This diploma thesis focuses on the interpretation of two decades, namely the 1960s and 1970s, in the United States in relation to its culture, cultural life and relevant cultural events in connection with music, and in what way they are related to each other in terms of their development. Music helped shape culture in those periods as much as culture helped shape music and its themes, therefore the goal of this thesis is to reveal the means that show the connection. The two chosen decades witnessed important cultural events such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Woodstock festival or the Vietnam War. These and others will be explored and their impact on life in the United States, both in terms of culture- and music-shaping, elucidated. Information will be gathered through publications both in print and electronic form, historical as well as present information, and extant interviews with authors, musicians, publicists and other relevant people. The thesis will try to answer the following questions. In what way did music reflect aspects of cultural life in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s? Did historical events manifest themselves in the music of that time? How is it visible and what does the connection tell us about society and people living in the era? Can music shape society and unite people or is it cultural events that form people’s lives and opinions that music then merely reflects? In terms of culture and music, would or could today’s United States look any different had it not been for the cultural events of the 1960s and 1970s? Can the impact of those events and the subsequent development be seen even in contemporary United States? Factors such as cultural identity, social class, race, and sexuality will be taken into consideration since they have all played an important role when it comes to music, culture and history of the United States.