AP® United States Government and Politics review sheet from Aim for Five (aimforfive.com/gov/units/4/4-4)
Unit 4 · Topic 4.4
4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology
Major events such as wars, economic crises, scandals and terrorist attacks can change how people view government and which party they trust. Because these events are part of political socialization, they can leave a lasting mark on a whole generation's ideology, as the Great Depression did. Trust in the federal government has fallen sharply since the 1960s, with brief rises after some crises.
Key terms
- major political events
- political socialization
- trust in government
How events shape views
Major political events act as agents of socialization for everyone living through them. They can change opinions quickly and, for people at a formative age, permanently (a generational effect, 4.3). They can also shift party loyalties, change how much people trust government and alter what people expect government to do.
Events that reshaped American opinion
| Event | Effect on political views |
|---|---|
| Great Depression and New Deal (1930s) | Many Americans came to expect the federal government to manage the economy and provide a safety net; a lasting Democratic majority formed |
| Vietnam War (1960s–1970s) | Deepened distrust of official claims, especially among younger Americans, and fueled protest |
| Watergate scandal (1972–1974) | President Nixon's resignation and revelations of abuse of power drove trust in government sharply lower |
| September 11, 2001, attacks | Brief surge in trust and in support for the president and for national security measures |
| 2008 financial crisis and Great Recession | Anger at banks and government bailouts; fueled movements on both the left and the right |
| COVID-19 pandemic (2020 onward) | Sharp divides over government's role in public health, schools and the economy |
Trust in government
Long-running national surveys ask how often people trust the federal government to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time.” In 1964, about three-quarters of Americans said yes. After Vietnam and Watergate, it fell to around a third by the mid-1970s. It rose briefly to around 60 percent shortly after the September 11 attacks, and in recent years it has been around 20 percent or lower.
Low trust matters. People who distrust government may be less willing to support new programs, comply with rules or accept election results, and they may participate less, or participate more, out of anger.
Rally effects and party trust
In a crisis like a foreign attack, Americans often rally around the flag, temporarily boosting support for the president and national institutions. After September 11, the president's approval rating jumped to about 90 percent in Gallup polling. These rallies usually fade within months.
Events can also change which party people trust on certain issues. For example, an economic downturn under one party's president often costs that party support in the next election, as voters judge past performance (retrospective voting, 5.1).
Over the long run, events can attach a reputation to a party for a generation. Many Americans who lived through the Great Depression credited Democrats with the New Deal response and stayed loyal for decades, while voters who came of age during the high inflation and foreign crises of the late 1970s were more open to the Republican message of the 1980s.
Worked examples
Try each one yourself first, then open the solution.
- Example 1
Quantitative analysis: trust over time
A line graph shows the percentage of Americans who trust the federal government most of the time: about 77% in 1964, about 36% in 1974, about 60% in late 2001 and below 25% in the 2020s. Describe the overall trend, identify the exception, and explain one event that accounts for the drop between 1964 and 1974.
Show the solutionHide the solution
- Step 1: Describe the trend with data: trust fell from about 77% to below 25%, a long-term decline of more than 50 percentage points.
- Step 2: Identify the exception: a temporary rise to about 60% in late 2001.
- Step 3: Explain the 1964–1974 drop: the Vietnam War, where official claims proved misleading, and the Watergate scandal, which led to a president's resignation, both damaged confidence in government's honesty.
Answer: Trust declined sharply over the period, from about 77% to below 25%, except for a brief rise after September 11. Vietnam and Watergate help explain the drop from 1964 to 1974.
Common mistakes
- Saying events affect only older voters. They affect everyone, but especially people at a formative age, which creates lasting generational effects.
- Treating rally-around-the-flag effects as permanent. They usually fade within months.
- Describing a trend without numbers. On data questions, cite specific values from the chart.
On the exam
- Quantitative analysis questions often use trust-in-government or approval data. Describe the trend, use actual numbers and link it to a specific event.
- Expect questions connecting events to political socialization and ideology.
Connected topics
Videos
Check yourself
5 questions on 4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology. Pick an answer to see if you got it, and why.
| Year | Trust the national government to do what is right “just about always” or “most of the time” (%) |
|---|---|
| 1964 | 76 |
| 1974 | 36 |
| 2000 | 44 |
| 2002 | 60 |
| 2010 | 22 |
Hypothetical survey data modeled on the general pattern of national trust surveys
Which events best help explain the change between 1964 and 1974?
The rise between 2000 and 2002, followed by a fall by 2010, best supports which conclusion?
Many Americans who came of age during the Great Depression and the New Deal identified with the Democratic Party for the rest of their lives. This pattern best shows that
| Age when surveyed | Cohort A: trust the government “most of the time” (%) | Cohort B: trust the government “most of the time” (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 62 | 35 |
| 45 | 58 | 31 |
| 65 | 55 | 30 |
Hypothetical data. Cohort A came of age during a period of national unity; Cohort B came of age during a major government scandal.
Which conclusion is best supported by the data?
The difference between the cohorts is consistent with the idea that
0 of 5 answered