Unit 8: Topic 14 - Society in Transition Flashcards
Describe the role of Anti Feminists in the 1970s. How did this impact the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment?
Many conservatives opposed the movement for gender equality in the US. For example, they fought against the Roe v. Wade decision and the women’s liberation movement.
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was proposed in 1972 to secure women’s equality. Conservatives, like Phyllis Schlafly, fought and lobbied to ensure the ERA was never ratified. Schlafly led Christians and conservatives in an organization called STOP ERA (Stop Taking Our Privileges ERA), arguing that the ERA was against traditional family values and would harm women.
How were the religious right and the moral majority significant in the 1970s?
The religious right included a large group of conservative Christians who opposed liberal and progressive trends. Their socially and politically conservative agenda included attempts to restore prayer in public schools, invalidate abortion on demand, and prohibit state recognition of same-sex marriage.
Southern Baptist Pastor Jerry Falwell founded the moral majority, which closely melded Christianity with conservative politics. This group raised money to defeat liberal politicians and sought to control school boards on the local level to advance their conservative agenda. Falwell also held “I love America” rallies promoting church and state linkage.
What is affirmative action? Why was it significant in the 1970s?
Affirmative action is a set of procedures designed to eliminate unlawful discrimination, remedy the results of prior discrimination, and prevent such discrimination in the future.
Many white conservatives resented this program and argued it was discriminatory against them. Their issue came to light in Bakke v. the University of California, where a white applicant was denied admission. The US Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action was ok, but the use of racial quotas was unconstitutional.
Describe the New Right.
The New Right, a term coined by Barry Goldwater, resulted from the progressive social and political change in the 1960s. It was a combination of Christian religious leaders, conservative anti-regulation business bigwigs, and fringe political groups (such as conspiracists).
This New Right resisted the onslaught of liberalism; they were proud of their Christian values and were openly anti-egalitarian. They believed in limited social spending and welfare programs, no government regulation on business, and Christian fundamentalism.
What was the War Powers Act? Why was it significant?
The War Powers Act resulted from Nixon’s unconstitutional abuse of his executive authority during the Vietnam War. The public discovered that Nixon authorized secret bombing raids in Cambodia, a neutral country. Congress used the public’s uproar to attempt to limit the president’s powers over the military.
Congress passed the War Powers Act over Nixon’s veto in 1973. The president was required to report to Congress within 48 hours after taking military action, and Congress would have to approve any military action that lasted more than 60 days. Ultimately, this allowed the legislative branch to check the executive branch’s authority and power.
Describe Nixon’s new federalism.
Nixon’s new federalism advocated a more limited role for the federal government in areas such as welfare, education, and law enforcement. For example, it shifted responsibility for social programs from the federal government to state authorities.
Nixon also developed the concept of revenue sharing, where federal grants were dispersed to meet local needs. The idea was to give more autonomy to local governments.
What are some examples of prominent organizations and figures in the New Right movement?
Barry Goldwater coined the term the New Right and based his presidential campaign in 1964 on political and economic conservatism. Although Goldwater lost by a landslide to Lyndon B. Johnson, this election marked a turning point in history. Goldwater carried the Deep South, which was widely considered to be in Democratic territory. The conservative college group, Young Americans for Freedom, supported Goldwater’s campaign.
Fringe political groups are defined as neither a majority opinion nor that of a respected minority. The John Birch Society emerged as an ultra-conservative, anti-communist conspiracist group, holding outrageous beliefs, such as that fluoride in water was an effort to make US citizens subservient. Racial hatred groups also took part in this New Right, such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) and American Nazi Party.
How did moderate Republicans react to the New Right?
William F. Buckley and his magazine, the National Review, were part of more moderate conservatism. He denounced extremists like the John Birch Society, fearing their efforts would radicalize the conservative movement.
What was the energy crisis of the 1970’s? What was its impact in the US?
In response to the Arab oil embargo of 1973, President Nixon instituted a rationing program to safeguard America’s oil supply and maintain its affordability. However, these efforts caused fuel shortages, increased oil prices significantly, and led to long lines at gas stations.
This crisis and simultaneous stagflation hindered citizens’ views on the Nixon administration and weakened American confidence in the nation’s stability, questioning US reliance on foreign oil.
Describe stagflation.
Stagflation combines persistent higher prices (inflation), higher unemployment, and slow economic growth (stagnation).
This became a significant problem in the 1970’s and worsened with the onset of the 1973 oil crisis.
What was the Watergate scandal?
In June 1972, five men, funded by the Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP), were caught attempting to place listening devices and steal documents in the office of the Democratic National Committee in Washington’s Watergate building.
Initially, Nixon tried covering up the scandal and denied any ties to the men. After a lengthy investigation, tape recordings revealed that he knew about this activity and endorsed it.
Nixon’s abuse of power and involvement in Watergate almost led to impeachment. Rather than face this, Nixon ultimately resigned in 1974.
This scandal eroded the public’s confidence and trust in their government.
Describe the Supreme Court case United States vs. Nixon.
A federal grand jury indicted the seven men who were a part of the Watergate scandal. The grand jury named President Richard Nixon as an unindicted co-conspirator after refusing to hand over Oval Office tapes. Nixon stated “executive privilege,” or the right of the president not to respond to certain subpoenas or reveal confidential White House information.
The Supreme Court held that the tapes had to be turned over to the district court for an in-chambers inspection by the judge. The tapes confirmed that Nixon had been involved in covering up the Watergate affair; in what has been called the “smoking gun” tape, Nixon ordered the FBI not to investigate the break-in any further, a clear obstruction of justice.
This case, known as United States vs. Nixon, provided more evidence for the eroding confidence of the American public in their government officials.
What was Nixon’s southern strategy?
The southern strategy was a Republican Party electoral strategy to increase political support among white voters in the South by appealing to the millions of voters who had become disaffected by the anti-war and civil rights movements, and youth counterculture.
Nixon referred to these conservative Americans as the “silent majority.” They comprised Democrats, including southern whites, northern Catholic blue-collar workers, and recent suburbanites who disagreed with the liberal drift of their party.
His southern strategy played well with Southern white voters. The success of Nixon’s southern strategy became evident in the presidential election of 1972 when the Republican ticket won majorities in every southern state.
What was Roe v. Wade? What was the significance of this decision?
Roe v. Wade is a landmark case the United States Supreme Court decided in 1973. The case involved a Texas statute that banned abortions (except when a woman’s life was threatened).
In a 7-2 ruling, the Court struck down the Texas statute and established that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment provides a fundamental “right to privacy” that protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose whether or not to have an abortion.
Many conservatives in the religious right movement opposed this ruling, stating abortion was a sin.
What was the Focus on the Family radio show?
James Dobson created the radio program Focus on the Family to share his conservative religious and political beliefs. He argued for reintroducing prayer into school and resisting progressivism, including the expansion of gay rights and abortion. Dobson aimed to support Christian heterosexual marriages and families.
