There are many things that define the eventful and complex year 1969, but the zeitgeist is represented through contrast. President Richard Nixon struggled to find a balance between peace and American power. The spirit of the year is remembered by the struggle for peace and the conflict it created. As it is often described as a peaceful year, 1969 had its fair share of events that negatively impacted society. Differences in ideas, race and culture caused general upheaval among the people of the time. With so many different and extremely opposing beliefs, conflict was inevitable. In particular, minorities have sparked disagreements that sometimes lead to violence. A prime example is the Stonewall riots. With New York's law prohibiting homosexuality in public, the gay community was especially angry because gay establishments were often shut down and raided. A group of gay patrons at the Stonewall Inn took a stand, causing a riot to break out. This riot demonstrates how drastic the differing views of the year were and how people resorted to violence to be heard. Another example of violence due to differences in beliefs is the attack on the Black Panther party in Chicago. The party was an icon for the anti-war movement; they protested against racism and the African-American draft. During this raid on Chicago, Sgt. Daniel Groth arrived, gun in hand, at an apartment on Monroe St. that was a Black Panther Party stronghold. Seven minutes of gunfire left two Black Panther Party leaders, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, dead. These two iconic leaders made an impact on African American society and their deaths disrupted the movement for African American peace and equality. This murder shows the intense hostility in '69 and... at the center of public opinion... in society. These opposing views, such as support for peace and support for war, often resulted in conflict and even violence. So did peace or violence determine the spirit of the times? One cannot exist without the other, and that being said, the impact they had on each other is the best way to describe the spirit of '69. The Vietnam War and riots are remembered alongside peaceful demonstrations and hippie culture. Along with Nixon, American citizens fought for the balance between peace and American power, even the “silent majority” (those who remained neutral). Everyone wanted freedom, but some expressed it with violence, others with peace and still others by doing nothing. 1969 will always be remembered as an interesting year and people will continue to incorporate the positive aspects of that year (peace, fashion, music, etc.) into today's society.