Political Culture

Essential Question: Which is better for America – liberal values or conservative values?

Vocabulary

Political Culture: Broadly shared political and economic values

Conservative: person who is generally resistant to social change

Liberal: person who generally supports social change

Roots of American Political Culture

• American Revolution

• Bible: Judeo-Christian Ethic

• Documents

– Declaration of Independence

– United States Constitution

What are the essential American Values?

Liberty: Freedom or Order?

Equality: Results or opportunity?

Democracy

Civic Duty

Individual Responsibility

Issue #1: Immigration

• Conservatives: Want strict controls on immigration. No leniency for illegal aliens.

• Liberals: Favor more leniency for illegal aliens.

Issue #2: Race

Conservatives: Opposed desegregation and affirmative action

Liberals: Favored desegregation and affirmative action

The Culture War: American battle over values

• Origins: Conflicts of the 1960’s and 1970’s

• Two camps: Conservative and Liberal

National Endowment for the Arts (1980’s)

Issue #3: Abortion

Pro-life

Oppose legal abortion. Want Roe v. Wade overturned.

Issue #3: Abortion

Pro-choice

Support legal abortion. Want Roe v. Wade not to be overturned.

How divided is America?

Next Time: Public Opinion and Political Participation

(Chapters 5 and 6)