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

By: John Miller

The "British Invasion" referred to which aspect of ‘60s culture?

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.

Which music festival became a defining moment of ‘60s pop culture?

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.

Where did the Woodstock music festival take place?

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.

In 1969, which children’s TV show debuted?

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.

Which part of the car industry blossomed during the ‘60?

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.

Which music group released an album called "Please Please Me" in 1963?

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.

In 1965, which fashion item made its first appearance?

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.

How did men’s hairstyles change in the ‘60s, particularly with young men?

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.

Which supermodel died in 1962?

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.

What were America’s demographics like in the ‘60s?

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.

Which band played a famous set at Woodstock?

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

Who wrote the critically-acclaimed 1960 novel "To Kill a Mockingbird"?

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 event shook the world in July of 1969?

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 1964, about what percentage of U.S. households had a color TV?

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.

“Valley of the Dolls" was a popular book in the ‘60s. It portrayed a stark vision of which cultural phenomenon?

“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.

In 1963, which famous person was assassinated, altering the course of American history?

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 1967, an off-Broadway musical called _____ combined many elements of the counterculture for a controversial performance.

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.

In the ‘60s, the "Motown Sound" emerged from ______, making a major impact on pop music.

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.

During the ‘60s, what was the primary way to listen to prerecorded music in a car?

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.

How did mainstream religion fare during the ‘60s?

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.

True or false: The Doors played at the Woodstock music festival.

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.

In "One Million Years B.C." actress Raquel Welch gained fame for wearing what item?

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.

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

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.

In 1968, which famous news program debuted on TV?

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.

Which band gave up live performance in part because screaming fans drowned out the music?

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.

“Bell bottoms" refers to which clothing item popular in the ‘60s?

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.

How did the drive-in movie theater culture change during the ‘60s?

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.

It was one of the first computer games ever, created in 1962. It was called ______.

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.

Young people of the ‘60s often rejected the social norms of their parents. The ______ was born.

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?

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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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!

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