A Conservative Movement Emerges

1. A Conservative Movement Emerges Chapter 25 Sec 1

2. I. The Conservative Movement Builds • A. The New Right • 1. Resented that many Americans received benefits from federal entitlement programs. • 2. Focused on controversial social issues such as opposing abortion, blocking the Equal Rights Amendment, and evading court-ordered busing. • 3. Saw affirmative action as a form of reverse discrimination.

5. B. The Conservative Coalition • 1. An alliance of business leaders, middle-class, disaffected Democrats, and fundamentalist Christian groups. • 2. Wall Street Journal and National Review • 3. William F. Buckley founded the Conservative think tank known as the American Enterprise Institute and the Heritage Foundation to develop conservative policies and principles that appealed to the majority of voters.

9. C. The Moral Majority • 1. Religion played a key role in the Conservative Coalition. • 2. Televangelist Jerry Falwell forms Moral Majority. • 3. The Moral Majority consisted of mostly evangelical and fundamentalist Christians who interpreted the Bible literally and believed in absolute standards of right and wrong.. • 4. Wanted a restoration of traditional moral values.

12. II. Conservatives Win Political Power • A. Ronald Reagan • 1. Lost the 1976 Republican nomination to Gerald Ford. • 2. Was against abortion, pornography, the teaching of evolution, and was in support of prayer in public schools. • 3. The Iranian Hostage Crisis and the weak economy helped Reagan. • 4. A true believer in less government, lower taxes, and traditional values.