Part 2: Write a Compare-and-Contrast Essay
Historical Context
Upon election, President Nixon promised to restore order to a country plagued by urban
riots and antiwar demonstrations. He also promised to turn the country in a more
conservative direction. Although scandal derailed the Nixon presidency, the country
began to slowly move in a more conservative direction. A weak economy and turmoil in
the Middle East plague the Carter presidency, and in 1980 Ronald Reagan won election. As
president, Reagan continued to push the conservative agenda, reducing the size of
government and shifting the Supreme Court to the right.
