Warm-Ups (10/12/07)

• Create Unit IV Cover Page• Title: Political Parties, Nominations, &

Elections• Chapters: 5-7• Don’t forget Pictures• Goes on the RIGHT SIDE – after the Unit III

Review

Chapter 5Political Parties

5.1 – Parties & What They Do

• What is a Political Party?•A group of persons who seek to

control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office

•Major Parties: Republican & Democratic Parties

Parties & What They Do

• Political Party Functions• Nominating Candidates• Informing & Activating Supporters• “Bonding Agent”: Insurance on a good

performance of its candidates/officeholders

• Governing: Most officials are chosen for their party – allegiance to a political party is the basis for government action

• Acting as “Watchdog”

5.2 – The Two-Party System

• Why a Two-Party System?•Historical Basis (1st Political Parties:

Federalists v. Anti-Federalists)•The Force of Tradition: Americans

accept the idea of a two-party system simply b/c there has always been one

The Two-Party System

• The Electoral System• Promotes the existence of only two parties• Winner-take-all elections (Plurality: candidate with

the largest number of votes wins, not majority)• Bipartisan: 2 parties work together to find a

common ground

• The American Ideological Consensus• Pluralistic Society: one consisting of several

cultures and groups• Consensus: a general agreement among various

groups• Both major parties are very much alike – moderate or

“middle of the road”

The Two Party System

• Other Political Systems•Multiparty System: when several

major/minor parties compete for public offices•Don’t always produce a broader, more

diverse representation of the population

•One-Party System•“no party” system - dictatorship

5.3 – The Two-Party System in American History

• The Nation’s 1st Parties•Federalist v. Anti-Federalists: formed

from the debate over the ratification of the Constitution

•Anti-Federalists later become Jeffersonian Republicans, Democratic Republicans, and then the Democratic Party

Two-Party System in American History

• American Parties: Four Major Eras•The Era of the Democrats, 1800-1860

•How they came to power: Thomas Jefferson defeated the Federalists (never return)

•Who led the party: Thomas Jefferson•Why they lost power: Slavery – This

issue split the Democratic Party, allowing the Republicans to win

Two-Party System in American History

•The Era of the Republicans, 1860-1932•How they came to power: The Civil

War/Lincoln’s Election•Who led the party: Abraham Lincoln•Why they lost power: Former President

Teddy Roosevelt was denied the nomination of the Republican Party. He formed the “Bull Moose” Progressive Party. This divided the Republican Party, allowing the Democrats to win the election

Two-Party System in American History

• The Return of the Democrats, 1932-1968• How they came to power: The Great Depression• Who led the Party: Franklin D. Roosevelt• Why they lost power: Democratic Party was torn

apart by conflicts over the war in Vietnam, civil rights, and a variety of social welfare issues

• Era of Divided Government, 1968-Present• Republicans have won 6 of 9 Presidential

Elections• Democrats have controlled Congress over much

of the current period

5.4 – The Minor Parties

• Types of Third Parties• Ideological Parties: based on a particular

set of beliefs (Ex. Socialist Party)• Single-Issue Parties: concentrates on

only one public-policy matter (Ex. “Know-Nothing” Party – anti-immigration or Prohibition Party)

• Economic Protest Parties: rooted in periods of economic discontent (Ex. Populist Party – appealed to struggling farmers)

• Splinter Parties: those that have split away from one of the major parties (Ex. “Bull Moose” Progressive Party)

The Minor Parties

• Role of Third Parties•“Spoiler Role”: It can pull votes form

one of the major parties (allowing them not to win a majority)

•Draw attention to issues that major parties prefer to ignore

•Examples: Green Party, Constitution Party, & Reform Party

5.5 – Party Organization

• Future of Political Parties• Most people see Political Parties as “necessary

evils”• Why has there been a decline in political

parties?• Drop in number of voters who will identify

themselves as one party – Many people identify as an “Independent”

• Split-Ticket Voting: voting for candidates of different parties for different offices at the same election

• Changes in technology allow the candidates to speak directly to the voters (Ex. YouTube)

• Growth of single-issue organizations

Cool-Down (03/07)

• This is a UNIT IV Warm-Up• After watching the clip…

• What comment do you think the artists were trying to make about Third Parties?