Sec. 33.1: A Conservative Movement Emerges

Understand the conservative movement's rise!

MAIN IDEA: The Ford and Carter administrations attempted to remedy the nation's worst economic crisis in decades.Directions: Use the terms from the Word Bank to complete the narrative. Each term will be used once. American history has been marked by swings between liberal and conservative policies. In liberal times—such as the New Deal and the Great Society—activist government tried to reform society. In conservative times—such as the 1920s and 1950s—concern for freedom led many to oppose governmental involvement. Such a swing in the 1970s led conservatives to take control of the government in 1980. More and more Americans were unhappy with high inflation and felt their taxes were too high. Groups arose across the country opposed to government involvement in economic, cultural, or social life. The New Right was born. Starting in the mid-1960s, this movement grew. Conservatives aimed to reduce the power of the federal government, cutting benefit programs, and drawing a more narrow definition of civil rights. They criticized affirmative action policies, viewing them as reverse discrimination. Many voters joined a religious movement led by television preachers called the Moral Majority that criticized a decline in national morality. These conservatives found a strong presidential candidate in Ronald Reagan. An effective speaker with a winning personality, Reagan was a strong campaigner. With President Carter hobbled by high inflation and the Iranian hostage crisis, Reagan won the 1980 election. He touted the conservative beliefs in less government, lower taxes, and traditional values. The conservative tide also swept Republicans into control of the Senate.