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Difficulty: MediumEnvironmentalism and the Energy Crisis

"We are in a period of grace. We have time—perhaps a generation—in which to save the environment from final, irreversible ruin. But this grace will be wasted if we fail to recognize that the environmental crisis is not a collection of separate problems... it is a single, systemic pathology of our technological civilization... We must rebuild our system of production so that it conforms to the laws of the ecosphere."

— Barry Commoner, biologist and environmental activist, *The Closing Circle*, 1971

Which of the following developments in the 1970s was most directly a response to the concerns expressed in the excerpt?

  1. A
    The dismantling of industrial regulations to implement supply-side economic stimulus
  2. The passage of bipartisan federal legislation establishing environmental regulations and protectionsAnswer
  3. C
    The creation of entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid to address public health crises
  4. D
    The redirection of federal military spending from Cold War containment to domestic conservation programs

Answer

The passage of bipartisan federal legislation establishing environmental regulations and protections
The correct answer is correct because public concern over environmental damage, highlighted by publications like Barry Commoner's book, catalyzed a wave of federal action in the early 1970s. This resulted in bipartisan support for new regulatory measures, including the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1970, and major updates to the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus context and central message.
The excerpt by Barry Commoner highlights the systematic damage to the environment caused by industrial production and calls for structural changes to conform to ecological laws.
Understanding the core message of the stimulus allows identification of the historical trend it represents.
2
Identify the historical developments associated with environmentalism in the 1970s.
The early 1970s saw widespread public activism (like the first Earth Day in 1970) leading to major federal environmental initiatives, such as the creation of the EPA and the passage of landmark environmental laws.
Connecting the stimulus to the broader historical timeline helps isolate the direct political and policy outcomes of the environmental movement.
3
Evaluate the options to determine which represents a direct response to these environmental concerns.
The passage of bipartisan federal legislation establishing environmental regulations directly addresses the call to protect the ecosphere, whereas deregulation, Great Society programs, and containment redirection are either chronologically incorrect or conceptually unrelated.
Selecting the option that matches the historical consensus for Period 8 domestic policy.

Key Concept

The growth of the environmental movement in the 1970s led to significant federal legislation and regulatory expansion to protect the environment and manage natural resources.
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Environmentalism and the Energy Crisis

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