CH. 12: Liberalism at High Altitude

Nota:

• The world before 1960 saw an America that trusted its old fashioned values and the government it supported. Many problems lie beneath the surface to keep the era peaceful. As more unrest in the government and in new cultures came to light, the state would find itself in a position to pioneer a new face, for the American Dream.  We also made a lot of money from trade and it was only getting better. We laid a lot of roots for the future of law, education and trade in this era, and a public that would be able to take more part in their leadership. 

1. Post WW2 Liberal Era (1960)

   Nota:

   • The Post WW2 boom stationed California as a "Pacific Eldorado"; the effects of the increased population and rise of liberalism would forever touch all aspects of California living, and would influence the rest of the globe as a leader in the people's rights.v The whole system changed so fast; problems we ignored got stirred up. People became aware of their government and demanded change at a fast rate. California established itself as a leader in all aspects of the new generation. Most of the landscape and framework of American rights, trade and culture came from this state.  Manifest Destiny
   1. Civil Rights

      Nota:

      • The huge economic and population growth resulted in liberals pushing for social reform. Many officials were reluctant to begin change. It got violent, it was forced, but the growth that occurred as a result of the movements create the origin of many social and political decisions, and cultures, as we see them today. 
      1. Nationwide Protests, "Years of Hope" - "Days Of Rage"

         Nota:

         • Civil rights and the Vietnam War caused UC Berkeley to lead student protests -Mario Savio leads Free Speech Movement (FSM) (64', registers blacks to vote and passing political leaflets)-Edwards v. South Carolina (1963) court hearing says we can say what we want as long as there is "no clear and present danger"; 1964 Berkeley recognizes ruling-68', Draft reaches campuses and revolts intensify, including Berkeley Young Republicans; Students worldwide demand more power and freedom -69', UCLA fires communist Angela Davis; UC Berkeley makes "People's Park"-Liberals and democrats were held responsible for the late 1960's transition to the "Days of Rage" -Colleges begin studying heritages in ciriculums
      2. Blacks

         Nota:

         • -Most vocal group -Unruh Civil Rights Act (59') prohibits any business discrimination  -Rumford Fair Housing Act (64'); Repealed by Prop. 14 following year; 66' Prop. 14 dismissed by Supreme Court-Watts Riots (65') in L.A. lasts 6 days, after black arrested for drunk driving. -School segregation remains strong in 70's -Huey P. Newton and Bobby G. Seale make Oakland Black Panther Party of Self Defense in 66', Black Power-Followed police with law books and guns-Held chapters in 40 states-Panther Eldridge Cleaver runs for Pres. on Peace and Freedom ticket (68') -Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA ) made in Bay Area, 73' - 75', killed off 
      3. Mexicans

         Nota:

         • Mexicans have done poorly in California to this point, primarily working in fields with no benefits -Cesar Chavez founds and leads National Farmworkers Association (62')-Sept. 8, 65', NFWA joins Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC) for Delano Grape Strike, 300mi to Sacramento (95% of strikers lost homes) -Over the next 5 years CA winemakers made contracts with the combined United Farmworkers Organizing Committee; DiGiorgio Fruit Company allows unionization -Most Mexicans lived in cities and dropped out of school-Low election turnoutin response Chocano movement encouraged Aztec Pride, and "La Raza" or, the race
      4. Asians

         Nota:

         • -1965 Immigration and Nationality (Hart-Cellar) Act removes National Origins as basis for U.S. entry -Asia becomes #1 in immigrants to the US -80,000 post Vietnam War Vietnamese come to Orange County, CA for warm weather and close quarters -"Little Saigon" neighborhood keeps a tight community, and they love warm CA weather (CA glorified)
      5. Indians

         Nota:

         • -Suffered the worst conditions; remained #1 impoverished group -65' pop.: 75,000 -Gained 64 Million arces of land and 29 Million dollars -Congress abolishes 41 reservations (1958) -Following city relocation, Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs withdraws health services -CA Indians take Alcatraz island (69' - 71') 
      6. Gays

         Nota:

         • -64' LIfe Magazine designates S.F and "Gay Capitol", also including L.A. (Writing political opinion is popular btw) -60's welcomes gay liberation movements -1955 "Howl" had homosexuality
      7. Women

         Nota:

         • -50's women make 1/3 of workforce but gain 40 cents less than males -Leftists Women wanted equal pay, maternity leave, and promotions  -1964, Brown orders Commission on the Status of Women; Regan ignores)-Suburban, conservative white women (Non Coastal) did not care for gender equality, and did community and home duties
   2. Politicians

      Nota:

      • The ushers for liberal governance: A strong shift towards liberalism in California culture, associated with rising government pressure and politically progressive attitudes in leadership, allowed officials to come into office and reorganize the government to provide for the people. Many leaders were angered at the new attitudes, yet political strategies and social pressure forced us into a new generation. 
      1. S.I. Hayakawa "Sleepin' Sam

         Nota:

         • Samuel Ichiye (SI) Hayakawa made S.F. State College president in 68' -69', calms S.F. State College strike by destroying speakers -conservative hero, loathed by liberals -73', leaves college and turns Republican -76, wins John Tunney for California Senate -Opposes affirmative action as Senator As an educator he was famous, but his republican views were ineffective in the senate. He did effectively demonstrate the ability for minorities to hold office.
      2. Goodwin Knight (1953-59)

         Nota:

         • -Took over for Earl Warren -Moderate Republican, too progressive for republicans -Miner, pro union, Feather River Dam, rejected right to work, raised unemployment benefits, increased education budget, addressed smog -Progressivness split 1958 republican vote b/w Knowland for democrat take over; dropped out
      3. Pat Brown (1958)

         Nota:

         • -Won after Republican vote was split, allowing for a Democrat to win office -did not finish college -Liberal Democrat: Catholic -"life a little more comfortable for the average human being" -Raised taxed on inheritance, corps., tobacco; lowered taxes on poor; tax hikes = $256M 
         1. Acomplishments

            Nota:

            • _The State Water Project (SWP) -Oroville Dam filled the CA aqueduct stopped floods, fueled farmers, water through state; 662 mi of pipe, 32 reservoirs -1959 Water Resources Development Bond (Burns-Porter) gave money; prop 1  _The 1959 Freeway and Expressway Act -$10.5B over 20 years -Pres. Dwight Eisenhower approved -Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) in 1962-72 _Master Plan for Higher Education (1960)  -made all schools into one tuition free public system -CCs give enterance to higher edu, CSUs give degrees, UCs research and grant doctorates, K-12 got more $ -Brown gave schools a ton of gov't money - 1960s, 23 STATES used CA's MASTER PLAN 
      4. Wiliam F. Knowland

         Nota:

         • -Candidate for gov. in 1958, after Knight lost republican favor -Anti-union, Pro oil/ aircraft (business)  -Strong Republican -Propelled by the funding of conservative Repuplicans -Split popularity with Knight and withdrew from the race
      5. Jesse M. Unruh

         Nota:

         • Made politics transparent (accessible to the laypesrson) -Chair of Ways and Means Committee and assembly speaker -Secured abolition of cross-filing, 1959 -Rearranged legislature to give underrepresented voters power, S. California lead assembly
      6. Richard Nixon

         Nota:

         • -Challenged Brown for governor in '62  -Red Baited Brown as "soft on communism"-Brown's involvement with what the state needed made Nixon look unaware of the needs of the state-Nixon moved to N.Y., saying JOURNALISTS wouldn't have him "to kick around anymore"
   3. Prosperity, Surburbanization, and Consumerism

      Nota:

      • -Agriculture earned $4B in farm earnings as a world leader in CA -Oil wells pumped 350M yearly -LA was 2nd in car making -Military spending in aerospace made 400K jobs; 1:15 people paid by the pentagon -Pacific maritime economy naturally supported shipping, passenger voyaging, fishing, surfing, and containerization. 
      1. A Diverse Economy: Farming, Military, Cars, Oil, Shipping, Tourism

         Nota:

         • The amazing opportunities and cultures entering California would pave the way for many ideas to touch California; the amount of people and increasing consumerism would establish modern day culture and social life, and allow the populous state to function.  -Agriculture earned $4B in farm earnings as a world leader in CA-Oil wells pumped 350M yearly-LA was 2nd in car making-Military spending in aerospace made 400K jobs; 1:15 people paid by the pentagon-Pacific maritime economy naturally supported shipping, passenger voyaging, fishing, surfing, and containerization. 
         1. Pacific Connections

            Nota:

            • California was naturally positioned as a large coastal state and therefore, able to take advantage of any connections on the pacific ocean -Drugs came on from the hippies and spread overseas -Immigration laws allowed more cultures to shape culture, science and music -Military strategies could find California to be a pacific shift, moving from one trade or war to another because of its vantage point -Pop culture on the bay area would allow the coastal California to turn into a welcome center for the world -Trade by water is stronger and more possible in California than anywhere else in America; the money and the people and products coming in would make lots of business and work related changes in the state
      2. Entertainment

         Nota:

         • -Entertainment focused on youth -Television king (satire opinions on race, sex and war over family values) -College sports on tv -Bay lifestyle romanticized -Amusement parks elevated tourism (SD Zoo, Disneyland...) -
      3. Infrastructure

         Nota:

         • -Population and travel made it essential to build highways -State Water Project (SWP) inclides Oroville Dam (farming, California Aqueduct, 1959 Burns-Porter Water Resources Dev. Bond-59' Freeway and Expressway Act -62' The Bay Area opts for light rail rapid transit and in 72' develops modern day B.A.R.T. District -Homes were built in Modernist, Tiki and Ranch style
      4. Population

         Nota:

         • -Population grew 10M from 1950 to 60', @ 20M, beating NY -Most people live by the coast -Homebuilding meant all those farms were turned into suburbs -
   4. San Francisco Renaissance and the Arts

      Nota:

      • After 1940, California became an epicenter for pop culture. During the 1940s, San Francisco laid the foundations to become an epicenter for pop culture; This put California on track to become a capital of art and social expression in the new era. The influence this art would have in cultural reform, drug use and art would set the stage for problems, and freedoms we face today. This energy to be liberated from social and government oppression would create a counterculture, that exists wherever you see an activist or a rebel
      1. Poets (Beats)

         Nota:

         • Literacy was a medium for many activists to vent their frustrations.  -City Lights Bookstore, N. Beach, S.F ( co-owner Lawrence Ferlinghetti)-Beat was slang for those who lived like Jesus, and those who were "beaten down" by Cold War American Society One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey, 1961) depicts Mentally ill and corrupt systems, fueled on by restriction of expression -Sexuality was big
         1. Censorship fell

            Nota:

            • Ginsburg writes "Howl" at Six Gallery in 1955, soon published by City Lights -Won censorship case in court for "social importance" -Ferlinghetti and Ginsberg court victory allowed artists to rebel against convention and the government in artistic form, starting the war that allows us to share opinions and social media with the restrictions we have today
      2. Culture

         Nota:

         • Liberalism embraced religious and unconventional behavior, including sensuality and questioning the normal -Asian religions gain headway in the arts -Sex transitions from taboo to hot topic -Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Joan Didion, 1968, cries for traditional values in opposition to the artistic growth and therefore influence -Rock music gets big -Southern California designated for hippies; encourages drug use (Brotherhood of Eternal Love) which spills over to Mexico, Hawaii, and Afghanistan
         1. Museums and Theaters, Bookstores

            Nota:

            • As California undergoes a renaissance, other cities gain cultural fame -S.F. has Opera, de Young Museum, Palace of the Legion of Honor and Museum of Modern Art -L.A. has L.A. Music Center (64') and J. Paul Getty Museum (74') San Diego has Civic Theater (65)
         2. Environment

            Nota:

            • Many families lived by the coast; others in the suburbs, by factories and farmlands. -Architecture influences the new look on cities (Sea Ranch, Trader Joe's Markets, and Spanish-Mexican homes) would influence CA home design, which the nation wanted
         3. Counterculture

            Nota:

            • Counterculture; against the normal. From Coastal CA, the S.F. Renaissance drives 1960's youth to lead the nation in counterculture. And HIppies "if you're not against the man, you're with him". -Free love, Asian/ Indian inspired, Non-violence, love the earth, non-materialistic (Hippies)-Distrusted the "Establishment", folks with jobs and bills who caused all the nations' faults-1967, Summer of Love (with Scott McKenzie, Flower Children, and Allen Ginsberg). Lots of youth, music, and religion. Destroyed by crime, drugs, bad nutrition and disease -1967: Montery Pop Festival, nation's 1st large rock event ever, brings Asian culture and drugs -CA's Topanga Canyon and Laguna Beach housed Dr. Timothy Leary's "The Brotherhood of Eternal Love" international drug trades made roots here 
         4. Religion

            Nota:

            • Asian religions shaped the works of the Bay area. 1) Asians are many and politically strong in CA today and 2) The Bay Area culture was shaped by Asians As it will be said, "The only thing not tolerated is intolerance". All cultures have a home in California now