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Difficulty: MediumThe Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

Read the excerpt below.

"For too long, the federal government has treated the traditional family not as the cornerstone of our republic, but as an obstacle to social engineering. Through tax policies that penalize marriage, federal court decisions that ban prayer in schools, and the growth of a welfare bureaucracy that displaces parental authority, the state has encroached upon the private sphere. To reverse this, we must unite the defenders of free enterprise with those who seek to preserve our moral heritage."
—Campaign pamphlet, 1980

The sentiments expressed in the excerpt most directly reflect which of the following shifts in the American political landscape by 1980?

  1. The growth of a new conservative coalition that united free-market advocates with social traditionalistsAnswer
  2. B
    A successful political effort by the New Right to completely dismantle New Deal programs like Social Security
  3. C
    The adoption of Keynesian demand-side economic policies by the Republican Party to combat inflation
  4. D
    The uniform consensus among civil rights leaders to reduce federal regulation of local public schools

Answer

The growth of a new conservative coalition that united free-market advocates with social traditionalists
The correct answer is correct because the campaign pamphlet calls for a political alliance between advocates of free enterprise and defenders of traditional moral values. This reflects the emergence of the New Right coalition in the late 1970s and 1980, which united fiscal conservatives concerned with taxation and regulation with social conservatives concerned with school prayer, opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment, and traditional family structures. This coalition was instrumental in electing Ronald Reagan in 1980.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the main groups being urged to unite.
The text explicitly calls for the union of 'defenders of free enterprise' (economic/fiscal conservatives) and 'those who seek to preserve our moral heritage' (social/religious conservatives).
Understanding the core factions identified in the prompt is necessary to determine what political alignment is being described.
2
Connect the source's date (1980) and themes to the broader historical context of the period.
The late 1970s and 1980 saw the rise of the New Right and the formation of the Reagan Coalition, which brought these exact groups together to win the 1980 presidential election.
Placing the source in its historical context helps identify the correct political development.
3
Evaluate the options to determine which one accurately characterizes this political development while avoiding historical misconceptions.
The option describing the growth of a new conservative coalition matches the text, whereas other options incorrectly assume the dismantling of the New Deal, the adoption of Keynesian economics, or a consensus among civil rights leaders to limit federal power.
Evaluating options against historical evidence ensures that distractors based on common student errors are eliminated.

Key Concept

The Conservative Coalition and the Election of 1980

Hints

1
Look at the two distinct groups that the writer of the pamphlet wants to bring together at the end of the passage.
2
Consider which political alliance was formed in the late 1970s, combining business interests and social conservatives, to help elect Ronald Reagan.
3
The passage references 'defenders of free enterprise' and 'those who seek to preserve our moral heritage.' Identify the term that describes the union of these two groups.

Practice More

Review the domestic policy changes enacted under the Reagan administration, specifically focusing on the implementation of supply-side economics and its impact on the federal budget.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The Conservative Movement and the Election of 1980

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