Unit 2 Outline

Chapter 5 (1 week)– Sections 1-3 normal– Fast Section 4 (Just Guided Reading Review & Essentials)– Skip Section 5

Chapter 6 (1 week +)– All Sections 1-4

Chapter 7 (3-4 days) – All Sections; Shortened Test/Quiz

Chapter 8 (Skimmed)– Just Guided Reading Worksheets and Quizzes turned in for test

grade Chapter 9 (Skipped)

– Read Chapter in Brief (pg.235) Complete Guide to Essentials Unit Test

Bell Work

Bell Work– Get Books– Get Study guide, worksheets– Promptly find seat for attendance– Have pen/pencil, notes ready for lesson

What is a political Party?

Group of people who seek to control govt. by winning elections and holding political offices– Often looking to secure offices to change certain

public policies and programs– Two major parties today!?

Democrats Republicans

Functions of Political Parties

Major political parties have helped shape the way govt. works and are an important link b.t. people and their govt.

Five major functions…..I said Five!!!!1. Nominate Candidates

– Select candidates for public offices then present them to the voters for election

2. Inform and Activate Supporters– Try to inspire and activate interest and participation.– Campaign for candidates, take stands on issues, and

criticize opponents

Functions of Political Parties

3. Act as bonding Agents• To be a successful party their candidates need to perform

well, so the parties try and get well qualified, and high character people

• What if candidates didn’t have to perform well for their parties?

They wouldn’t get re-elected by the people!

4. Governing Agents• Elected officials are regularly elected based on party and

parties have certain policies/standards

5. Watchdogs• Act as overseers of the publics business, esp. when not the

party in power.

One More?

Major political parties tend to:– Unify the people through compromise– Compromise is encouraged among different

interests and groups to meet the majority of needs for the people.

Partisanship?

Partisanship:– Strong support of their party and its policy standards

(often how much of congress is ran)

1. Public officeholders/officials are chosen based on party allegiance (think cabinet)

2. Parties serve as the bridges for the legislative and executive branches to work together.

Party in Power

Party that controls the executive branch at the state and/or national levels

What is our states?– Dave Heineman: Republican

Nations?– Obama: Democrat

4 reasons for a 2 party system

1. Historical Basis• Began as a two party system: Split over how much power the

Central Govt. should have

2. Force of Tradition• Started w/ and always has been 2 parties• Just widely accepted b/c no other known ways

3. Electoral System• Direction of the election process works in its direction• Single-Member districts discourage minor parties

4. American Ideological Consensus• Broad agreement on fundamental matters encourages only two

parties to argue “little things”

Lesson Closing

L-J #1 Work on Worksheets Read some of Ch. 5 Finalize Tic-Tac-Toe Projects

“Nothing is a waste of time if you use the experience wisely!”

Bell Work

Bell work– Get books, folders, and

notes Answer these questions 4 reasons for a 2 party

system?– History, tradition, electoral

system, ideological consensus

Major Parties?– Democrats/Republican

Party in power– Party in charge of executive

office Five Functions of a

Political Party– Nominate– Inform and Activate Support– Bonding Agent– Governing Agent– Watchdog

Multiparty System

Vocabulary:– System in which several major and many lesser

parties exist and compete for office

Affect govt. because they can provide the electorate (voters) with more choices

Can also lead to instability b/c often doesn’t get the MAJORITY of peoples support

Still denied by U.S. voters/parties

One Party System

Political system in which only one party really exists– Basically a dictatorship

Affects govt. b/c they don’t have to answer to anyone in terms of major policy ideas.

Only the ruling party can participate in politics! “makes it hard for a change of guard”

Membership Patterns

Membership is purely voluntary in the 2 party system

Recent Trends Republicans

– White males, protestants, and the business community

Democrats– African Americans, Catholics, Jews, and union

members

Membership Patterns

Family– One of the most important reason people identify themselves

with a party– 2/3 Americans follow parents party allegiance

Major Events– Civil War, Great Depression, 9/11 all have major impacts on

party preference Economic Status

– Historically high income= republican; low income = democrat Etc.

– Voting behavior, age, residence, level of education, work environment all can play factors as well

S.3: Origins of Political parties in U.S.

2 party system can be traced to the battle over how to ratify the constitution

– Broken into Federalists and Anti-federalists Creation of the Federalists

– Liberal interpretation of constitution– Strong National Govt. through executive branch

Formation of the Democrats– Started as Anti-federalists– Strict interpretation of the constitution and Congress to

control most of national govt. (more indiv. Rights)

Lesson Closing

Look up and answer any vocab from section 2 that wasn’t covered

L-J#2 Work on Worksheet packets

Friday:

Bell Work– Get books/folders

Review– Know 4 reason for 2-party system– 5 functions of Party– 2 original parties and what they split over

Get ready for lecture/notes

3 Major Periods of Single-party Domination

Era of the Democrats (1800-1860)– Democratic domination until the Civil War– Won 13 of 15 Presidential elections and controlled congress– Factions came about from major issues that led to the

Republican party Era of the Republicans (1860-1932)

– Supported by business/financial interests, newly freed African Americans

– Won 14 of 18 Elections and controlled congress Return of the Democrats (1932-1968)

– Ushered in by the Great Depression– Won 7 of 10 Elections and controlled congress

Current Era of Govt.

Era of Divided Govt. (1968- present)– Republicans have won 7 of last eleven elections

Hold White house

– Democrats have controlled both houses of congress throughout much of this era

Held control of both white house and congress during Bush presidency

Congress taken back by Democrats in 2006

So who controls both congress and white house?– Democrats

Minor Parties in the U.S

No real chance of winning, but can still play a major role in politics

Four Main types– Ideological

Those parties based on a certain set of beliefs Historically built on Marxist thoughts: Socialism

– Single-Issue Focus on one public policy: Dies out when issue is over

– Opposition to slavery, immigration, abortion all examples– Economic Protest

Appear during times of economic displeasure Also known to disappear when economy replenishes

– Splinter Parties Parties split away from major parties Most of the important minor parties fall under this type

Why are minor parties important?

Most importantly play a role of critic and innovator– Often take stands on issues avoided by the major

parties; often forcing their hands during campaigns

– Many important issues came up from minor parties

Can influence elections by stealing/splitting votes from major parties.

Lesson Closing

L-J #3 (1-20) Answer in Paragraph Interpreting Graphs on

page 134.– Due at end of period

Guide to essentials answers in complete sentences

Work on X-Word Due Monday! Turn in Projects!!