“Let word spread from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans” (Kennedy 916). It was with these words that John F. Kennedy, in his inaugural speech in 1961, described the 1960s. This era in American history encapsulated a belief in the power of young people to change the world, a desire to help others in the world and accept their differences, and a war that would ultimately destroy everything America stood for. It was the time of new ideas in all aspects of life. This change in mentality is evident when looking at events in society, the younger generation and the media. The sixties were the beginning of many great revolutions in society. The sixties were a period of many political changes. Three men were president during this period, and their actions both impacted and shaped the events that occurred. At the start of the decade, John F. Kennedy was president. He was a Democrat who promised to get the country moving again. During his tenure, he became heavily involved in foreign affairs. He eased tensions with the USSR and increased military aid to South Vietnam (Horton 177). John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 by a man named Lee Harvey Oswald (Smith 220). The second president of this decade was Lyndon B. Johnson, who took over after Kennedy's assassination. Johnson was a Democrat who believed in civil rights and improved standards of living. During his administration, he brought together the conservative southern and liberal northern wings. He fought for civil rights to get rid of past injustices and present prejudices (Horton 173). But as his term progressed, opposition to the president grew significantly. Since he brought the unit back...... middle of paper... now. This shows that standing up and fighting for causes you strongly believe in can produce great results over time. Works Cited Carter-Cooper, Paula. Personal interview. March 5, 2010. Fischer, David. Sports in America 1960-1969. New York: Shoreline, 2004. Holland, Gini. A Cultural History of the United States: The 1960s. San Diego: Lucent, 1999. Horton, Edward, ed. United States 1960s. 3 vols. Danbury, CT: Grolier Educational, 2001. Kennedy, David M., Lizabeth Cohen, and Thomas A. Bailey. The American Pageant. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2002. Singleton, Carl, ed. The Sixties in America. 3 vol. Pasadena, CA: Salem, 1999. Smith, Carter. Presidents: everything you need to know. Irvington, New York: Hylas, 2004. Thomas, Scott, ed. American presidents. Chicago: World Book, 2009. Watts, Franklin. The 1960s. New York: Franklin Watts, 1988.