Indiana Social Studies USH.7.6
The Standard
Explain the origins and the impacts of the American Conservative Revolution in the 1980s on the economic, political, cultural, and social lives of Americans.
2026 Indiana Academic Standards: K-12 Social Studies · Students are expected to trace and analyze chronological periods and examine the significant themes and concepts in U.S. History. Students develop historical thinking and research skills using primary and secondary sources to explore topical issues to understand the cause for changes in the nation over time.
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students connect 1970s inflation, tax protests, and religious organizing to the rise of conservative candidates. They explain how tax cuts, deregulation, and views on family and religion affected jobs, elections, and public debate.
What Mastery Looks Like
- Students can explain why inflation and taxes helped Reagan win support. They can use evidence to show how tax cuts contributed to larger federal deficits and how conservative campaigns shaped debates over gender roles. They can name people who supported and opposed those changes.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may think the movement began when Reagan took office, rather than during earlier tax protests and religious organizing. They may assume tax cuts helped everyone equally or that all Americans agreed on unions, feminism, and religion.
How to Assess It
- Exit ticket: Explain how one issue from the 1970s helped conservatives gain support. Then name one economic effect and one social or cultural effect of the movement in the 1980s.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Pairs arrange cards labeled inflation, tax protests, religious organizing, Reagan's election, tax cuts, and ERA debates, then draw cause-and-effect arrows.
Read excerpts from the 1980 Republican platform and a 1980 pro-ERA flyer, then write what each says about the Equal Rights Amendment.
Play a card match: pair inflation, tax protests, and ERA opposition with Reagan-era promises, then defend each match aloud.
Compare a current city budget summary with a Reagan tax-cut quote, then list one question both raise about taxes and services.
Free download
Printable USH.7.6 Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to USH.7.6, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.
Download the worksheetKeep exploring
Related Standards
- 5.H.8
Explain how the political, religious, and economic ideas brought about the American Revolution.
- IS.1.30
Explain the significance of social, economic, and political issues during the period 1980 to the present and the ways in which these issues affected individuals...
- USH.7.1
Explain the significance of social, economic, and political issues during the period 1980 to the present and how these issues affected individuals and organizat...
- USH.7.5
Explain the causes and impacts of deindustrialization and globalization in the United States after 1980.
Turn this exact standard into a lesson
Grade, subject, topic, and the complete standard are prefilled. Create one free, no account needed.
Also for this standard:Make a WorksheetMake a QuizMake a Sub Lesson