Three days after the Jan. 6 anniversary, with its indelible images of costumed rioters running amok in the Capitol, former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral service in the National Cathedral presented a historical picture of a different kind, one that spoke not of upended norms, but of preservation and strength.

A hostage crisis in Iran, unrelenting inflation and a primary challenge from Ted Kennedy ensured Carter’s defeat in the 1980 election.

Mr. Carter witnessed a shift from what had been a solidly Democratic South to one that Republicans, supported by white voters and particularly evangelicals, came to dominate.

Former President Jimmy Carter's casket departed the U.S. Capitol Thursday morning en route to the Washington National Cathedral, where he is being honored with the pageantry of a state funeral. These actors never use their real accent.