1. Go over PowerPoint pages 108-119
Agenda:
Go over PowerPoint pages
Take out paper and pen/pencil (write down notes to use on the quiz)
Quiz on pages
Group activity: Political Labels
Discuss homework

2. The American Political System
Pages

3. What is a political party?
Democracy: people select their government and influence its policies through their votes
Political party: “like-minded” people join together to achieve common political goals
Requirements for a political party:
Shared beliefs: should believe in the same political philosophy and be willing to work for the same goals
Program: Members should agree on a program for turning their beliefs into law after their candidates have been elected
Chance of success: members should have a REALISTIC chance of winning an election or gaining support for their programs – now or in the future
True political power belongs to those parties that have a REALISTIC chance of winning control of a local, state, or national government on election day
Textbook Page 110

4. What do political parties try to accomplish?
Organize a political majority: people join the political party that best reflects their ideas about economics, foreign policy, social welfare, personal freedom, and the like.
Represent majority
Provide electable candidates: political parties serve as a screening device
Each party’s candidates must appear before the public to state their position on the issues
What else would hold influence?

5. What do political parties try to accomplish continued…
Educate voters: each party begins a campaign by writing a platform that sums up its position on national priorities
Party’s candidates then carry that message to the voters
Candidates describe what they will do if they are elected
Make an intelligent choice.
Finance election campaigns.
Political parties can raise the large sums of money needed to conduct an election campaign
Organization, loyalties, and financing a party can offer

6. Why does the United States keep the two-party system?
Desire for stability:
Majority: more than one-half of the seats in the lawmaking bodies
Coalition: union of cooperating parties
Unstable governments that can change almost monthly
U.S.: one major party or the other always holds a majority in the House or the Senate – sometimes can control both houses
National Election Laws: favors a two-party system

7. Two-party system continued…
Size of the federal system: the very size of the United States create the two-party system
Third parties (minority) parties have developed strong local or regional appeal
Before a minority party can succeed on the national level – a major party adds the smaller party’s ideas to its platform
Tradition of alternation in office: no political system has ever “owned” the federal government
Democrats and Republicans have both each enjoyed long periods of success

8. How did the American two-party system develop?
Began to form in 1787 during the campaign to ratify the Constitution
Federalists vs. Anti-Federalists
Federalists: wanted the Constitution ratified (To approve and give formal sanction to; confirm.)
Anti-Federalists: wanted state governments to keep their independence; objected to the absences of personal freedom
The Constitution was ratified in 1788 and the later addition of the Bill of Rights failed to end the division

9. Development of the Republican Party
Original Federalists: broken up with the war of 1812
Whig party then absorbed the R party in 1830.
Whig’s won the presidency with William Henry Harrison in 1840 and with Zachary Taylor in 1848
Whig’s disappeared in the 1850’s issues of slavery
Heritage of the Federalist-Whig party fell to a minority party that was organized in 1854 to oppose slavery
Who led this party?
First National victory in 1860
Republicans dominated until the election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932
Modern Republicans favor states’ rights and freedom from government control
Times change and so do politics/philosophy

10. Development of the Democratic Party
Thomas Jefferson led the anti-federalists
Soon became known as the Democratic-Republican party
Republican was dropped in 1825
After the Civil War the Democrats gradually changed from a states’ rights party to one that believed in a strong federal authority
“common people”
Dedicated itself to using government to solve a variety of problems that neither individuals nor the states can solve for themselves

11. How have third parties affected the American Political System?
Republican party began as a minority, sectional party
In 1860: emerged as the country’s second major party
Third parties have contested – six or more choices for President
Candidates qualify to be put on the ballot – most minority parties can not compete with large parties
Economic goals:
Populist party: discontented farmers from the West and South
Stood for federal ownership of the railroads and the telegraph and telephone systems, an income tax system that called for higher rates for higher income brackets
They won certain elections – DISAPPEARED when the democratic party added many of their policies to its own platform

12. Political Labels Radical:
Problems of the country can be solved only through extreme measures and that the change should take place immediately
Flag of militant (aggressive) anticommunism – known as reactionaries: denounce most forms of government regulation, progressive taxation and restrictions on business and industry
Socialism – problems of poverty, race relations, and unequal opportunity cannot be solved by the capitalist system

13. Liberal
Look to the government for solutions to many problems of modern life
Accept increased government regulations as the price that must be paid if everyone is to have basic necessities of life
Believe in gradual change by democratic means rather than by revolution
Example: would not favor government takeover of the medical profession but would vote for government-guaranteed health insurance, extended Medicare programs, and greater supervision of the entire health industry

14. Moderate
Occupies that political position called “the middle of the road”
Majority of the American people usually vote under this label
Accept government as they find it, often favor new and better laws
In any given election, their loyalties may shift to the liberal or conservative side when it comes to individual issues

15. Conservative
Believe that “government governs best which governs least”
Most regulation by the federal government should be handed over to people at the state or local level
Ultimate goal would be to give individuals a maximum amount of freedom
When this happens, responsibility for the public welfare will be removed from what conservatives see as government’s costly and inefficient hands

16. Voting Split ticket: support candidates from both parties
Cross-over voting: support the opposition party’s full slate of candidates