Final answer:
Realignment denotes a major change in the political system, with four key events in American history contributing to such shifts: the Civil War and Reconstruction, the New Deal Coalition, the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and Ronald Reagan's presidency in the 1980s.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Party Realignment in American History
A realignment refers to a significant change in the political system, usually when the support for and power of political parties is redistributed. This often coincides with major events or shifts in policy, society, or the economy.
Four key realignments in American History can be highlighted, which transformed the political landscape:
The Civil War and Reconstruction, leading to the domination of the Republican Party in the late 19th century.
The New Deal Coalition, formed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, which realigned politics during the Great Depression and led to Democratic control for several decades.
The shift in the 1960s civil rights movement, where a Republican strategy to appeal to southern white voters (known as the "Southern Strategy") began to shape a new political alignment.
The realignment that occurred in the 1980s with Ronald Reagan's presidency, solidifying conservative Republican ideology and reshaping the political landscape again.
Each of these realignments resulted from significant social, political, economic, and cultural readjustments and had lasting effects on American politics and governance.