APK: Activation of Prior Knowledge
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Write at least 2-3 sentences describing a time when…
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You
were outnumbered and did not like what happened to you because
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of it.
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Question of the Day
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What is the purpose of the Electoral
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College? [Explain]
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Which types of states have more influence
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in the Electoral College? [Explain]
Key Vocabulary Terms to Look for
• Electoral College
• Popular vote
• Electors
• Winner-take-all system
What is the Electoral College?
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A system of electing the president.
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No other type of election is decided this way.
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Steps:
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Citizens vote for a candidate [called popular votes because average
people are voting].
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Popular votes then get counted.
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Candidate with most popular votes gets all of the electoral votes for
that state.
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Electoral votes are based on the number members of Congress in each
state [larger states have more]
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The candidate with the most electoral votes wins the election.
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Electors-People selected by Democrats and Republicans in each state
who meet 3 months after election to give their votes to the winner of
the popular vote in their state.
New president selected.
Problems?
Times the popular “Loser” won the presidential election
 Three times in United States history the losing
presidential candidate had more popular votes
than the winner!
 1876 {Rutherford B Hayes lost popular vote but
won electoral vote against Samuel Tilden}
 1888 {Benjamin Harrison lost popular vote but
won electoral vote against Grover Cleveland}
 2000 {George W. Bush lost popular vote but
won electoral vote against Al Gore}
What was the purpose of the Electoral College?
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Founding Fathers wanted to control
the desires of the masses [ordinary
people].
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Larger states have “more say” over
who the president is because they
have more electoral votes.
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Back up plan in case popular
elections did not work.
Directions: Electoral College activity
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Using the political map on the next page do
the following [Use the same sheet of paper
as your APK/QOD]:
[A] In the most efficient [easiest, fastest] way
possible target the least number of states to
gain a minimum of 270 electoral votes.
[B] Write each state’s abbreviation and
number of electoral votes.
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Purpose: To realize how a presidential
candidate can win an election but still
receive less popular votes.
Adding the votes activity
Sources
 http://www.geocities.com/gparish2000/EC_Cartoon5A.jpg
 http://www.graphicmaps.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/usst
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ates/electorl.gif
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_college
http://clinton1.nara.gov/White_House/EOP/OVP/images/gore2.g
if&imgrefurl
http://content.answers.com/main/content/img/webpics/george_w
_bush.jpg
http://www.classbrain.com/artbiographies/uploads/grovercleveland.jpg
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/democracy/bush/stories/ot
her.dynasties/benjamin-harrison.jpg
http://www.incwell.com/Biographies/Presidents/Hayes,Rutherfor
dB.jpg
http://samueljonestilden.homestead.com/Samuel_Tilden_head_
shot_Black_and_white.JPG