CHAPTER 16
Pump Primer
• Define in your own words the term “political parties.”
• List the two major parties and name their parties national
symbol.
• List at least two third parties.
CHAPTER 16: THE PARTY SYSTEM
CHAPTER 16
Biblical Integration
• Being informed in political process is apart of being a good
steward. It also enables a Christian to protect the civil liberties
God has granted Americans.
• Christians should never allow their party loyalty to overshadow their loyalty to Christ and His Great Commission.
(Matt. 18: 19-20; I Peter 2:13-17, Rom. 13:1)
CHAPTER 16
Objectives
LO 16.1
• Define political party.
• State the four political party functions.
LO 16.2
• Explain why a two-party system developed in America
• State the characteristics of a two-party system.
• Identify the three major eras of political party competition.
• Explain the factors that increased participation in political parties
LO 16.3
• List the types of third parties.
• Explain the importance of third parties.
CHAPTER 16
Objectives
LO 16.4
• List the four components of a major party at the national level.
• Describe the characteristics of a political party at the state and local levels.
LO 16.5
• Discuss the factors that have weakened the traditional party organization.
PARTIES AND THEIR
FUNCTION
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 325-327
Politics describes the exercise of
public power, the art and energy of
governance.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 325-327
• Party defined
• Political parties are organized to gain
power by winning elections
• Two major parties
• Republicans
• Democrats
• Third parties
MAJOR PARTIES = DOMINANT POLITICAL COMPETITORS
Republican Party (GOP) - Elephants
1874 – newspaper expressing alarm
over the belief that Grant would seek a
third office
Democratic Party - Donkeys
When Andrew Jackson ran for president in 1828, his
opponents tried to label him a "jack…" for his
populist views and his slogan, "Let the people rule."
First time used to represent the Democratic party.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 325-327
Political parties are not mentioned
in the Constitution.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Party Functions
• Nominating candidates
• Governing
• Partisanship
• Watchdogs
• Moderating influence
• Benefits and dangers
pp. 325-327
THE TWO-PARTY SYSTEM
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 327-336
• Reasons for Formation
• Tradition
• Dating back to the Federalist & Anti-Federalist
• Competition
• Not always equal
• Varies in different areas of the country
• Many presidential elections have been very close
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Reasons for Formation
• Electoral System
• Single-member districts (one
representative is chosen)
• Winner-take-all
pp. 327-336
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Characteristics
• Diverse Support
• Broad Appeal
• Similar but Not the Same
• Party platforms
• Different Ideologies
pp. 327-336
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
p. 331
Liberal
one whose political view seeks to change the
political, economic, and social status quo
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
p. 331
Conservative
one whose political view defends against
major changes in the political, economic, and
social institutions of society while seeking to
improve conditions with reform as needed
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 327-336
• Characteristics
• Party Membership
• Stability
• More stable than a multiparty system
• Coalitions
• Flexibility
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Development and Direction
• Dominance in the White House
• Control of the House and Senate
pp. 327-336
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Jefferson and Jackson Era
• Conventions
• Delegates
• Previously, a caucus was used
• Patronage
• Spoils system
pp. 327-336
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 327-336
• The Powerful Few
• Conventions were still dominated by a
small number of power brokers
• Primaries
• Weakened political parties
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Other Party Systems
• Multiparty System
• Requires a coalition to govern
• One-Party System
• Control by an elite few
pp. 327-336
THIRD PARTIES
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Types of Third Parties
• Issue Parties
• Usually one single burning issue
• Ideological Parties
• Usually outside the mainstream
pp. 336-339
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 336-339
• Types of Third Parties
• Depression Parties
• Usually lose strength as economy
improves
• Splinter Parties
• Split from, and take votes from, the
parent party
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Importance
• Popularization of ideas
• Political party convention
• Take votes from another candidate
• Draw attention to specific issues
pp. 336-339
PARTY ORGANIZATION
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 339-343
There are widely differing amounts
of organizational, financial, and
political strength among a party’s
many components.
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Membership Strength
• Importance of individual initiative
• Precinct meetings
• County and state conventions
• Federalism
• Many different levels of government
pp. 339-343
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Nominating Process
• Potential for infighting
• Competition and bitter rivalry
• Need to unify before Election Day
pp. 339-343
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 339-343
• National Organization
• National Convention
• Summer of presidential election years
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 339-343
• National Organization
• National Committee and National
Chairman
• Administration
• Fundraising
• Republican National Committee (RNC)
• Democratic National Committee (DNC)
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• State and Local Levels
• State party organization
• Local party divisions
• Wards
• Precincts
pp. 339-343
PARTY DECLINE
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 343-346
• Changes
• Primary Laws
• Social Upheaval
• 1968 Democratic National Convention
• Primary and Delegate Increase
• Involvement by interest groups
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Changes
• Campaign Expense
• Party Democratization
pp. 343-346
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
• Independent Voters
• Yellow-Dog Demise
• Independent: no party affiliation
• Party Switching
• Ticket splitting
pp. 343-346
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 343-346
• Media Impact
• Television
• What will be addressed during public
broadcasts
• Marketing of the candidate
• The Internet and Social Media
AMERICAN GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER 16
pp. 343-346
Despite the forces that have
weakened the current party system,
political parties show no signs of
becoming extinct.