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Difficulty: MediumCounterculture and Youth Rebellion

“We can find strength in the great silent majority of Americans who work, pay taxes, and support their country. But today we are confronted by a spirit of national masochism, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals. These individuals, along with the radical youth who follow them, are not seeking to improve our society, but to destroy it. They reject the traditional values of hard work, family, and patriotism that built this nation, substituting a vague, drug-fueled nihilism. We must stand firm against this challenge to our culture, for if we yield to their demands, we risk the collapse of our democratic institutions.”

—Vice President Spiro Agnew, address in New Orleans, October 1969

The sentiments expressed in the excerpt most directly reflect which of the following historical developments during the late 1960s?

  1. A
    A federal effort to resolve youth unrest by merging Great Society social reforms with the demands of the anti-war movement
  2. The mobilization of a conservative political backlash against challengers to traditional social valuesAnswer
  3. C
    The abandonment of containment policies in Southeast Asia in response to student demonstrations
  4. D
    A consensus among civil rights groups and student activists to adopt a unified strategy of nonviolent cultural assimilation

Answer

The mobilization of a conservative political backlash against challengers to traditional social values
The correct answer is correct because Spiro Agnew's speech reflects the Nixon administration's efforts to mobilize the 'silent majority'—primarily white, middle-class, and suburban voters—against the social and cultural upheavals of the counterculture and the anti-war movement. This backlash laid the political foundation for the rise of modern conservatism in the late twentieth century.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the primary source to identify the speaker's tone, audience, and main message.
The speaker, Vice President Spiro Agnew, attacks radical youth and intellectuals for threatening traditional values and democracy, while praising the 'great silent majority.'
This establishes that the source represents the political reaction of the Nixon administration against the counterculture and protest movements of the late 1960s.
2
Place the source in the context of the political alignments of Period 8 (1945–1980).
The defense of traditional values and opposition to social liberalism fueled a major political realignment, giving rise to a new conservative coalition.
This links Agnew's speech to the broader historical development of conservative backlash against the New Left and counterculture.
3
Evaluate the answer choices to identify the correct response and eliminate options containing historical errors.
The option noting the conservative backlash aligns with the context, whereas other options incorrectly claim containment was abandoned, youth groups were unified, or the government merged Great Society programs with radical demands.
This identifies the correct option based on historical accuracy and direct relevance to the source.

Key Concept

The conservative political backlash to the counterculture and youth rebellion of the late 1960s.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Counterculture and Youth Rebellion

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