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The world changed more in the 60s than it had in the past decades (I'd say since WWI). The buildup of wealth among the middle class and the lack of a war (from the mid 50's to the end of the 60's) resulted in kids with money to spend. America had already made the major change from agriculture to industry, which also freed the younger generation from farm work. Then, by the early 60's, the Pill became widely available. Now you've got kids with money, free time and the ability to have sex without getting pregnant. The stage for a cultural upheaval was set.
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Interesting discussion. I've never given any thought to the impact that the Pill had on previous generations. I guess I can see how this event might have caused a generational war and conflict within families, especially when combined with the political climate and conservative values of the parents.
(I like how they utilized tie dye in their social revolution!)
I was under the impression that in the 60s there were a lot of stay-at-home moms, and I was picturing their family life as very wholesome, kind of like in The Wonder Years or Leave it to Beaver. But it makes sense to me that the extra money and the pill afforded young people a sense of freedom that their parents never had and it must have been pretty shocking to the older generation.