The major political realignment that occurred in the United States during the late '60s and early '70s was caused by a rise in:
A)Conservatism
B)Anti-establishmentarianism.
C)Liberalism.
D)Pluralism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The major political realignment that occurred in the United States during the late '60s and early '70s resulted from a rise in conservatism. Democrats had occupied the White House since 1961 and held the legislature since 1954, during which time Vietnam spiraled out of control, eating away at the nation's budget, military and morale. In 1968, former Vice President Richard Nixon ran for the presidency again (after losing to JFK in 1960) and ultimately won by appealing to the "Silent Majority"-the moderate-to-conservative Americans who were unhappy with the political conflicts of the day (Vietnam, civil unrest, etc.) but were not radical activists. The Republican Party also courted the evangelical and conservative Christian denominations, starting what would become an enduring political alliance between the GOP and conservative Christians. While Nixon was only a moderate conservative by comparison to his successors, his election, combined with the liberalization of the Democrats' policies on race, began a sea change in American politics that saw the once-Democratic South realign and become staunchly Republican.

The Major Political Realignment That Occurred in the United States