Agenda:Go over PowerPoint pages 108-119Take out paper and pen/pencil (write down notes to use on the quiz)

Quiz on pages 108-119Group activity: Political LabelsDiscuss homework

Pages 108-119

The American Political System

What is a political party?Democracy: people select their government and influence

its policies through their votesPolitical party: “like-minded” people join together to

achieve common political goalsRequirements 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 dayTextbook Page 110

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 deviceEach party’s candidates must appear before

the public to state their position on the issuesWhat else would hold influence?

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 prioritiesParty’s candidates then carry that message to

the votersCandidates describe what they will do if they

are electedMake an intelligent choice.

Finance election campaigns.Political parties can raise the large sums of

money needed to conduct an election campaignOrganization, loyalties, and financing a party can offer

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 partiesUnstable governments that can change almost

monthlyU.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

Two-party system continued…Size of the federal system: the very size of

the United States create the two-party systemThird parties (minority) parties have developed

strong local or regional appealBefore 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 governmentDemocrats and Republicans have both each

enjoyed long periods of success

How did the American two-party system develop?Began to form in 1787 during the campaign

to ratify the ConstitutionFederalists 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

Development of the Republican PartyOriginal 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 controlTimes change and so do politics/philosophy

Development of the Democratic PartyThomas Jefferson led the anti-federalists

Soon became known as the Democratic-Republican party

Republican was dropped in 1825After 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

How have third parties affected the American Political System?

Republican party began as a minority, sectional partyIn 1860: emerged as the country’s second major partyThird parties have contested – six or more choices for

PresidentCandidates qualify to be put on the ballot – most minority

parties can not compete with large partiesEconomic goals:

Populist party: discontented farmers from the West and SouthStood 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

Political LabelsRadical:

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

LiberalLook to the government for solutions to many

problems of modern lifeAccept 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 revolutionExample: 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

ModerateOccupies that political position called “the

middle of the road”Majority of the American people usually vote

under this labelAccept government as they find it, often

favor new and better lawsIn any given election, their loyalties may

shift to the liberal or conservative side when it comes to individual issues

ConservativeBelieve 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 freedomWhen this happens, responsibility for the

public welfare will be removed from what conservatives see as government’s costly and inefficient hands

VotingSplit ticket: support candidates from both

partiesCross-over voting: support the opposition

party’s full slate of candidates