Final answer:
Woodstock symbolized the counterculture movement, representing the youth's rebellion, cultural independence, and desire for freedom in the 1960s, challenging conventional societal norms with music and communal spirit.
Step-by-step explanation:
Woodstock was a landmark event of the counterculture because it became the quintessential representation of the youth's rebellion against mainstream society and the celebration of freedom during the 1960s. Emblematic of a generation seeking cultural independence, nearly 400,000 people converged on a farm in Bethel, New York, in August 1969 to enjoy music, experiment with psychedelic drugs, and embrace shared values like peace and love in an impromptu community setting. This festival epitomized the era's pushback against conventional societal norms, materialism, and the Vietnam War, voicing the aspirations of a generation through rock 'n' roll and folk music. The event was a defining moment that mirrored societal changes and challenged the status quo, encompassing the counterculture's ethos of communal living, free love, and alternative consciousness.