Looking back at the 20th century history of the United States, the 1960s is one of the most eventful, most intriguing and historically most dividing decades. This statement is even more valid, if we make a comparison between the previous decade, the 1950s and the period of the 1960s. A sharp contrast can be observed. [...] To gain a deep understanding of the social relations and the culture of the new decade, we need to take a look at the historical and political background of the Sixties as an introduction, we need to explore briefly the most important decisions and events of the Sixties in order to perceive the strange and extraordinary atmosphere that determined American society and that gave ground to the counterculture.