The Religious Right and its critics: the promotion of traditional values;…

The idea

The Religious Right, mobilised through groups such as the Moral Majority, promoted traditional family values, opposed abortion after Roe v. Wade and campaigned against gay rights. Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ campaign urged young people to reject drugs, reflecting the broader moral agenda of the Reagan era. These campaigns energised conservative voters but also provoked fierce opposition from feminists, gay rights activists and civil liberties groups. The result was growing political polarisation over issues such as abortion, sexuality and drug policy, divisions that shaped elections and continued beyond the 1980s.

What earns the marks

• Explains how the Religious Right promoted traditional values through organisations such as the Moral Majority and through support for the traditional family.
• Explains the campaign against abortion: opposition to Roe v. Wade, support for a constitutional amendment and pressure on Republican politicians.
• Explains the campaign against homosexuality: opposition to gay rights, the AIDS crisis and the resulting activism and backlash.
• Explains Nancy Reagan’s ‘Just Say No’ campaign: its aim to reduce drug use among young people and its place in the wider moral agenda.
• Assesses the significance of growing political divisions: polarisation over abortion, sexuality and drugs affected elections and party identities.

Common mistakes and how to put them right

• Treating the Religious Right as a single unified movement.

  Put it right: It contained different denominations and priorities, and its influence varied by state and election.

• Assuming the ‘Just Say No’ campaign was solely about illegal drugs.

  Put it right: It was part of a broader moral and political agenda that included alcohol and prescription drug abuse.

• Ignoring the critics of the Religious Right.

  Put it right: Opposition from feminists, gay rights groups and civil liberties organisations is central to explaining the bitter divisions of the period.

Exam tips

• Show how the Religious Right moved from cultural campaigning to electoral influence, for example through voter registration and support for Reagan.
• Use specific examples, such as the Moral Majority or the AIDS crisis, to illustrate how moral campaigns produced both support and backlash.