on that one.

Which band gave up live performance in part because screaming fans drowned out the music?
the Who
the Doors
the Beatles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As Beatlemania took hold across America, screaming fans were so incredibly loud that they actually ruined the sound at concerts. It was one of the reasons the group gave up on touring in 1966, just a few years after hitting the mainstream.

True or false: The very first version of the internet appeared in the ‘60s.
true
false
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

First established in 1969, ARPANET was the first inkling of the internet that was to come. The basic network resulted from research conduced by the Department of Defense.

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How did the drive-in movie theater culture change during the ‘60s?
Drive-ins boomed.
Drive-ins dropped in number.
There was no change at all.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

At the beginning of the ‘60s, drive-ins were still very popular. But the proliferation of color TV caused these theaters to plummet in numbers during the ‘60s, a fact that rippled throughout the industry.

The "British Invasion" referred to which aspect of ‘60s culture?
war
literature
music
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Beatles started a tidal wave of British acts that breached new markets all over the world, particularly in America. The British Invasion definitely changed America’s tastes in music.

It was one of the first computer games ever, created in 1962. It was called ______.
“Galactic Empire"
“Pac-Man"
“Spacewar!"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 1962, Steve Russell collaborated to make a game called "Spacewar!" This primitive game found two spacecraft trying to blast each other in black-and-white.

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Wiki Commons by ingen uppgift