BELL RINGER
What did you think about
the political ideology tests
we have taken?
Accurate/inaccurate?
What do you think they
show you?
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Social – Where do they
go?
Liberal
Change
Gov solves problems
Protect social
programs
Protect environment
Pro gun control
Anti death penalty
More prevention &
rehab
Pro-choice
Pro gay rights
Conservative
Change
Status quo
Gov solves problems
Small government
Individual responsibility
Protect social programs
Protect economy
Protect environment
Anti gun control
Pro gun control
Pro death penalty
Anti death penalty
Pro-life
Pro-choice
Oppose gay rights
Pro gay rights
Status quo
Small government
Individual
responsibility
Protect economy
Anti gun control
Pro death penalty
More prisons
Pro-life
Oppose gay rights
Economic– Where do
they go?
Liberal
Restrict
econ.
freedom
Regulate
capitalism
Tax wealthy
money to
military
Conservative
More economic
More
freedom
economic
Restrict econ.
freedom
freedom
Regulate capitalism
Free
Free enterprise
enterprise
Flat tax
Tax wealthy
Flat tax
money to military
money to military
money to
military
BELL RINGER
How did your ideology
compare to your family
members?
Do you believe this
ideology test was more or
less accurate? Why?
BELL RINGER
1.
2.
What is the political spectrum?
Place the following ideas on a
political spectrum:
Allow more immigrants
Maintain the Affordable Care Act
Provide free college for all citizens
Allow less immigrants
The market should determine the cost of college
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WHAT IS A PARTY?
•A political party:
group of persons
seeking to control
government by:
•winning elections
•holding office
•Two major parties
in American politics:
•Republican
•Democrat
WHAT DO PARTIES DO?
1. Nominate Candidates –
 Recruit, choose, and present
candidates for public office
2. Inform and Activate
Supporters –
 Campaign, define issues, and
criticize other candidates
 Inform the people
 Other groups that do this:
news media and interest
groups
WHAT DO PARTIES DO?
3. Insuring good
performance Guarantee that candidate is
worthy of the office
 Qualified and of “good
character”
4. Govern –
 Members of government act
according to their partisanship
 firm allegiance to a party
 Candidate elected = party
elected
5. Act as a Watchdog –
 Parties out of power keep close
eye on the actions of the party
in power
PARTY SYSTEMS
Single-Party Systems:
One major political party holds
power
Two-Party Systems:
Two major political parties
Third parties may exist BUT hardly
gain enough support to win
Least common system in the world
Multiparty Systems:
Three or more political parties
holding office
No party gains control of the
government
Parties must work together
COUNTRY # PARTIES IN OFFICE
Vietnam
1
United States
2
Australia
7
Denmark
11
Germany
5
Guatemala
11
Iceland
5
Israel
12
Turkey
4
WHY A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM?
The Historical Basis:
 The nation started out with two-parties
 Federalists and the Democratic Republicans
The Force of Tradition:
 America has a two-party system because it has always had
one
 Minor parties have never made a successful showing
The Electoral System:
 Certain features of government, such as single-member
districts, are designed to favor two major parties
Ideological Consensus:
 Most Americans have a general agreement on fundamental
matters
BELL RINGER
1.
2.
3.
What type of party system
exists in the United States?
Why has the U.S. had this?
What do you think influences
which political party a person
will be a member of? Explain.
PARTY MEMBERSHIP
PATTERNS
Factors that can influence party membership:
Family
Major events
2 out of 3 Americans follow
the party allegiance of their
parents
Civil War and the Great
Depression are the most
significant
Economic Status
Religion
Higher income = Reps Lower
income = Dems
Religious = Reps
Non-religious = Dems
Occupation
Age
Issues that affect your job
can sway you to one party or
the other
Younger (18-35) = Dems
Older (45-60) = Reps
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Which of the 6 factors
do you believe has the
largest and smallest
impact?
Explain in 5 sentences.
HISTORY OF U.S.
POLITICAL PARTIES
THE NATION’S FIRST PARTIES
Federalists
Demo-Republicans
•Led by Alexander Hamilton
•Led by Thomas Jefferson
•Represented wealthy and upperclass interests
•Represented the “common man”
•Favored strong executive
leadership
•Liberal interpretation of the
Constitution
•Favored Congress as the strongest
arm of government
•Strict interpretation of the
Constitution
AMERICAN PARTIES:
FOUR MAJOR ERAS
The Three Historical Eras
The Era of the Democrats, 1800—1860
 Democrats dominate all but two presidential elections
 The Whig Party emerges in 1834, but declines by the
1850s, electing only two Presidents
 The Republican Party is founded in 1854
The Era of the Republicans, 1860—1932
 Republicans dominate all but four presidential
elections
 The Civil War disables the Democratic Party for the
remainder of the 1800s
The Return of the Democrats, 1932—1968
 Democrats dominate all but two presidential
elections.
 Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt is elected President
four times.
THE ERA OF DIVIDED
GOVERNMENT
1968-Today
Neither Republicans nor Democrats have
dominated the presidency and Congress has
often been controlled by the opposing party.
1968–1976
1976–1980
• Republicans
hold the
presidency
• Congress is
controlled by
Democrats
• Democrats
hold the
presidency
• Congress is
controlled by
Democrats
1980 1992
1992 2000
2000 2004
• Republicans
hold the
presidency
• Senate
controlled by
Republicans
1980-1986,
controlled by
Democrats
from 1986 to
1994
• Democrats
hold the
presidency
• Congress
controlled by
Republicans,
1994 to
present
• Republicans
hold the
presidency
• Congress is
controlled by
Republicans
MINOR
POLITICAL PARTIES
MINOR PARTIES IN THE
UNITED STATES
Types of Minor Parties
•Ideological Parties: Based on a set of beliefs –
comprehensive view of social, economic, and political
matters
• Ex. Libertarian, Socialist, Communist, Constitutionalist
•Single-issue Parties: concentrate on only one public
policy matter
• Right to Life, Prohibition Party ,Green Party, U.S. Marijuana Party
•Economic Protest Parties: rooted in periods of
economic discontent
• Greenback Party, Populist Party, Tea Party
•Splinter Party: parties that split away from one or
other major parties
• Bull Moose, Progressive, Dixiecrat
WHY MINOR PARTIES
ARE IMPORTANT:
1. “Spoiler Role”
•
Candidates pull decisive votes away from major
parties’ candidates
2. Critic
• Take stands/draw attention to controversial issues
major parties ignore
3. Innovator
• Draw attention to important issues and propose
innovative solutions to problems
• If gain support often integrated into the platforms of
the two major parties
THE FUTURE OF MAJOR
PARTIES
For voters :
For candidates:
1. Unwilling to label
1. Structural changes
themselves as
have increased conflict
“Democrats” or
and disorganization
“Republicans”
within parties
2. Split-ticket voting = 2. Changes in the
voting for candidates
technology of
of different parties for campaigning have
different offices at the made candidates more
same election
independent of the
party
3. The growth of singleissue organizations
EXIT TICKET
1. List the 4 types of
minor parties
2. What do you
need to do for the
campaign still?