Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · History
Course version: 9HI0 · Version from Sept 2015
The nature and extent of social change.
Full specification wording
What impact did the Reagan presidency (1981–89) have on the USA in the years 1981–96?: The nature and extent of social change.
Social change in the USA (1981–96) encompasses shifts in wealth, race relations, gender roles, and culture.
Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9HI0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 4
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Social change in the USA (1981–96) encompasses shifts in wealth, race relations, gender roles, and culture. Reagan's economic policies exacerbated wealth inequality, benefiting the wealthy while cutting welfare for the poorest. The nature of social change included the rise of the Religious Right and 'culture wars' over abortion, gay rights, and drug use (the 'War on Drugs'). The extent of change varied: while conservative rhetoric dominated, significant social shifts like women's workforce participation and minority rights movements continued. The AIDS crisis highlighted government inaction and spurred LGBTQ+ activism. Assess the extent by weighing conservative aims against the reality of a diversifying, increasingly polarised society under Reagan, Bush, and Clinton.
What earns the marks
- Defines the nature of social change under Reagan, including the influence of the Religious Right and the 'culture wars'.
- Explains the extent of economic inequality and its social impact, noting cuts to welfare and the widening wealth gap.
- Assesses the impact of the Reagan presidency on minorities, including the 'War on Drugs' and its disproportionate effect on Black Americans.
- Evaluates the response to the AIDS epidemic and the resulting LGBTQ+ activism.
- Judges how far conservative social policies successfully reversed liberal trends from the 1960s and 1970s.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Assuming Reagan successfully reversed all liberal social changes.
Put it right: Many trends, such as women's employment and minority rights activism, continued despite conservative rhetoric.
Ignoring the social impact of economic policies.
Put it right: Reaganomics directly affected social mobility and poverty levels, particularly in urban areas.
Overlooking the AIDS crisis.
Put it right: The AIDS epidemic and the administration's delayed response are crucial to understanding social change and activism in this period.
Exam tips
- Plan by theme (e.g., wealth, gender, race, culture) to assess the nature and extent of change.
- Address both words in the statement: nature (what kind of change) and extent (how far it went).
Try the lesson
The start of the What impact did the Reagan presidency (1981–89) have on the USA in the years 1981–96?: The nature and extent of social change. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following describes a major social trend in the USA between 1981 and 1996?
Listen
Social change in the USA (1981–96) encompasses shifts in wealth, race relations, gender roles, and culture. Reagan's economic policies exacerbated wealth inequality, benefiting the wealthy while cutting welfare for the poorest. The nature of social change included the rise of the Religious Right and 'culture wars' over abortion, gay rights, and drug use (the 'War on Drugs'). The extent of change varied: while conservative rhetoric dominated, significant social shifts like women's workforce participation and minority rights movements continued. The AIDS crisis highlighted government inaction and spurred LGBTQ+ activism. Assess the extent by weighing conservative aims against the reality of a diversifying, increasingly polarised society under Reagan, Bush, and Clinton. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Defines the nature of social change under Reagan, including the influence of the Religious Right and the 'culture wars'. Explains the extent of economic inequality and its social impact, noting cuts to welfare and the widening wealth gap. Assesses the impact of the Reagan presidency on minorities, including the 'War on Drugs' and its disproportionate effect on Black Americans. Evaluates the response to the AIDS epidemic and the resulting LGBTQ+ activism. A common slip: Assuming Reagan successfully reversed all liberal social changes. Instead, Many trends, such as women's employment and minority rights activism, continued despite conservative rhetoric. Exam tip: Plan by theme (e.g., wealth, gender, race, culture) to assess the nature and extent of change.
See it
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Religious Right
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Culture wars
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War on Drugs
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AIDS crisis
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See every definition
- Religious Right
- A conservative force whose rise formed part of the social change of the period and fuelled 'culture wars' over abortion, gay rights and drug use.
- Culture wars
- Conflicts over abortion, gay rights and drug use that formed part of the nature of social change in the period.
- War on Drugs
- A campaign associated with the 'culture wars' whose impact on minorities, including a disproportionate effect on Black Americans, is assessed.
- AIDS crisis
- An epidemic that highlighted government inaction and spurred LGBTQ+ activism, and is crucial to understanding social change and activism in this period.
Label the diagram
Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.
1Box 1
2Box 2
3Box 3
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