The impact of social and political events on the development of political attitudes in children is examined. Political learning is seen as an invariant sequence of developmental stages dependent upon physical and intellectual growth, and current events. The data consist of interviews with children at the third through the ninth grade levels. The data are further stratified along an urban/rural dimension for purposes of sociocultural comparisons. Results indicate that there is a relationship between stages of cognitive development and the evolution of political orientations in children. There is an association between age level of the children and the degree to which they support or have confidence in the government. Opinion samples taken before and after the Nixon resignation and pardon indicate a decrease in the degree of government support and confidence. The author concludes that the present distrust in government is therefore due to situational factors. (Author/DE)