+ All Categories
Home > Documents > Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Date post: 19-Oct-2021
Category:
Upload: others
View: 10 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend
32
Political Parties A party of order or stability, and a party of progress or reform, are both necessary elements of a healthy state of political life. —John Stuart Mill (1859) John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher, noted the benefits of two competing political parties. In this country, the balance of power has historically switched between two broad- based parties. Our major parties choose candidates and play important roles in government. Minor parties have challenged, but never really changed, this two-party system. ★★★ CHAPTER 5 114 A political party holds its national convention. 114
Transcript
Page 1: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Political PartiesIntroducing the ChapterIn this chapter students will learnabout the political parties—the func-tions they perform, how they arestructured, and how they haveshaped the evolution of Americangovernment and politics.

Chapter 5

The following resources are available only fromthe Close Up Foundation to support the conceptsdiscussed in Chapter 5 “Political Parties”:! Perspectives: Readings on Contemporary

American Government! We the People: The President and the

Constitution Close Up Foundation44 Canal Center Plaza

Alexandria, VA 22314-1592800-765-3131

Corner

To keep up-to-date on Close Up news and activities, visit Close Up Online at

www.closeup.org

ConstitutionalPrinciples

Emphasize the following basic prin-ciples as students read Chapter 5.Have the class respond to thequestions, and then ask volunteersto explain which single principlethey think the Framers mighthave used to explain the rise ofpolitical parties.

Separation of Powers How do polit-ical parties provide a bridgebetween the executive and legisla-tive branches of government?

Federalism In what ways do politi-cal parties function differently atthe national and State levels?

114

Make It RelevantYou Can Make a Difference

Both of the major political par-ties have various youth pro-grams designed to introduceyoung people to the politicalprocess (and gain future mem-bers). Organize four smallgroups of students to investigatesuch programs. Have one groupfocus on the Republican Party,another group focus on theDemocratic Party, a third groupfocus on a third party of theirchoice, and a fourth groupcontact a non-partisan group,such as the League of WomenVoters. The groups shouldreport what they learn aboutvarious youth-involvementprograms to the class.

Service Learning

Political Parties“A party of order or stability,and a party of progress or reform,are both necessary elements of ahealthy state of political life.”

—John Stuart Mill (1859)

John Stuart Mill, a British philosopher, noted the benefits oftwo competing political parties. In this country, the balanceof power has historically switched between two broad-based parties. Our major parties choose candidates andplay important roles in government. Minor parties havechallenged, but never really changed, this two-party system.

!!!!

CHAPTER 5

114

" A political party holds its national convention.

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_CO 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 114

114

Page 2: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

To Omit the ChapterIf you wish to skip Chapter 5, askstudents to read the Chapter in Briefand assign the Guide to the Essentialsbefore continuing to another chapter.You may also want to assign theChapter 5 Test in the Chapter Testbooklet. Then specific portions ofChapter 5 may be assigned to stu-dents needing reinforcement of keyterms and concepts.

To Preview the ChapterTo introduce students to key termsand concepts in each section, havethem read the Chapter in Brief. Youmay also assign the Reading Strategyactivities on pp. 117, 120, 127, 133,and 138 of this book.

To Review the ChapterWhen students have completedChapter 5, you might want to assignthe Guide to the Essentials or theGuided Reading and Review work-sheets on pp. 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 ofthe Unit 2 booklet.

To Cover the Chapter QuicklyTo cover the material in Chapter 5quickly, use the following activity.Focus Begin by asking students for thenames of the two major Americanpolitical parties. Write them on theboard, then ask for names of anyminor parties students can think of.Add those names to the board.Instruct Explain that almost from thenation’s beginnings, the United Stateshas had a two-party system. Askstudents for historical precedents tothat system, such as the debate overthe ratification of the Constitution.Then discuss characteristics of two-party systems. Finally, describe therole of minor parties, encouragingstudents to explain how they impactthe two-party system.Close/Reteach Discuss how partiesare structured at the national andState levels. Ask: How has the two-party system encouraged a “dividedgovernment?”

Pressed for Time?

115

Keep It CurrentKeep It CurrentKeep It Current

Use the Prentice Hall School Website and the Keep It Current CD-ROM to find quick data updates.

Have students access WebCode mqg-2057 to access this

chapter’s updated data.

Keep It Current CD-ROM includes government-related projects by unit. Students complete

each project using current information that theyobtain by linking to the Prentice Hall SchoolWeb site from the CD-ROM.

Internet Update

Parties and What They Do (pp. 116–118)!The primary purpose of the two major American political parties

is to control government through winning election to public office.!Political parties nominate candidates, rally their supporters,

participate in government, act as a “bonding agent” for theirown officeholders, and act as a watchdog over the other party.

The Two-Party System (pp. 119–124)!The two-party system is a product of our history and tradition,

the electoral system, and the American ideological consensus.!Multiparty systems provide more choice for the electorate but a

less stable government. In one-party systems only the rulingparty can participate in elections.

!While the two major parties are broadly based, each party doestend to attract certain segments of the electorate.

The Two-Party System in AmericanHistory (pp. 126–131)!The first American parties originated in the battle over ratifying

the Constitution.!There have been three eras of single-party domination in U.S.

history from 1800–1968.!An era of divided government—with neither major party consis-

tently in power—began in 1968 and continues to this day.

The Minor Parties (pp. 132–135)!Minor parties in the United States include ideological parties,

single-issue parties, economic protest parties, and splinter parties.!Even though they do not win national elections, minor parties

play an important role as critics and innovators.!Strong third-party candidacies can influence elections.

Party Organization (pp. 137–142)!The major parties have a decentralized structure because of

federalism and the sometimes divisive nominating process.!At the national level, the four basic elements of both major parties

are the national convention, the national committee, the nationalchairperson, and the congressional campaign committee.

!At the State level, the party is organized around a State centralcommittee headed by a State chairperson, while local organiza-tions vary widely.

!Party structure can also be viewed as made up of the partyorganization, or machinery; the people who usually vote theparty ticket; and the party’s officeholders.

!Parties are currently in decline: fewer people identify themselvesas major party members, and many people vote a split ticket.

SECTION 5

SECTION 4

SECTION 3

SECTION 2

SECTION 1

!!!!

Chapter 5 in Brief

115

You Can Make a DifferenceONE GOOD WAY to study party politics is to work in a campaign.

Early in the 2000 presidential race, some college students learned

about politics first hand in the New Hampshire primary. Political

science majors from Quinnipiac College spent their winter break as

volunteers in the Bush, Bradley, Gore, or McCain campaigns. They

canvassed voters, helped with mailings, held up signs, and met

candidates. “I like to have the hands-on kind of learning,” said

Jessica Cieslak about the Bradley campaign. Sally Roden,

addressing postcards for Governor Bush, commented, “It seems like

we’re contributing small pieces to a greater puzzle.”

PHSchool.com

For: Current DataWeb Code: mqg-2057

For: Close Up Foundation debatesWeb Code: mqh-2050

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_CO 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 115

115

Page 3: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Objectives You may wish to callstudents’ attention to the objectivesin the Section Preview. The objectivesare reflected in the main headings ofthe section.Bellringer Ask students whetherthey have ever ridden in a car withsomeone who was such a bad driverthat they wanted to stop the car andtake over the driving. Explain thatin this section, they will learn abouthow the political party that is out ofoffice can’t wait to take control ofgovernment from the party that is in.Vocabulary Builder Ask students todetermine what word or word partlinks all four terms in the PoliticalDictionary. Have a volunteer lookup party and partisan in a dictionaryto compare their government-relateddefinitions.

Point-of-Use Resources

Block Scheduling with LessonStrategies Activities for Chapter 5appear on p. 21.

Parties and WhatThey Do1

116

Consider these suggestions to manage extendedclass time:! Have small groups of students work togetherto create posters that describe a political party.Posters should describe the five functions ofpolitical parties, a definition of the party, and atleast two illustrations. Tell students that posterswill be used in elementary school classroomsand should be age-appropriate.

! Write this sentence from the text on the board:“…both parties want to win elections, and thatconsideration has much to do with the standsthey take on most issues.” Ask: Can a party thatonly wants to win an election be true to its idealsand philosophy? Why or why not? Have studentswrite a 3–5 sentence response, taking a clear yesor no position. Then, conduct a class debate onthis issue.

Block Scheduling Strategies

Lesson Plan

1. Focus Tell students that the mainpurpose of the major political partiesis to control government by winningelection to public office. Ask studentsto discuss why parties want to controlgovernment.2. Instruct Have students name themain function of a political party. Askwhy nominating candidates is soimportant, and then discuss the otherfunctions of political parties. Havestudents consider whether thesefunctions are the same for issues-oriented and election-oriented parties.3. Close/Reteach Remind studentsthat political parties serve the demo-cratic ideal by linking people withgovernment and by blunting conflict.Have students write a Help Wantedad seeking to “hire” a political party.Ads should include what the functionsof that party will be.

Parties and What They Do

Objectives

1. Define a political party.2. Describe the major functions of

political parties.

Why It Matters

Political parties are essential to democratic govern-ment. In the United States, political parties haveshaped the way the government works. Today, themajor parties perform several important functionswithout which our government could not function.

PoliticalDictionary! political party! major parties! partisanship! party in power

This definition, with its emphasis on princi-ples and public policy positions, will not fit thetwo major American parties, however. TheRepublican and Democratic parties are not primarily principle- or issue-oriented. They are,instead, election-oriented.

What Do Parties Do?It is clear from American history, as well as fromthe histories of other peoples, that political par-ties are essential to democratic government.Parties are the major mechanisms behind thedevelopment of broad policy and leadershipchoices; they are the medium through whichthose options are presented to the people.

Political parties are a vital link between thepeople and their government; that is, betweenthe governed and those who govern. Manyobservers argue that political parties are theprincipal means by which the will of the peopleis made known to government and by whichgovernment is held accountable to the people.

Parties serve the democratic ideal in anotherimportant way. They work to blunt conflict;they are “power brokers.” Political parties bringconflicting groups together. They modify andencourage compromise among the contendingviews of different interests and groups, and sohelp to unify, rather than divide, the Americanpeople. They soften the impact of extremists atboth ends of the political spectrum.

Again, political parties are indispensable toAmerican government. This fact is underscoredby the major functions they perform.

““WW inning isn’t everything; it’s the onlything.” So said legendary football

coach Vince Lombardi. Lombardi was talkingabout teams in the National Football League. Hiswords, however, could also be used to describethe Republican and Democratic parties. They, too,are in the business of competing and winning.

What Is a Party?A political party is a group of persons who seekto control government through the winning ofelections and the holding of public office. Thisdefinition of a political party is broad enough tofit any political party. It certainly describes thetwo major parties in American politics, theRepublican and the Democratic parties.

Another, more specific definition can be used todescribe most political parties, both here andabroad. That is, a political party is a group of per-sons, joined together on the basis of common prin-ciples, who seek to control government in order toaffect certain public policies and programs.

! Bumper stickers reveal party loyalty.

Teaching the Main Ideas L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_01 1/9/06 2:03 PM Page 116

116

Page 4: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information/Graphic OrganizerHave students create a web diagramwith Political Parties in the centercircle. As they read, students shouldcomplete the web by defining politicalparties in the center circle and notingeach function in an outer circle. Theyshould use additional circles to adddetails.

Remind students that informing andactivating supporters is one of themain functions of political parties.Discuss a current issue (i.e. local cur-fews for minors or mandatory Statecomprehension exams for highschool seniors) that is of interest orconcern for students. Divide the classinto small groups. Have groups takedifferent sides of the issue. Askgroups to create a slogan, bumpersticker, pamphlet, or other type ofadvertisement that presents their sideof the issue most favorably. Eachgroup should elect a spokesperson topresent their ad to the class. LPR

Point-of-Use Resources

Guided Reading and Review Unit 2booklet, p. 2 provides students withpractice identifying the main ideasand key terms of this section.

Lesson Planner For completelesson planning suggestions, see theLesson Planner booklet, section 1.

Political Cartoons See p. 18 of the Political Cartoons booklet for acartoon relevant to this section.

Section Support TransparenciesTransparency 21, Visual Learning;Transparency 120, Political Cartoon

117

Chapter 5 • Section 1Nominating CandidatesThe major function of a political party is tonominate—name—candidates for public office.That is, the parties select candidates and thenpresent them to the voters. Then the partieswork to help their candidates win elections.

To have a functioning democracy, theremust be a procedure for finding (recruiting andchoosing) candidates for office. There mustalso be a mechanism for gathering support(votes) for these candidates. Parties are the bestdevice yet found to do those jobs.

The nominating function is almost exclusivelya party function in the United States.1 It is the oneactivity that most clearly sets political parties apartfrom all of the other groups in politics.

Informing and Activating SupportersParties inform the people, and inspire and activatetheir interest and participation in public affairs.Other groups also perform this function—inparticular, the news media and interest groups.

Parties try to inform and inspire voters in sev-eral ways. Primarily, they campaign for their can-didates, take stands on issues, and criticize thecandidates and the positions of their opponents.

Each party tries to inform the people as itthinks they should be informed—to its ownadvantage. For example, a party selects infor-mation in order to present its own positions andcandidates in the best possible light. It conductsthis “educational” process through pamphlets,signs, buttons, and stickers; with advertisementsin newspapers and magazines and on radio, tele-vision, and the Internet; in speeches, rallies, andconventions; and in many other ways.

Remember, both parties want to win elec-tions, and that consideration has much to dowith the stands they take on most issues. Bothparties try to shape positions that will attract asmany voters as possible—and that will, at thesame time, offend as few voters as possible.

The Bonding Agent FunctionIn business, a bond is an agreement that pro-tects a person or company against loss causedby a third party. In politics, a political party

acts as a “bonding agent,” to ensure the goodperformance of its candidates and officeholders.In choosing its candidates, the party tries tomake sure that they are men and women whoare both qualified and of good character—or, atleast, that they are not unqualified for theoffices they seek.

The party also prompts its successful candi-dates to perform well in office. The democraticprocess imposes this bonding agent function on aparty, whether the party really wants to perform it or not. If it fails to assume this respon-sibility, both the party and its candidates may suffer the consequences in future elections.

GoverningIn several respects, government in the UnitedStates is government by party. For example, pub-lic officeholders—those who govern—are regu-larly chosen on the basis of party. Congress andthe State legislatures are organized on party lines,and they conduct much of their business on thebasis of partisanship—the strong support of theirparty and its policy stands. In addition, mostappointments to executive offices, at both thefederal and State levels, are made with an eye toparty considerations.

1The exceptions are in nonpartisan elections and in those rareinstances in which an independent candidate enters a partisan con-test. Nominations are covered at length in Chapter 7.

! Campaign Fundraiser Candidates rely on the money raised at politicalparty fundraisers to help pay for their campaigns. Here President G. W. Bushwaves from the podium at a fundraiser for his reelection campaign in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

L2

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_01 1/13/06 7:46 AM Page 117

117

Page 5: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Point-of-Use Resources

Guide to the Essentials Chapter 5,Section 1, p. 32 provides sup-

port for students who need additionalreview of section content. Spanishsupport is available in the Spanishedition of the Guide on p. 25.

Quiz Unit 2 booklet, p. 3includes matching and multiple-choicequestions to check students’ under-standing of Section 1 content.

Presentation Pro CD-ROM Quizzesand multiple-choice questions

check students’ understanding ofSection 1 content.

Answers to . . .

Section 1 Assessment1. A group of people who seek to con-trol government by winning electionsand holding political office.2. Functions include nominatingcandidates, informing and activatingsupporters, acting as bonding agents,governing, and acting as watchdogsover the public’s business.3. Public officeholders and appoint-ments are chosen based on partyallegiance, and parties serve as chan-nels for the legislative and executivebranches to work together.4. (a) Answers will vary. (b) Answerswill vary.5. They encourage compromiseamong different interests and groups.6. Parties not in power serve aswatchdogs over the party in power—they criticize and in so doing, attemptto gain public support.

118

Chapter 5 • Section 1

Answer to . . .Critical Thinking The nominatingcandidates function, the informingand activating supporters function,and the governing function.

Key Terms and Main Ideas1. What is a political party?2. Identify two functions of political parties.3. In what ways is American government conducted on the

basis of partisanship?4. (a) At this time, which is the party in power in your State?

(b) In the nation?

Critical Thinking5. Analyzing Information In what ways do political parties

tend to unify, rather than divide, the American people?

6. Drawing Conclusions The party out of power serves animportant function in American government. Explain thatfunction.

of the party out of power. It plays this role asit criticizes the policies and behavior of theparty in power.

In American politics the party in power isthe party that controls the executive branch ofgovernment—the presidency at the nationallevel or the governorship at the State level.

In effect, the party out of power attempts toconvince the voters that they should “throwthe rascals out,” that the “outs” shouldbecome the “ins” and the “ins” the “outs.”The scrutiny and criticism by the “out” partytends to make the “rascals” more careful oftheir public charge and more responsive to thewishes and concerns of the people. In short,the party out of power plays the importantrole of “the loyal opposition”—opposed to the party in power but loyal to the people andthe nation.

In yet another sense, parties provide a basisfor the conduct of government. In the complicatedseparation of powers arrangement, the executiveand legislative branches must cooperate withone another if government is to accomplish any-thing. It is political parties that regularly providethe channels through which these two branchesare able to work together.

Political parties have played a significantrole in the process of constitutional change.Consider this important example: TheConstitution’s cumbersome system for electingthe President works principally because politi-cal parties reshaped it in its early years andhave made it work ever since.

Acting as WatchdogParties act as watchdogs over the conduct ofthe public’s business. This is particularly true

! From left to right: Democratic presidential hopefuls Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts and formerVermont governor Howard Dean shake hands; Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R.-Tenn.) discusses passage of Medicare prescription drug legislation; the powerful House Ways and Means Committeeholds a hearing. Critical Thinking What party functions are represented by these three photos?

PHSchool.com

For: An activity on politicalparties

Web Code: mqd-2051

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2051

PHSchool.com

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2051

Typing in the Web Code whenprompted will bring students directly to detailedinstructions for this activity.

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_01 1/9/06 3:19 PM Page 118

118

Page 6: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Objectives You may wish to callstudents’ attention to the objectivesin the Section Preview. The objectivesare reflected in the main headings ofthe section.Bellringer Ask students to explainthe saying “Two’s company, three’s acrowd.” Tell them that in this sec-tion, they will learn about how thatsaying can be applied to theAmerican party system.Vocabulary Builder Ask studentshow most of the terms in the PoliticalDictionary are similar. (They containwords or word parts that suggestamounts.) Discuss how those wordsand word parts (two, single, plural,bi-, multi-, one) affect the meaning ofthese government terms. Note thateven co- and con- suggest a numberof people or groups getting together.

The Two-Party System2

119

Customize forMore Advanced StudentsHave students conduct research to investigate thechanging role of the Speaker of the House. (Youmay wish to assign each student a specific speaker.)Ask students to summarize their research in briefreports and then lead a discussion on the changingrole.

Consider these suggestions to manage extendedclass time:! Have students list details about each of thefour reasons discussed in the section that theU.S. has a two-party system. Then have eachstudent choose which reason they believe is themost compelling for keeping this system, andwhich is the least compelling for keeping it. Askstudents to share their opinions with the class.

! Point out to students that while the UnitedStates has a two-party system, many democraciesaround the world have multiparty systems. (Referstudents to Chapter 22 for examples.) Ask studentgroups to consider how political life in the UnitedStates might be different with a multiparty system.Have each group create a profile of a multipartysystem. What would be the benefits and draw-backs to such a system?

Block Scheduling Strategies

Lesson Plan

1. Focus Tell students that the two-party system is an established fact ofAmerican political life. Ask students todiscuss what they know about why theUnited States has a two-party system.2. Instruct Ask students how thetwo-party system developed in theUnited States. Discuss why the two-party system continues to be strongtoday. Extend the discussion to theadvantages and disadvantages ofmultiparty and one-party systems.3. Close/Reteach Remind studentsthat they are free to join any politicalparty. Ask: Are you likely to join one ofthe two major parties? Why or why not?

DD oes the name Earl Dodge mean anythingto you? Probably not. Yet Mr. Dodge

has run for President of the United States six times. He was the presidential candidate of the Prohibition Party in 1984, 1988, 1992,1996, 2000, and most recently, 2004.

One reason Mr. Dodge is not very wellknown is that he belongs to a minor party, oneof the many political parties without widevoter support in this country. Two major par-ties, the Republicans and the Democrats, dom-inate American politics. That is to say, thiscountry has a two-party system. In a typicalelection, only the Republican or the DemocraticParty’s candidates have a reasonable chance ofwinning public office.

Why a Two-Party System?In some States, and in many local communities,one of the two major parties may be overwhelm-ingly dominant. And it may remain so for a longtime—as, for example, the Democrats werethroughout the South from the post-Civil Waryears to the 1960s. But, on the whole, andthrough most of our history, the United States hasbeen a two-party nation.

A number of factors help to explain whyAmerica has had and continues to have a

The Two-Party System

Objectives

1. Identify the reasons why the UnitedStates has a two-party system.

2. Understand multiparty and one-partysystems and how they affect thefunctioning of government.

3. Describe party membership patternsin the United States.

Why It Matters

The two-party system in theUnited States is a product ofhistorical forces, our electoralsystem, and the ideological con-sensus of the American people.It provides more political stabilitythan a multiparty system andmore choice than a one-partysystem.

PoliticalDictionary! minor party! two-party system! single-member district! plurality! bipartisan! pluralistic society! consensus! multiparty! coalition! one-party system

two-party system. No one reason alone offersa wholly satisfactory explanation for the phe-nomenon. Taken together, however, severalreasons do add up to a quite persuasive answer.

The Historical BasisThe two-party system is rooted in the begin-nings of the nation itself. The Framers of the Constitution were opposed to politicalparties. As you saw in Chapter 2, the ratifi-cation of the Constitution saw the birth ofAmerica’s first two par-ties: the Federalists,led by AlexanderHamilton, and theAnti-Federalists,who followed ThomasJefferson. In short, theAmerican party systembegan as a two-partysystem.

The Framers hopedto create a unifiedcountry; they soughtto bring order out of

! The symbols of thepolitical parties turn up inmany forms—especiallyin an election year.

Teaching the Main Ideas L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_02 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 119

119

Page 7: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Reading StrategySelf-QuestioningAsk students to stop at each headingas they read the section. Have themturn each heading into a questionthat begins with What, How, orWhy and then read to answer thatquestion.

Point-of-Use Resources

Guided Reading and Review Unit 2booklet, p. 4 provides students withpractice identifying the main ideasand key terms of this section.

Lesson Planner For completelesson planning suggestions, see theLesson Planner booklet, section 2.

Political Cartoons See p. 19 of the Political Cartoons booklet for acartoon relevant to this section.

Section Support TransparenciesTransparency 22, Visual Learning;Transparency 121, Political Cartoon

120

To make sure students understand the mainpoints of this section, you may wish to use thedouble web graphic organizer to the right.

Tell students that a double web graphic organizercan be used to compare and contrast two topics.Have students use the double web to comparetwo-party systems with multiparty systems.

Teaching Tip A template for this graphic organizercan be found in the Section SupportTransparencies, Transparency 2.

Organizing Information

Chapter 5 • Section 2

Answer to . . .Evaluating the Quotation She empha-sizes that while the two major parties are not radically different,they take their competition seriously.

nation began with a two-party system has beena leading reason for the retention of a two-partysystem. Over time, it has become an increasinglyimportant, self-reinforcing reason.

The point can be made this way: MostAmericans accept the idea of a two-party systemsimply because there has always been one. Thisinbred support for the arrangement is a principalreason why challenges to the system—by minorparties, for example—have made so little head-way. In other words, America has a two-partysystem because America has a two-party system.

The Electoral SystemSeveral features of the American electoral sys-tem tend to promote the existence of but twomajor parties. That is to say, the basic shape,and many of the details, of the election processwork in that direction.

The prevalence of single-member districts isone of the most important of these features.Nearly all of the elections held in this country—from the presidential contest on down to thoseat the local levels—are single-member districtelections. That is, they are contests in whichonly one candidate is elected to each office onthe ballot. They are winner-take-all elections.The winning candidate is the one who receivesa plurality, or the largest number of votes cast forthe office. Note that a plurality need not be amajority, which is more than half of all votes cast.

The single-member district pattern works todiscourage minor parties. Because only one win-ner can come out of each contest, voters usuallyface only two viable choices: They can vote forthe candidate of the party holding the office, orthey can vote for the candidate of the party withthe best chance of replacing the current office-holder. In short, most voters think of a vote fora minor party candidate as a “wasted vote.”

Another important aspect of the electoral sys-tem works to the same end. Much of Americanelection law is purposely written to discouragenon-major party candidates.2 Republicans andDemocrats regularly act in a bipartisan way in

the chaos of the Critical Period of the 1780s.To most of the Framers, parties were “factions,”and therefore agents of divisiveness and dis-unity. George Washington reflected this viewwhen, in his Farewell Address in 1796, hewarned the new nation against “the banefuleffects of the spirit of party.”

In this light, it is hardly surprising that theConstitution made no provision for politicalparties. The Framers could not foresee the waysin which the governmental system they set upwould develop. Thus, they could not possiblyknow that two major parties would emerge asprime instruments of government in the UnitedStates. Nor could they know that those twomajor parties would tend to be moderate, tochoose middle-of-the-road positions, and sohelp to unify rather than divide the nation.

The Force of TraditionOnce established, human institutions are likelyto become self-perpetuating. So it has been withthe two-party system. The very fact that the

2Nearly all election law in this country is State, not federal, law—a point discussed at length in the next two chapters. But, here, notethis very important point: Nearly all of the nearly 7,400 State legisla-tors—nearly all of those persons who make State law—are eitherDemocrats or Republicans. Only a handful of minor party members orindependents now sit, or have ever sat, in State legislatures.

Mary Matalin is a leading Republican campaign consultant.She worked in the Bush campaign in 2000 and 2004. She was

an Assistant to the President and Counselor tothe Vice President from 2001 to 2003. Here,

she comments on political campaigns fromthe inside:

“ Politics is about winning. . . .Participating in a presidentialcampaign full-time, as a profes-sional, is very emotional and very

draining. You don’t want to putthat much effort into a race unless

you have a real chance. . . . In theculture of campaigns it’s not ideological. Most ofus have a philosophical grounding—we’reworking for Republicans only—but in terms ofissues the differences between candidates are oftenpretty small.”

Evaluating the QuotationHow does Matalin’s view of political campaigns fit in with what youhave read about the two major parties?

Voices on GovernmentVoices on Government

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_02 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 120

120

Page 8: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Ask students to conduct research onpresidential election results for thepast two decades. Based on theirfindings, have them create color-coded U.S. maps for each electionthat illustrate which candidate wonthe electoral votes in each State. Askstudents to compare maps for eachelection, and write a report summa-rizing any trends they notice betweenStates/regions and political partylines. Encourage volunteers to sharetheir results.GT

121

Chapter 5 • Section 2

Answers to . . .Interpreting Political CartoonsPossible answer: That they aremore concerned with gainingvotes than with party issues.Critical Thinking Possible answers:A feeling that the party is notaddressing important issues; a shiftin the politician’s own ideology.

Have students read the passages under The American Ideological Consensuson pp. 121–122 and then answer the question below.Which sentence best describes consensus in the United States?A Americans generally agree on basic political issues.B Sharp political divisions in the nation make consensus difficult.C All Americans hold the same political views.D Consensus has produced two major parties that are exactly alike.

Preparing for Standardized Tests

this matter. That is, the two major parties findcommon ground and work together here.

They deliberately shape election laws to preserve, protect, and defend the two majorparties and the two-party system, and thus tofrustrate the minor parties. In most States it isfar more difficult for minor parties and inde-pendent groups to get their candidates listed onthe ballot than for the major parties to do so.

The 2004 presidential election offered astriking illustration of the point. George W.Bush and John Kerry were on the ballots of all50 States and the District of Columbia. Noneof the several other serious presidential hopefuls made the ballot everywhere in 2004.

To this point, non-major party candidateshave made it to the ballot everywhere in onlyseven presidential elections. The SocialistParty’s Eugene V. Debs was the first to do so, in1912. The Socialist candidate in 1916, Allan L.Benson, also appeared on the ballots of all ofthe then 48 States. In 1980 Ed Clark, theLibertarian nominee, and independent JohnAnderson, and in 1988 Lenora Fulani of theNew Alliance Party made the ballots of all 50States and the District of Columbia. So, too,did Libertarian Andre Marrou and indepen-dent Ross Perot in 1992. Every ballot con-tained the names of Libertarian Harry Browneand the Reform Party’s Ross Perot in 1996.

In 2004 Libertarian Michael Badnarik wason the ballot in 48 States and the District ofColumbia. Michael Peroutka of the ConstitutionParty was listed in 38 States, and the GreenParty’s nominee, David Cobb, in 28. All of theother minor party aspirants fell far short ofthose totals, however. (Independent candidateRalph Nader made it to the ballots of 34 Statesin 2004.)

The American Ideological ConsensusAmericans are, on the whole, an ideologicallyhomogeneous people. That is, over time, theAmerican people have shared many of the sameideals, the same basic principles, and the samepatterns of belief.

This is not to say that Americans are all alike.Clearly, this is not the case. The United States is apluralistic society—one consisting of several dis-tinct cultures and groups. Increasingly, the mem-bers of various ethnic, racial, religious, and other

social groups compete for and share in the exer-cise of political power in this country. Still, thereis a broad consensus—a general agreementamong various groups—on fundamental matters.

Nor is it to say that Americans have alwaysagreed with one another in all matters. Farfrom it. The nation has been deeply divided attimes: during the Civil War and in the years ofthe Great Depression, for example, and oversuch critical issues as racial discrimination, thewar in Vietnam, and abortion.

Still, note this very important point: thisnation has not been regularly plagued bysharp and unbridgeable political divisions.

! Alabama Senator Richard Shelby was elected as a Democrat in1986 and reelected in 1992. He became a Republican in 1995 andwas easily reelected in 1998 and 2004. Critical Thinking Whatmight cause a politician to switch parties?

Interpreting Political Cartoons What does the cartoon implyabout what parties—and candidates—stand for?

“And I promise to alwaysbe loyal to my party,even if I have to changeparties to do it!” L4

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_02 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 121

121

Page 9: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Time 90 minutes.Purpose Hold a classroom debate overthe issue of having a two-party systemof politics versus having a multipartysystem. Grouping Divide the class in half. Eachhalf will take one side of the issue. Activity Have teams consider topicssuch as voter turnout, public involve-ment in politics, tradition, stability,and diverse representation. Giveeach side a set amount of time tospeak, as well as a set amount oftime for rebuttal.Roles Discussion leader, recorder, ideagenerators, spokesperson, timekeeper.Close Appoint a group of students toact as a jury to decide which sidemade the best arguments for its case.

Point-of-Use Resources

Government Assessment RubricsOral Presentation, p. 24

Block Scheduling with LessonStrategies Additional activities forChapter 5 appear on p. 21.

122

Chapter 5 • Section 2Multiparty SystemsSome critics argue that the American two-partysystem should be scrapped. They would replaceit with a multiparty arrangement, a system inwhich several major and many lesser partiesexist, seriously compete for, and actually win,public offices. Multiparty systems have longbeen a feature of most European democracies,and they are now found in many other democratic societies elsewhere in the world.

In the typical multiparty system, the variousparties are each based on a particular interest,such as economic class, religious belief, sec-tional attachment, or political ideology. Thosewho favor such an arrangement for this coun-try say that it would provide for a broader rep-resentation of the electorate and be moreresponsive to the will of the people. They claimthat a multiparty system would give voters amuch more meaningful choice among candi-dates and policy alternatives than the presenttwo-party system does.

Clearly, multiparty systems do tend to pro-duce a broader, more diverse representation ofthe electorate. At the same time, that strength isalso a major weakness of a multiparty system. Itoften leads to instability in government. Oneparty is often unable to win the support of amajority of the voters. As a result, the powerto govern must be shared by a number of par-ties, in a coalition. A coalition is a temporaryalliance of several groups who come togetherto form a working majority and so to controla government.

Several of the multiparty nations of WesternEurope have long been plagued by governmen-tal crises. They have experienced frequentchanges in party control as coalitions shift anddissolve. Italy furnishes an almost nightmarishexample: It has had a new government on theaverage of once every year ever since the end ofWorld War II.

Historically, the American people haveshunned a multiparty approach to politics. Theyhave refused to give substantial support to anybut the two major parties and their candidates.Two of the factors mentioned above—single-member districts and the American ideologicalconsensus—seem to make the multipartyapproach impossible in the United States.

The United States has been free of long-stand-ing, bitter disputes based on such factors aseconomic class, social status, religious beliefs,or national origin.

Those conditions that could produce severalstrong rival parties simply do not exist in thiscountry. In this way, the United States differsfrom most other democracies. In short, the real-ities of American society and politics simply donot permit more than two major parties.

This ideological consensus has had anothervery important impact on American parties. It has given the nation two major parties that look very much alike. Both tend to bemoderate. Both are built on compromise andregularly try to occupy “the middle of theroad.” Both parties seek the same prize: thevotes of a majority of the electorate. To do so,they must win over essentially the same people.Inevitably, each party takes policy positionsthat do not differ a great deal from those of theother major party.

This is not to say that there are no signifi-cant differences between the two major partiestoday. There are. For example, the DemocraticParty, and those who usually vote for its candidates, are more likely to support suchthings as social welfare programs, govern-ment regulation of business practices, andefforts to improve the status of minorities. Onthe other hand, the Republican Party and itsadherents are much more likely to favor theplay of private market forces in the economyand to argue that the Federal Governmentshould be less extensively involved in socialwelfare programs.

! Multiparty System Like many European countries, Italy has a multi-party system. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (right) heads Italy’scenter-right coalition government.

L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_02 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 122

122

Page 10: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Chapter 5 • Section 2

Ask students to create a two-columnchart with these headings: Democratsand Republicans. In the left-handmargin students should write thefollowing categories: social welfare,race, gender, religion, income level,unions, business, government involve-ment. Have students look for thesecontext clues in the text, and next toeach, record what is said in the textabout either party, or both. ELL

123

Background NoteGlobal AwarenessIn multiparty parliamentary systems,the largest parties are often unable tocommand a majority of representativesin the parliament, and are forced toform coalitions with smaller parties inorder to govern. Thus, a party thatreceives only a few percent of the pop-ular vote may end up in a partnershipthat runs the country! In the 2005 fed-eral elections in Germany, for example,no one party won a majority of the 614Bundestag seats. As a result, neithercandidate for chancellor, Angela Merkel(Christian Democratic Union, CDU) andGerhard Schroder (Social DemocraticParty, SPD), could form a majority gov-ernment, even with their traditionalpartners (the CDU allied with theChristian Social Union and the FreeDemocratic Party, and the SPD tradi-tionally joined with the Green Party).Intense negotiations began. In the end,Angela Merkel was confirmed as theleader of a surprising Grand Coalitioncomposed of the CDU (180 seats),Christian Social Union (46 seats), andSPD (222 seats). This was an unusualpartnership, however, since the CDUand the SPD had historically beenopposed on many issues.

Answer to . . .Critical Thinking Possible answer: Agovernment that does not considerall viewpoints can never have thebroad support of all the people, andcould be unstable.

One-Party SystemsIn nearly all dictatorships today, only one polit-ical party is allowed. That party is the party ofthe ruling clique. For all practical purposes, itis quite accurate to say that in those circum-stances the resulting one-party system is really a“no-party” system.

In quite another sense, this country has hadseveral States and many local areas that can bedescribed in one-party terms. Until the late1950s, the Democrats dominated the politics ofthe South. The Republican Party was almostalways the winner in New England and in theupper Midwest.

Effective two-party competition has spreadfairly rapidly in the past 30 years or so. Democratshave won many offices in every northern State.Republican candidates have become more andmore successful throughout the once “SolidSouth.” Nevertheless, about a third of the Statescan still be said to have a modified one-party system. That is, one of the major parties regularlywins most elections in those States. Also, whilemost States may have vigorous two-party compe-tition at the Statewide level, within most of themare many areas dominated by a single party.

Party Membership PatternsMembership in a party is purely voluntary. Aperson is a Republican or a Democrat, orbelongs to a minor party, or is an independent—belonging to no organized party—because thatis what he or she chooses to be.3

Remember, the two major parties are broadlybased. In order to gain more votes than theiropponents, they must attract as much support asthey possibly can. Each party has always beencomposed, in greater or lesser degree, of a crosssection of the nation’s population. Each is madeup of Protestants, Catholics, and Jews; whites,African Americans, Latinos, and other minori-ties; professionals, farmers, and union members.Each party includes the young, the middle-aged,

and the elderly; city-dwellers, suburbanites, andrural residents among its members.

It is true that the members of certain seg-ments of the electorate tend to be aligned moresolidly with one or the other of the major par-ties, at least for a time. Thus, in recentdecades, African Americans, Catholics andJews, and union members have voted moreoften for Democrats. In the same way, whitemales, Protestants, and the business communi-ty have been inclined to back the GOP.4 Yet,never have all members of any group tiedthemselves permanently to either party.

Individuals identify themselves with a partyfor many reasons. Family is almost certainlythe most important among them. Studies showthat nearly two out of every three Americansfollow the party allegiance of their parents.

3In most States a person must declare a preference for a particu-lar party in order to vote in that party’s primary election. That decla-ration is usually made as a part of the voter registration process, andit is often said to make one “a registered Republican (or Democrat).”The requirement is only a procedural one, however, and wholly a mat-ter of individual choice.

4GOP is common shorthand for the Republican Party. The initialsstand for Grand Old Party, a nickname acquired in the latter part of the 19th century. The nickname may owe its origins to Britishpolitics. Prime Minister William Gladstone was dubbed “the GrandOld Man,” often abbreviated “GOM,” by the English press in 1882.Soon after, “GOP” appeared in headlines in the New York Tribune,the Boston Post, and other American papers.

! Dictator Joseph Stalin, who was both leader of the Com-munist Party and premier of the Soviet Union, ruthlesslycrushed all political opposition. Critical Thinking Why mightsilencing other political points of view be a disadvantageto a government?

Provides a complete set of powerfulteaching tools to make lesson plan-ning and administering tests quickerand easier.

L2

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_02 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 123

123

Page 11: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Point-of-Use Resources

Guide to the Essentials Chapter 5,Section 2, p. 33 provides sup-

port for students who need additionalreview of section content. Spanishsupport is available in the Spanishedition of the Guide on p. 26.

Quiz Unit 2 booklet, p. 5includes matching and multiple-choice questions to check students’understanding of Section 2 content.

Presentation Pro CD-ROM Quizzesand multiple-choice questions

check students’ understanding ofSection 2 content.

Answers to . . .

Section 2 Assessment1. Historical precedents, tradition,an electoral system that promotesdominance by two major parties,and ideological consensus.2. The U.S. is pluralistic because it hasseveral distinct cultures and groups,but Americans have reached consensuson many matters, for example, havinga two-party system.3. (a) A multiparty system has severalmajor and minor parties that allcompete for public office. (b) Somepeople favor it because it provides abroader representation of the elec-torate and gives voters more choices.4. Factors include family tradition,significant political or societalevents, economic status, age, placeof residence, level of education, andoccupation.5. That parties and the Americanssupporting them have reached con-sensus on maintaining a strong two-party system.6. Ads will vary, but should includethe distinguishing factors discussedin the text.

Chapter 5 • Section 2

124

Answer to . . .Interpreting Tables The CommunistParty.

Major events can also have a decided influenceon the party affiliation of voters. Of these, the CivilWar and the Depression of the 1930s have beenthe most significant in American political history.

Economic status also influences party choice,although generalizations are quite risky. Histori-cally though, those in higher income groups aremore likely to be Republicans, while those withlower incomes tend to be Democrats.

Republican Party310 First St. SE, Washington, DC 20003http://www.rnc.org

Democratic Party430 So. Capitol St. SE, Washington, DC 20003http://www.democrats.org

Libertarian Party (Founded 1971)2600 Virginia Ave., N.W., Washington, DC 20037 http://www.lp.orgStresses individual liberty; opposes taxes, foreign involvements, government intrusion into private lives.

Reform Party (Founded 1995)Box 126437, Forth Worth, TX 76126 http://www.reformparty.orgFormed by Ross Perot; advocates trade agreements to protectAmerican jobs, balanced budget, tax and electoral reforms, term limits.

Green Party of the United States (Founded 1996)1700 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20009 http://www.gp.orgCommitted to “environmentalism, nonviolence, social justice, andgrass-roots democracy.”

America First Party (Founded 2002)1630-A 30th St., Boulder, CO 80301 http://www.americafirstparty.orgSplinter from Reform Party; promotes Christian beliefs and originalistinterpretation of the Constitution; opposes immigration, free trade, UN.

Constitution Party (Founded 1992)23 North Lime St., Lancaster, PA 17602 http://www.constitutionparty.orgAnti-tax party; strongly pro-life; pro-school prayer; opposes gun control,immigration, free trade, UN, gay rights.

Socialist Labor Party (Founded 1891)P.O. Box 218, Mountain View, CA 94042 http://www.slp.orgMarxist party; seeks “a classless society based on collectivist ownershipof industries and social services.”

Significant Minor Parties

Political Party Contacts

Socialist Party USA (Founded 1900)339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.sp-usa.orgStaunchly anti-Communist; advocates democratic socialism; seeks“a non-racist, classless, feminist, socialist society.”

Major Political Parties

Communist Party USA (Founded 1919)235 West 23rd St., New York, NY 10011 http://www.cpusa.orgPromotes Communist ideology; seeks complete restructuring ofAmerican political and economic institutions.

Interpreting Tables Which of the minor parties shown in the table has the most specific platform?

Key Terms and Main Ideas1. Briefly explain four reasons why the United States has a

two-party system.2. How do the terms pluralistic and consensus both apply to

American society?3. (a) What is a multiparty system? (b) Why do some people

favor it for the United States?4. Many factors tend to influence party choice. Name four.

Critical Thinking5. Synthesizing Information What does the fact that the

major parties cooperate to discourage minor parties and yetcompete vigorously against each other during elections tellyou about party politics in the United States?

6. Recognizing Ideologies You are campaigning for one ofthe two major parties. Create a short political advertisementto appeal to large numbers of voters and to distinguish yourparty from the other major party.

Several other factors also affect both partychoice and voting behavior, including age, place ofresidence, level of education, and work environ-ment. Some of those factors may conflict with oneanother in the case of a particular individual—andthey often do. Therefore, predicting how a personor group will vote in any given election is a riskybusiness, which keeps the pollsters and the ana-lysts busy until the votes are counted.

PHSchool.com

For: An activity on politicalpolling

Web Code: mqd-2052

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2052

PHSchool.com

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2052

Typing in the Web Code whenprompted will bring students directly to detailedinstructions for this activity.

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_02 1/10/06 3:27 PM Page 124

124

Page 12: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Open Debates

IssuesFace the

IssuesBackground The Commission on PresidentialDebates, an independent, nonpartisan group, sets strictrules to determine who may take part in the debates. Onlycandidates who score an average of at least 15 percent support in five national polls are invited. Candidates also musthave qualified to appear on ballots in States that, taken togeth-er, add up to the 270 electoral votes necessary to win the pres-idency. In 2004, several minor party candidates, led by RalphNader, sued unsuccessfully to demand new rules.

Let Minor Party Candidates Debate

The Commission on Presidential Debates is staffedand run by Republicans and Democrats. Not surpris-ingly, since the commission was created in 1987,only one non-major party candidate, has qualified—Ross Perot in 1992.

Minor parties have promoted ideas that have radi-cally changed American life. Women’s right to vote,Social Security, child labor laws, and the 40-hourwork week were all championed by minor partiesbefore becoming law. The debates provide a forumfor introducing new ideas.

The 1992 presidential campaign offers an impor-tant example. The three-way debates featuringPresident George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and RossPerot that year electrified voters and attracted almost70 million viewers, well above the average. Perotforced the candidates to discuss the budget deficitand the costs of free trade. He won nearly 20 percentof the vote in November. But could he have gotten hismessage out without a debate seat? Our democracyis poorer when new voices cannot be heard.

The two-party system has been an enduring feature ofAmerican politics since the 1860s. Democrats andRepublicans have maintained a stable governmentand presided over orderly transfers of power. The twoparties offer constructive ways to improve America. Byworking within a party, an activist can introduce newideas and programs and hope to get things done.

Only the two major parties have the popular support,the track record, and the alliances to get their mes-sage out, election after election. The major partieshave a valuable brand that motivates voters.

Minor party candidates may have great ideas andhigh energy, but they often fail to get many votes onelection day. Unlike major party nominees, failedminor party candidates usually leave no significantparty or movement to continue to promote their ideas.

Debates offer voters a chance to learn about thecandidates who might become the next President.Devoting scarce minutes of debate time to candidateswho have no hope of winning only distracts voters anddefeats the purpose of the debate.

Serious Contenders Only

Ross Perot (center)

Exploring the Issues1. Did Ralph Nader have a right to participate in the 2004debates? Why or why not?2. Should Congress set the qualifications for participation in thePresidential debates? Why or why not?

For more information onminor parties, view

“Open Debates.”

Face the

Video CollectionIssues

Open DebatesFocus Have students list reasonswhy debates before presidential elec-tions are important. Discuss the var-ious formats for these debates (townhall, focusing on domestic issues orforeign policy, etc…).Instruct Ask students to summarizethe points for and against allowingminor-party candidates to participatein presidential debates. Have thempredict what impact allowing minor-party candidates to debate could haveon our two-party political system.Close/Reteach Point out to studentsthat, under the current rules forpresidential debates, Ross Perotwould not have been able to partici-pate in the 1992 debate. Ask stu-dents why they think theCommission on Presidential Debateschanged the rules since 1992.

Answers to . . .Exploring the Issues1. Answers will vary, but should besupported with valid reasoning.Possible answer: Ralph Nader didnot have a right to participate inthe 2004 debates because he hadno chance of winning the election.2. Possible answer: Congressshould not set qualifications forpresidential debates because theresults may be partisan. Federalworkers could easily be accused ofmaking rules that favor one politi-cal party.

125

Face the

IssuesIssues

The Face the Issues VideoCollection illustrates currentdebates in American govern-ment through interviews andcase studies drawn from

today’s news. Use the Chapter 5 segment to explore thechallenges faced by minor-party candidates forPresident working to get on State ballots and to joindebates.

Face the

Video CollectionIssues

MAG05_NA_TE_FTI_p125 1/9/06 4:33 PM Page 125

125

Page 13: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Objectives You may wish to callstudents’ attention to the objectivesin the Section Preview. The objectivesare reflected in the main headings ofthe section.Bellringer Ask students to name ateam that has dominated its sportfor a long period of time. Explainthat in this section, they will learnabout political parties that havedominated national politics for longperiods of American history.Vocabulary Builder Point out theterms in the Political Dictionary. Askstudents which two terms suggestthings that might have helped breakup a dominant political party. Tellthem that they will learn more aboutthe destructive power of factions andsectionalism as they read the section.

The Two-PartySystem in AmericanHistory

3

Lesson Plan

1. Focus Tell students that through-out much of American history, one ofthe two major parties has dominatednational politics. Ask students to nameas many of these political parties asthey can and list them on the boardin order by when they were founded.2. Instruct Ask students to namethe four major eras in the history ofthe American party system. Discusswhich parties dominated the firstthree eras, how they came to power,why they lost power, and who ledeach party. Then have studentsexplain why the fourth era has beenmarked by divided government.3. Close/Reteach Remind studentsthat no political party has dominatedboth Congress and the presidency inrecent years. Have students draw atime line to show the dominant politi-cal party and other political partiesthroughout American history.

126

Customize forMore Advanced StudentsHave students conduct research to investigate thechanging role of the Speaker of the House. (Youmay wish to assign each student a specific speaker.)Ask students to summarize their research in briefreports and then lead a discussion on the changingrole.

Consider these suggestions to manage extendedclass time:! Write the following pairs of headings on theboard: Republicans in the 1990s, Democrats in the1990s, Federalists in the 1790s, Anti-Federalistsin the 1790s. Have students compare and con-trast the groups by providing details undereach heading, using information from the text-book (have them review Chapters 2 and 3 inpreparation).

! Present students with the following two quotes:“I don’t belong to an organized political party—I’m a Democrat” (Will Rogers); “There’s not adime’s worth of difference about the two parties”(George Wallace). Ask students to infer how thesetwo people felt about the two major parties. Thenhave them write a letter to either George Wallaceor Will Rogers, supporting or refuting their quote.

Block Scheduling Strategies

The Two-Party System in American History

Objectives

1. Understand the origins of political parties inthe United States.

2. Identify and describe the three major periodsof single-party domination and describe thecurrent era of divided government.

Why It Matters

The origins and history of politicalparties in the United States helpexplain how the two major partieswork today and how they affectAmerican government.

PoliticalDictionary! incumbent! faction! electorate! sectionalism

HH enry Ford, the great auto maker, once said thatall history is “bunk.” Ford knew a great deal

about automobiles and mass production, but he didnot know much about history or its importance.

Listen, instead, to Shakespeare: “The past is pro-logue.” Today is the product of yesterday. You arewhat you are today because of your history.Therefore, the more you know about your past, thebetter prepared you are for today, and for tomorrow.

Much the same can be said about the two-party system in American politics. The moreyou know about its past, the better you willunderstand its workings today.

The Nation’s First PartiesThe beginnings of the American two-party systemcan be traced to the battle over the ratificationof the Constitution. The conflicts of the time,centering on the proper form and role of gov-ernment in the United States, were not stilled bythe adoption of the Constitution. Rather, those

5As you recall, George Washington was opposed to political parties. As President, he named arch foes Hamilton and Jeffersonto his new Cabinet to get them to work together—in an unsuccessfulattempt to avoid the creation of formally organized and opposinggroups.

conflicts were carried over into the early years ofthe Republic. They led directly to the formationof the nation’s first full-blown political parties.

The Federalist Party was the first to appear. Itformed around Alexander Hamilton, whoserved as secretary of the treasury in the newgovernment organized by George Washington.The Federalists were, by and large, the party of“the rich and the well-born.” Most of them hadsupported the Constitution.

Led by Hamilton, the Federalists worked tocreate a stronger national government. Theyfavored vigorous executive leadership and a setof policies designed to correct the nation’s eco-nomic ills. The Federalists’ program appealed tofinancial, manufacturing, and commercial inter-ests. To reach their goals, they urged a liberalinterpretation of the Constitution.

Thomas Jefferson, the nation’s first secre-tary of state, led the opposition to theFederalists.5 Jefferson and his followers weremore sympathetic to the “common man” thanwere the Federalists. They favored a very limit-ed role for the new government created by theConstitution. In their view, Congress shoulddominate that new government, and its policiesshould help the nation’s small shopkeepers,laborers, farmers, and planters. The Jeffersoniansinsisted on a strict construction of the provisionsof the Constitution.

! This ticket provided admission to the convention that nominated President Roosevelt for a second term.

Teaching the Main Ideas L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_03 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 126

126

Page 14: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Reading StrategyPredictingTell students that historically, a singleparty has tended to dominate nationalpolitics for many years at a time,before a major historical event bringsits domination to an abrupt end. Havestudents predict two major eventsthat ended single-party dominationand suggest why the events had thiseffect. Students should verify theirpredictions as they read the section.

Point-of-Use Resources

Guided Reading and Review Unit 2booklet, p. 6 provides students withpractice identifying the main ideasand key terms of this section.

Lesson Planner For completelesson planning suggestions, see theLesson Planner booklet, section 3.

Political Cartoons See p. 20 of the Political Cartoons booklet for acartoon relevant to this section.

Close Up on Primary SourcesJefferson’s First Inaugural Address(1801), p. 34

Section Support TransparenciesTransparency 23, Visual Learning;Transparency 122, Political Cartoon

127

Chapter 5 • Section 3

Answer to . . .Interpreting Political Cartoons Answerswill vary; students should be ableto explain why they chose certaincharacteristics.

Have students read the passages under The Era of the Democrats,1800–1860 and then answer the question below.From the passages, what can you infer was the main reason that Democratshad lost power by the end of this era?A The Whigs could not be defeated.B Because of so many factions, the Democratic Party had become frag-

mented.C The Civil War caused disunity.D President Jackson was not reelected.

Preparing for Standardized Tests

Jefferson resigned from Washington’sCabinet in 1793 to concentrate on organizinghis party. Originally, the new party took thename Anti-Federalist. Later it became known asthe Jeffersonian Republicans or the Democratic-Republicans. Finally, by 1828, it became theDemocratic Party.

These two parties first clashed in the electionof 1796. John Adams, the Federalists’ candidateto succeed Washington as President, defeatedJefferson by just three votes in the electoral col-lege. Over the next four years, Jefferson andJames Madison worked tirelessly to build theDemocratic-Republican Party. Their effortspaid off in the election of 1800. Jeffersondefeated the incumbent, or current officeholder,President Adams; Jefferson’s party also woncontrol of Congress. The Federalists neverreturned to power.

American Parties: Four Major Eras The history of the American party system since1800 can be divided into four major periods.Through the first three of these periods, one orthe other of the two major parties was dominant, regularly holding the presidency andusually both houses of Congress. The nation isnow in a fourth period, much of it marked bydivided government.

In the first of these periods, from 1800 to1860, the Democrats won 13 of 15 presidentialelections. They lost the office only in the electionsof 1840 and 1848. In the second era, from 1860to 1932, the Republicans won 14 of 18 elections,losing only in 1884, 1892, 1912, and 1916.

The third period, from 1932 to 1968, beganwith the Democrats’ return to power andFranklin Roosevelt’s first election to the presi-dency. The Democrats won seven of the ninepresidential elections, losing only in 1952 and1956. Through the fourth and current period,which began in 1968, the Republicans havewon seven of ten presidential elections, andthey hold the White House today. But theDemocrats have controlled both houses ofCongress over much of this most recent period—although they do not do so today.

The Era of the Democrats, 1800–1860Thomas Jefferson’s election in 1800 marked thebeginning of a period of Democratic dominationthat was to last until the Civil War. As the timeline on pages 128–129 shows, the Federalists,soundly defeated in 1800, had disappearedaltogether by 1816.

For a time, through the Era of Good Feeling,the Democratic-Republicans were unopposed innational politics. However, by the mid-1820s,they had split into factions, or conflicting groups.

Interpreting Political Cartoons Political cartoonist Thomas Nast iscredited with popularizing the party symbols in his 1874 cartoons forHarper’s Weekly. At left, the Republican elephant trumpets DemocraticParty defeats. At right, the Democratic donkey kicks Lincoln’s Secretaryof War. What characteristics of the elephant and the donkey do youthink Nast wanted to associate with each party?

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_03 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 127

127

Page 15: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Separate the class into four groups.Assign each group one of the follow-ing time periods: 1800–1860,1860–1932, 1932–1968, and1968–present. Using historicalresources, newspapers, magazines,and any necessary art supplies, havegroups create a collage depicting thesignificant historical events and majorcontributions of the dominant partyduring this era. Encourage groups toinclude the names and years served ofPresidents in the dominant politicalparty. Ask for group volunteers topresent their collage to the class.

Point-of-Use Resources

Close Up on the Supreme CourtDred Scott v. Sandford (1857), pp. 32–33

Give students a date from 1800 to2004. Have them look at the timeline and locate that date on the timeline. Then ask: Which party was inthe White House that year?Continue this until students have anunderstanding of the contents of thetimeline.SN

128

Chapter 5 • Section 3

Answer to . . .Interpreting Time Lines TheRepublican Party.

them war heroes: William Henry Harrison in1840 and Zachary Taylor in 1848.

By the 1850s, the growing crisis over slaverysplit both major parties. Left leaderless by thedeaths of Clay and Webster, the Whigs fell apart.Meanwhile, the Democrats split into two sharplydivided camps, North and South. During thisdecade, the nation drifted toward civil war.

Of the several groupings that arose to com-pete for supporters among the former Whigsand the fragmented Democrats, the RepublicanParty was the most successful. Founded in 1854,it drew many Whigs and antislavery Democrats.The Republicans nominated their first presiden-tial candidate, John C. Frémont, in 1856; they elected their first President, AbrahamLincoln, in 1860.

With Lincoln’s election, the Republican Partybecame the only party in the history ofAmerican politics to make the jump from third-party to major-party status. As you will see, evengreater things were in store for the Republicans.

The Era of the Republicans, 1860–1932The Civil War signaled the beginning of the second era of one-party domination. For nearly75 years, the Republicans dominated the nationalscene. They were supported by business andfinancial interests, and by farmers, laborers,and newly freed African Americans.

By the time of Andrew Jackson’s administration(1829–1837), a potent National Republican(Whig) Party had arisen to challenge theDemocrats. The major issues of the day—conflicts over public lands, the Second Bank ofthe United States, high tariffs, and slavery—allhad made new party alignments inevitable.

The Democrats, led by Jackson, were a coali-tion of small farmers, debtors, frontier pioneers,and slaveholders. They drew much of their sup-port from the South and West. The years ofJacksonian democracy produced three funda-mental changes in the nation’s political land-scape: (1) voting rights for all white males, (2) ahuge increase in the number of elected officesaround the country, and (3) the spread of thespoils system—the practice of awarding publicoffices, contracts, and other governmental favorsto those who supported the party in power.

The Whig Party was led by the widely popu-lar Henry Clay and the great orator, DanielWebster. The party consisted of a loose coalitionof eastern bankers, merchants and industrialists,and many owners of large southern plantations.The Whigs were opposed to the tenets ofJacksonian democracy and strongly supported ahigh tariff. However, the Whigs’ victories werefew. Although they were the other major partyfrom the mid-1830s to the 1850s, the Whigswere able to elect only two Presidents, both of

ELECTION YEAR

PARTY WINNINGTHE PRESIDENCY

1828 The Democratic-Republican Party is by now generally known as the Democratic Party.

1854 The Republican Party is formedin 1854, attracting many former Whigsand antislavery Democrats. They electtheir first President in 1860.

1800 Thomas Jefferson is electedPresident in 1800, ushering in an eraof Democratic domination lasting untilthe Civil War.

1860 The 1860 election of AbrahamLincoln and the start of the Civil Warmark the beginning of 75 years ofRepublican Party control.

1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888

Era of Democrats 1800–1860 Era of Republicans 1860–1932

Four Eras of Political Parties

Interpreting Time Lines This time line shows the parties that have won each presiden-tial election. Since 1860, which party has controlled the presidency for the longestperiod of time?

L3

L1

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_03 1/13/06 7:46 AM Page 128

128

Page 16: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Share the following quotation withstudents:

“Conservative, n. A statesmanwho is enamored of existingevils, as distinguished from theLiberal, who wishes to replacethem with others.”

—Ambrose Bierce, The Devil’s Dictionary

Discussion Have students explainwhat Bierce meant by his definition.Ask: How might this definition applyto the two major political parties?

Point-of-Use Resources

The Enduring ConstitutionSeparation of Powers, p. 5

Basic Principles of the ConstitutionTransparencies Transparencies 23-29,Separation of Powers

129

Chapter 5 • Section 3

Background NoteCommon MisconceptionsAmerican political parties are an excel-lent example of what Abraham Lincoln(himself a good Republican) famouslycalled “government of the people, bythe people, for the people” in his 1863Gettysburg Address. Interestingly, aclergyman and social reformer namedTheodore Parker wrote of “governmentof all the people, by all the people, forall the people” 13 years earlier, in 1850.He used a similar phrase in a sermonin the Boston Music Hall in 1858.Lincoln’s law partner, William Herndon,gave Lincoln a copy of the sermon.Herndon later wrote that Lincoln under-lined this phrase in Hall’s sermon:“Democracy is direct self-government,over all the people, by all the people, forall the people.” Thus, historians havecome to agree that Lincoln’s famousphrase was in fact borrowed—althoughmost Americans are unaware of it.

Separation of PowersThe issue of separation of powers took on a newurgency for the nation in 1937. The SupremeCourt was in an era of conservative judicialactivism, and had struck down many social laws,particularly those protecting workers’ rights. In anattempt to balance the Court, FDR attempted toincrease the number of sitting justices, in whatbecame known as the “Court-packing scheme.”Though his plan gained some support, it was

quickly defeated by a large number of Americanswho were horrified by what they saw as an over-reach of power by the executive branch.

Activity Have students role-play FDR and his advisorswho support the Court-packing scheme, andAmericans who oppose it, including reporters,citizens, and Republicans. Encourage them tosupply reasons and examples for their views.

Constitutional Principles

The Democrats, crippled by the war, wereable to survive mainly through their hold onthe “Solid South,” after the era of Recon-struction came to a close in the mid-1870s. Forthe balance of the century, they slowly rebuilttheir electoral base. In all that time, they wereable to place only one candidate in the WhiteHouse: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and again in1892. Those elections marked only shortbreaks in Republican supremacy. Riding thecrest of popular acceptance and unprecedentedprosperity, the GOP remained the dominantparty well into the twentieth century.

The election of 1896 was especially critical inthe development of the two-party system. It cli-maxed years of protest by small business own-ers, farmers, and the emerging labor unionsagainst big business, financial monopolies, andthe railroads. The Republican Party nominatedWilliam McKinley and supported the gold stan-dard. The Democratic candidate was WilliamJennings Bryan, a supporter of free silver, whowas also endorsed by the Populist Party.

With McKinley’s victory in 1896, theRepublicans regained the presidency. In doingso, they drew a response from a broader rangeof the electorate—the people eligible to vote.This new strength allowed the Republicans tomaintain their role as the dominant party innational politics for another three decades.

The Democratic Party lost the election of 1896,but it won on another score. Bryan, its young,dynamic presidential nominee, campaigned

throughout the country as the champion of the“little man.” He helped to push the nation’sparty politics back toward the economic arena,and away from the divisions of sectionalismthat had plagued the nation for so many years.Sectionalism emphasizes a devotion to theinterests of a particular region.

The Republicans suffered their worst setbackof the era in 1912, when they renominated incum-bent President William Howard Taft. FormerPresident Theodore Roosevelt, denied the nomi-nation of his party, left the Republicans to becomethe candidate of his “Bull Moose” ProgressiveParty. Traditional Republican support was dividedbetween Taft and Roosevelt. As a result, theDemocratic nominee, Woodrow Wilson, was ableto capture the presidency. Four years later, Wilsonwas reelected by a narrow margin.

Again, however, the Democratic successes of1912 and 1916 proved only a brief interlude. TheGOP reasserted its control of the nation’s politicsby winning each of the next three presidentialelections: Warren Harding won in 1920, CalvinCoolidge in 1924, and Herbert Hoover in 1928.

The Return of the Democrats,1932–1968The Great Depression, which began in 1929, hada massive impact on nearly all aspects of Americanlife. Its effect on the American political landscapewas considerable indeed. The landmark electionof 1932 brought Franklin Roosevelt to the presi-dency and the Democrats back to power at the

Democratic-Republicans

Democrats NationalRepublicans(Whigs)

Republicans

1968 Since 1968, neither Republicansnor Democrats consistently hold the presidency,and Congress has often been controlledby the opposing party.

1932 The Depression brings about a shift in the perception of the role ofgovernment in society and a return ofthe Democrats to power.

KEY

1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004

Era of Democrats 1932–1968 Era of DividedGovernment 1968–

L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_03 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 129

129

Page 17: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

130

Chapter 5 • Section 3

Background NoteRecent ScholarshipCriticisms of the two major parties andtheir campaigning techniques run highduring an election year. Negativeadvertising, in particular, repulsesmany voters—some to the point wherethey refuse to vote. According to politi-cal marketer Bill Hillsman, this result isconsidered acceptable and even desir-able to some Washington politicalstrategists. In his scathing critique ofthe tactics employed by the Democraticand Republican parties, Run the OtherWay: Fixing the Two-Party System, OneCampaign at a Time, Hillsman exposesthe shallow, greedy world of politicalcampaigning. Known for his con-tentious political advertisements,Hillsman ran the winning campaigns ofSenator Paul Wellstone and GovernorJesse Ventura, and the third-party bidof Ralph Nader for the White House. Inhis book, Hillsman takes a controver-sial stand against “inside the beltway”politics, but he also empowers theAmerican people to take back controlof the political process.

Answer to . . .Critical Thinking It shows a boomingeconomy and successful foreignpolicy under the Republican admin-istration, in contrast to formerDemocratic administrations.

Massachusetts recaptured the White House forthe Democrats in 1960. He did so with a razor-thin win over the Republican standard bearer,then Vice President Richard M. Nixon. LyndonB. Johnson succeeded to the presidency whenKennedy was assassinated in late 1963. Johnsonwon a full presidential term in 1964, by over-whelming his Republican opponent, SenatorBarry Goldwater of Arizona.

The Start of a New EraRichard Nixon made a successful return topresidential politics in 1968. In that year’s election,he defeated Vice President Hubert Humphrey.Humphrey was the candidate of a DemocraticParty torn apart by conflicts over the war inVietnam, civil rights, and a variety of socialwelfare issues. Nixon also faced a strong third-party effort by the American Independent Partynominee, Governor George Wallace of Alabama.The Republicans won with only a bare pluralityover Humphrey and Wallace.

In 1972, President Nixon retained the WhiteHouse when he routed the choice of the still-divided Democrats, Senator George McGovern ofSouth Dakota. However, Nixon’s role in theWatergate scandal forced him from office in 1974.

Vice President Gerald Ford then becamePresident and filled out the balance of Nixon’ssecond term. Beset by problems in the economy,by the continuing effects of Watergate, and byhis pardon of former President Nixon, Ford lostthe presidency in 1976. The former governor ofGeorgia, Jimmy Carter, and the resurgentDemocrats gained the White House that year.

A steadily worsening economy, politicalfallout from the Iranian hostage crisis, and hisown inability to establish himself as an effec-tive President spelled defeat for Jimmy Carterin 1980. Led by Ronald Reagan, the formergovernor of California, the Republicansscored an impressive victory that year. Reaganwon a second term by a landslide in 1984,overwhelming a Democratic ticket headed byformer Vice President Walter Mondale.

The GOP kept the White House with a thirdstraight win in 1988. Their candidate, GeorgeH.W. Bush, had served as Vice President throughthe Reagan years. He led a successful campaignagainst the Democrats and their nominee,Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts.

national level. Also, and of fundamental impor-tance, that election marked a basic shift in thepublic’s attitude toward the proper role of govern-ment in the nation’s social and economic life.

Franklin Roosevelt and the Democrats engi-neered their victory in 1932 with a new electoralbase. It was built largely of southerners, smallfarmers, organized labor, and big-city politicalorganizations. Roosevelt’s revolutionary economicand social welfare programs, which formed theheart of the New Deal of the 1930s, furtherstrengthened that coalition. It also broughtincreasing support from African Americans andother minorities to the Democrats.

President Roosevelt won reelection in 1936.He secured an unprecedented third term in 1940and yet another term in 1944, each time byheavy majorities. Roosevelt’s Vice President,Harry S Truman, completed the fourth term fol-lowing FDR’s death in 1945. Truman was electedto a full term of his own in 1948, when heturned back the GOP challenge led by GovernorThomas E. Dewey of New York.

The Republicans did manage to regain theWhite House in 1952, and they kept it in 1956.World War II hero Dwight Eisenhower led theRepublicans to victory in these elections. Bothtimes, Eisenhower defeated the Democraticnominee, Governor Adlai Stevenson of Illinois.

The Republicans’ return to power was short-lived, however. Senator John F. Kennedy of

! This 1900 campaign poster uses powerful imagery to win Republicanvotes. Critical Thinking How does the poster contrast Republicanachievements since 1896 with earlier conditions when the Democratswere in power?

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_03 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 130

130

Page 18: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Point-of-Use Resources

Guide to the Essentials Chapter 5,Section 3, p. 34 provides sup-

port for students who need additionalreview of section content. Spanishsupport is available in the Spanishedition of the Guide on p. 27.

Quiz Unit 2 booklet, p. 7includes matching and multiple-choice questions to check students’understanding of Section 3 content.

Presentation Pro CD-ROM Quizzesand multiple-choice questions

check students’ understanding ofSection 3 content.

Answers to . . .

Section 3 Assessment1. The American two-party systembegan to emerge during the battleover the ratification of theConstitution.2. If the people within the sameparty are divided, they are unlikelyto present a united front as a party.3. A move away from sectionalismby Democrats in the election of 1896helped the nation return to economicissues.4. The period of 1932–1952 wasdominated by the Democratic Party,with FDR being elected for four termsand then his Vice President, Truman,elected for another two.5. Answers will vary; students mightsuggest that Thomas Jefferson’s Anti-Federalists evolved into today’sDemocratic Party, which has main-tained its support of the “commonman.” Alexander Hamilton would besympathetic to many goals of today’sRepublicans, particularly with regardto economic matters. 6. Possible answer: No; TheRepublicans’ recent capture of boththe White House and Congress isnot significant in terms of the over-all trend of divided government. Theoutcome of the next several electionswill be more telling.

131

Chapter 5 • Section 3

Key Terms and Main Ideas1. When did the American two-party system begin to emerge?2. Why would the development of factions within a political

party hurt that party’s chances for success?3. Explain how sectionalism played an important role in party

politics during at least one period of American history.4. Describe one period of single-party domination.

Critical Thinking5. Drawing Conclusions To which of the major parties of

today do you think Thomas Jefferson would belong?Alexander Hamilton? Explain your reasoning.

6. Predicting Consequences Do you think that the GOP’sdecisive victories in 2004 signal the end of the fourth era inthe history of the two-party system? Why or why not?

candidates into office with him. But the victo-ries of several recent Presidents—most recently,George W. Bush in 2000—have not carried thatkind of coattail effect.

The Republicans lost seats in the House andSenate in 2000. They did manage to keep anarrow hold on both chambers, however—by anine-seat margin in the House and by virtue ofa 50-50 split in the Senate. But the Democratsreclaimed the upper house in mid-2001, whenSenator James Jeffords of Vermont bolted theRepublican Party and became an independent.

Sparked by the prodigious campaign effortsof President Bush, the Republicans won backthe Senate and padded their slim majority inthe House in the off-year congressional elec-tions of 2002. The GOP had not picked upseats in both houses of Congress in a midtermelection with a Republican in the White Housein 100 years—not since Theodore Roosevelt’sfirst term, in 1902.

The Republicans continued their winningways in 2004. Mr. Bush defeated hisDemocratic opponent, Senator John F. Kerry ofMassachusetts, in a bruising campaign—and,this time, he won a clear majority of the popu-lar vote. The President also led his party to sub-stantial gains in both the House and Senate.Has the era of divided government that began in1968 now come to an end? Only time will tell.

6The Democrats held almost uninterrupted control of Congressfrom 1933 to 1995. Over those years, the Republicans controlled bothhouses of Congress for only two two-year periods—first, after thecongressional elections of 1946 and then after those of 1952. TheGOP did win control of the Senate (but not the House) in 1980; theDemocrats recaptured the upper chamber in 1986.

The Reagan and Bush victories of the 1980striggered wide-ranging efforts to alter many ofthe nation’s foreign and domestic policies.President George H.W. Bush lost his bid foranother term in 1992, however. Democrat BillClinton, then the governor of Arkansas, defeat-ed him and also turned back an independentchallenge by Texas billionaire Ross Perot. Mr.Clinton won a second term in 1996—defeatingthe Republican candidate, long-time senatorfrom Kansas, Bob Dole, and, at the same time,thwarting a third-party effort by Mr. Perot.

The GOP regained the White House in thevery close presidential contest of 2000. Theircandidate, George W. Bush, was then the governor of Texas, and is the son of the formerRepublican President. Mr. Bush failed to winthe popular vote contest in 2000, but he didcapture a bare majority of the electoral votesand so the White House. His Democratic oppo-nent, Vice President Al Gore, became the firstpresidential nominee since 1888 to win thepopular vote and yet fail to win the presidency;see pages 379–381.

The years since Richard Nixon’s election in1968 have been marked by divided govern-ment. Through much of the period,Republicans have occupied the White Housewhile the Democrats have usually controlledCongress.6 That situation was reversed in themidst of President Clinton’s first term, howev-er. The GOP took control of both houses ofCongress in 1994, and they kept their hold onCapitol Hill on through the elections of 2000.

Historically, a newly elected President hasalmost always swept many of his party’s

PHSchool.com

For: An activity on comparingpolitical parties

Web Code: mqd-2053

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2053

PHSchool.com

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2053

Typing in the Web Code whenprompted will bring students directly to detailedinstructions for this activity.

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_03 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 131

131

Page 19: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Objectives You may wish to callstudents’ attention to the objectivesin the Section Preview. The objectivesare reflected in the main headings ofthe section.Bellringer Ask students to explain whyminor league teams are important tobaseball. Explain that in this section,they will learn about minor politicalparties and why they are importantto the American political system.Vocabulary Builder Point out thefour kinds of minor political partieslisted in the Political Dictionary. Havestudents, using the descriptive wordsas clues, try to explain the origin ofor give an example of a typical partyin each of the four categories.

The Minor Parties4

Lesson Plan

1. Focus Tell students that manyminor parties have played a vital rolein American politics. Ask students todiscuss what they know about whyminor parties are important to thepolitical system.2. Instruct Ask students to explainwhy the Communist Party is consideredan ideological party. Have studentsdescribe the other three kinds ofminor parties and offer examples ofparties in each category. Then lead a discussion of how minor partiesinfluence government.3. Close/Reteach Remind studentsthat minor parties arise for differentreasons. Have them choose one of theminor parties named in the sectionand create a billboard advertisementtouting the party’s candidate forPresident.

132

Customize forMore Advanced StudentsHave students conduct research to investigate thechanging role of the Speaker of the House. (Youmay wish to assign each student a specific speaker.)Ask students to summarize their research in briefreports and then lead a discussion on the changingrole.

Consider these suggestions to manage extendedclass time:! Review the four kinds of minor parties. Dividethe class into four groups, assigning each one of the types of minor parties. Have them createparty platforms for a new party that show theparty’s name, belief, issue, or economic concern;or for the splinter party, the issues over whichthe party has split. (Refer students to platformson the Internet.) www.phschool.com

! Remind students that, given the entrenchedtwo-party system, it is unlikely that a minorparty would ever win a major election. Havestudents debate the necessity of minor partiesgiven that fact. Begin by eliciting any names ofminor parties that students can recall. Ask themwhich issues these parties have publicized. Thenask them to consider whether these issues wouldbe as well-known to the public were there onlythe two major parties.

Block Scheduling Strategies

The Minor Parties

Objectives

1. Identify the types of minor parties thathave been active in American politics.

2. Understand why minor parties areimportant despite the fact that nonehas ever won the presidency.

Why It Matters

Many minor parties have playedimportant roles in American politics.They have provided alternatives tothe positions of the major parties,and sometimes have affected partic-ular elections and shaped publicpolicies.

PoliticalDictionary! ideological parties! single-issue parties! economic protest parties! splinter parties

a single State, and some to one region of thecountry. Still others have tried to woo the entirenation. Most have been short-lived, but a fewhave existed for decades. And, while most havelived mothlike around the flame of a single idea,some have had a broader, more practical base.

Still, four distinct types of minor parties canbe identified:

1. The ideological parties are those based on aparticular set of beliefs—a comprehensive viewof social, economic, and political matters. Mostof these minor parties have been built on someshade of Marxist thought; examples include theSocialist, Socialist Labor, Socialist Worker, andCommunist parties.

A few ideological parties have had a quite dif-ferent approach, however—especially theLibertarian Party of today, which emphasizesindividualism and calls for doing away with mostof government’s present functions and programs.The ideological parties have seldom been able towin many votes. As a rule, however, they havebeen long-lived.

2. The single-issue parties focus on only onepublic-policy matter. Their names have usuallyindicated their primary concern. For example,the Free Soil Party opposed the spread of slaveryin the 1840s and 1850s; the American Party,also called the “Know Nothings,” opposedIrish-Catholic immigration in the 1850s; and theRight to Life Party opposes abortion today.

Most of the single-issue parties have fadedinto history. They died away as events have

LL ibertarian, Reform, Socialist, Prohibition,Natural Law, Communist, American

Independent, Green, Constitution—these areonly some of the many parties that fielded presi-dential candidates in 2004. You know that noneof these parties or their candidates had any realchance of winning the presidency. But this is notto say that minor parties are unimportant. Thebright light created by the two major parties toooften blinds us to the vital role several minor parties have played in American politics.

Minor Parties in the United StatesTheir number and variety make minor partiesdifficult to describe and classify. Some have lim-ited their efforts to a particular locale, others to

! Earl Dodge has been the nominee of the Prohibition Party in every presidential election since 1984.

Teaching the Main Ideas L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_04 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 132

132

Page 20: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Reading StrategyFinding EvidenceTell students that minor political par-ties are important to the Americanpolitical system. Have them find evi-dence that supports this statement,and also have them find evidencethat contradicts this statement.

Point-of-Use Resources

Guided Reading and Review Unit 2booklet, p. 8 provides students withpractice identifying the main ideasand key terms of this section.

Lesson Planner For completelesson planning suggestions, see theLesson Planner booklet, section 4.

Political Cartoons See p. 21 ofthe Political Cartoons booklet for acartoon relevant to this section.

ABC News Civics andGovernment Videotape Library

Third-Party Candidates (time: about3 minutes)

Section Support TransparenciesTransparency 24, Visual Learning;Transparency 123, Political Cartoon

Chapter 5 • Section 4

133

To make sure students understand the mainpoints of this section, you may wish to use theVenn diagram to the right.

Tell students that a Venn diagram is useful forcomparing two groups by showing characteristicsthat they have alone and those they share. Havestudents use a Venn diagram to compare majorand minor parties. Characteristics that bothparties share should appear in the space wherethe circles overlap.

Teaching Tip A template for this graphic organizercan be found in the Section SupportTransparencies, Transparency 6.

Organizing Information

Answer to . . .Interpreting Charts (a) Splinter parties.(b) Single-issue parties or ideologicalparties.

passed them by, as their themes have failed toattract voters, or as one or both of the majorparties have taken their key issues as their own.

3. The economic protest parties have beenrooted in periods of economic discontent. Unlikethe socialist parties, these groups have not hadany clear-cut ideological base. Rather, they haveproclaimed their disgust with the major partiesand demanded better times, and have focusedtheir anger on such real or imagined enemies asthe monetary system, “Wall Street bankers,”the railroads, or foreign imports.

Most often, they have been sectional parties,drawing their strength from the agriculturalSouth and West. The Greenback Party, forexample, tried to take advantage of agrariandiscontent from 1876 through 1884. It appealedto struggling farmers by calling for the freecoinage of silver, federal regulation of the rail-roads, an income tax, and labor legislation. Adescendant of the Greenbacks, the PopulistParty of the 1890s also demanded public own-ership of railroads, telephone and telegraph

companies, lower tariffs, and the adoption ofthe initiative and referendum.

Each of these economic protest parties has dis-appeared as the nation has climbed out of the dif-ficult economic period in which that party arose.

4. Splinter parties are those that have splitaway from one of the major parties. Most of themore important minor parties in our politicshave been splinter parties. Among the leadinggroups that have split away from theRepublicans are Theodore Roosevelt’s “BullMoose” Progressive Party of 1912, and RobertLa Follette’s Progressive Party of 1924. From theDemocrats have come Henry Wallace’sProgressive Party and the States’ Rights(Dixiecrat) Party, both of 1948, and GeorgeWallace’s American Independent Party of 1968.

Most splinter parties have formed around astrong personality—most often someone whohas failed to win his major party’s presidentialnomination. These parties have faded or col-lapsed when that leader has stepped aside. Thus,the Bull Moose Progressive Party passed away

Interpreting Charts (a) According to the chart, which type of minor party is the most closelyrelated to a major party? (b) Which type is likely to be the most cohesive and united?

Four Types of Minor Parties

Splinter PartyEconomic Protest Party

Ideological Party Single Issue Party

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_04 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 133

133

Page 21: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Have students construct an annotatedtime line that illustrates the impactminor parties have had on Americanpolitics throughout history.Encourage them to include examplesof the different types of minor parties(ideological, single-issue, economicprotest, splinter) and also discusssome of the most important issuesthese parties have brought to theforefront. Ask for volunteers to present their time lines to the class.GT

Point-of-Use Resources

Simulations and Data GraphingCD-ROM offers data graphing

tools that give students practice withcreating and interpreting graphs.

Chapter 5 • Section 4

Background NotePolitical TalkIn the 2004 election, a total of 5,795seats were open in State legislaturesacross the nation, according to BallotAccess News. Of that total, minor partycandidates vied for 765 seats. Of those765 minor party candidates, eight won. InVermont, six Progressive party candidateswere elected. One Green party candidatewon in Maine. The final minor party victorsought a seat in the Montana legislature.In this race, the results were closeenough to warrant a recount. Thatrecount showed a tie between Rick Jore,the Constitution party candidate, andJeanne Windham, the Democratic candi-date. In the case of a tie in Montana elec-toral law, the governor chooses the win-ner. Governor Judy Martz choose RickJore, but Windham filed suit in a districtcourt over seven ballots that containedmarks for both Jore and the Republicancandidate, Jack Cross. The courts ruledthe votes were invalid and Windham wasthe victor.

Magruder’s American Government Video Collection

The Magruder’s Video Collection explores keyissues and debates in American government. Eachsegment examines an issue central to chaptercontent through use of historical and contempo-rary footage. Commentary from civic leaders inacademics, government, and the media followeach segment. Critical thinking questions focusstudents’ attention on key issues, and may beused to stimulate discussion.

Use the Chapter 5 video segment to explore thehistorical and contemporary role of minor-partypresidential candidates. (time: about 5 minutes)This segment will examine how minor-party candidates siphon votes from the two majorparties, often causing the winner to gain lessthan the popular majority.

Box HeadSpotlight on TechnologySpotlight on Technology

Answer to . . .Interpreting Graphs (a) The BullMoose Progressives. (b) By splittingthe Republican Party, the BullMoose Party drew voters awayfrom Taft, giving the victory toWilson—who may not have wonotherwise.

134

L4

when Theodore Roosevelt returned to theRepublican fold after the election of 1912.Similarly, the American Independent Partylost nearly all of its brief strength whenGovernor George Wallace rejoined theDemocratic Party after his strong showing inthe 1968 election.

The Green Party, founded in 1996, pointsup the difficulties of classifying minor parties inAmerican politics. The Greens began as a clas-sic single-issue party but, as the party hasevolved, it simply will not fit into any of thecategories set out here. The Green Party cameto prominence in 2000, with Ralph Nader asits presidential nominee. His campaign wasbuilt around a smorgasbord of issues—envi-ronmental protection, of course, but also uni-versal health care, gay and lesbian rights,restraints on corporate power, campaignfinance reform, opposition to global free trade,and much more.

The Greens refused to renominate RalphNader in 2004. They chose, instead, DavidCobb—who built his presidential campaignaround most of the positions the Greens hadsupported in 2000.

Interpreting Graphs This bar graph shows the votes received by the major and the minor parties in1912. (a) Which party “came in second”? (b) Even though the Bull Moose Progressives were aminor party, how did they help determine which major party won the election?

The 1912 Presidential Election

Popular Vote6,296,54741.87%

ElectoralVote435

Woodrow WilsonDemocrat

Popular Vote3,486,72023.19%

Popular Vote900,672

5.9%ElectoralVote

8 ElectoralVote

0

William H. TaftRepublican

Eugene V. DebsSocialist

Popular Vote4,118,57127.39%

The nickname forthe Progressiveswas the BullMoose Party.

ElectoralVote88

Theodore RooseveltProgressive

Popular Vote206,2751.37% Electoral

Vote0

Eugene ChafinProhibition

Why Minor Parties Are ImportantEven though most Americans do not supportthem, minor parties have still had an impact onAmerican politics and on the major parties.For example, it was a minor party, the Anti-Masons, that first used a national convention tonominate a presidential candidate in 1831. TheWhigs and then the Democrats followed suit in1832. Ever since, national conventions havebeen used by both the Democrats and theRepublicans to pick their presidential tickets.

Minor parties can have an impact in anotherway. A strong third-party candidacy can play adecisive role—often a “spoiler role”—in anelection. Even if a minor party does not winany electoral votes, it can pull votes from oneof the major parties, as the Green Party did in2000. This spoiler effect can be felt in national,State, or local contests, especially where the twomajor parties compete on roughly equal terms.

The 1912 election dramatically illustratedthis point. A split in the Republican Party andRoosevelt’s resulting third-party candidacyproduced the results shown below. Almost cer-tainly, had Roosevelt not quit the Republican

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_04 1/13/06 7:48 AM Page 134

134

Page 22: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Point-of-Use Resources

Guide to the Essentials Chapter 5,Section 4, p. 35 provides sup-

port for students who need additionalreview of section content. Spanishsupport is available in the Spanishedition of the Guide on p. 28.

Quiz Unit 2 booklet, p. 9includes matching and multiple-choice questions to check students’understanding of Section 4 content.

Presentation Pro CD-ROM Quizzesand multiple-choice questions

check students’ understanding ofSection 4 content.

Answers to . . .

Section 4 Assessment1. The issue around which such partiesform might fail to attract voters or beaddressed by one of the major parties.2. (a) Economic protest parties formto express economic discontent withthe major parties. (b) They tend toform in times of economic distressbecause if the country were thrivingeconomically, they would have nothingto protest.3. Most have been splinter parties.Effects will vary; some have been todivide support for the major parties.4. Because usually when a minorparty brings an issue to the forefront,it is taken over by the major partiesand claimed for their own.5. Answers will vary, but should drawon examples from the text.6. Some students might suggest thatvoters are glad that someone is finallyaddressing important issues; othersmight say that voters tend to shyaway from controversial issues andwould be more likely to support themajor parties.

Chapter 5 • Section 4

Answer to . . .Interpreting Tables All of these candi-dates played a spoiler role to somedegree. The point can be seen mostclearly in those contests where theminor-party candidate won a signifi-cant portion of the popular vote,such as James Weaver in 1892,Theodore Roosevelt in 1912, RobertLa Follette in 1924, and GeorgeWallace in 1968.

Key Terms and Main Ideas1. Why do single-issue parties tend to be short-lived?2. (a) What are economic protest parties? (b) Why are they

formed in times of economic distress?3. Most of the more important minor parties in our history have

been of which type? Explain the effect of one such party.4. Why is the innovator role a source of frustration to minor

parties?

Critical Thinking5. Expressing Problems Clearly Suppose you are considering

voting for a presidential candidate from a minor party. Explainthe benefits and drawbacks of casting your vote that way.

6. Predicting Consequences Minor parties usually are willingto take definite stands on controversial issues. How mightvoters react to this tendency?

Party, Taft would have enjoyed a bettershowing, and Wilson would not havebecome President.

Historically, however, the minor par-ties have been most important in theirroles of critic and innovator. Unlike themajor parties, the minor parties havebeen ready, willing, and able to takequite clear-cut stands on controversialissues. Minor-party stands have oftendrawn attention to some issue that themajor parties have preferred to ignoreor straddle.

Over the years, many of the moreimportant issues of American politicswere first brought to the public’sattention by a minor party. Examplesinclude the progressive income tax,woman suffrage, railroad and bank-ing regulation, and old-age pensions.

Oddly enough, this very importantinnovator role of the minor parties hasalso been a major source of their frus-tration. When their proposals havegained any real degree of popular sup-port, one and sometimes both of themajor parties have taken over those ideas andthen presented the policies as their own. Thelate Norman Thomas, who was the SocialistParty’s candidate for President six times, com-plained that “the major parties are stealingfrom my platform.”

Seventeen minor party presidential candi-dates, some of them nominated by more than

% Popular ElectoralVote Vote

Year Party Candidate

Significant Minor Parties in Presidential Elections, 1880–2004*

*Includes all minor parties that polled at least 2% of the popular voteSource: Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970; Federal Election Commission

1880 Greenback James B. Weaver 3.36 —1888 Prohibition Clinton B. Fisk 2.19 —1892 Populist James B. Weaver 8.54 22

Prohibition John Bidwell 2.19 —1904 Socialist Eugene V. Debs 2.98 —1908 Socialist Eugene V. Debs 2.82 —1912 Progressive (Bull Moose) Theodore Roosevelt 27.39 88

Socialist Eugene V. Debs 5.99 —1916 Socialist Allan L. Benson 3.17 —1920 Socialist Eugene V. Debs 3.45 —1924 Progressive Robert M. La Follette 16.61 131932 Socialist Norman M. Thomas 2.22 —1948 States’ Rights (Dixiecrat) Strom Thurmond 2.41 39

Progressive Henry A. Wallace 2.37 —1968 American Independent George C. Wallace 13.53 461996 Reform Ross Perot 8.40 —2000 Green Ralph Nader 2.74 —

Interpreting Tables Which of these minor-party presidential candidates playeda spoiler role?

one party, appeared on the ballots of at leastone State in 2004. The most visible minor-party presidential campaigns in 2004 were thoseof the Libertarian, Constitution, and Socialistparties. More than a thousand candidates froma wide variety of minor parties also sought seatsin Congress or ran for various State and localoffices around the country.

PHSchool.com

For: An activity on minor parties

Web Code: mqd-2054

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2054

PHSchool.com

135

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2054

Typing in the Web Code whenprompted will bring students directly to detailedinstructions for this activity.

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_04 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 135

135

Page 23: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

The Republican Campaign

on Primary Sources

As Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Ed Gillespie led the RepublicanParty’s efforts to win the presidency and congressional elections in 2004. Gillespiespoke to party members at the West Virginia State Convention to spell out his party’smessage and drive Republicans to work hard for the election.

This presidential election pre-sents the clearest choices we’veseen in 20 years—since Ronald

Reagan ran for re-election againstWalter Mondale in 1984.

Let’s talk a little about thesechoices that are before us.

The President’s economic growthpolicies are working. Our economyis strong, and getting stronger.

Economic growth over the lastyear has been the fastest in nearly 20years. . . . Employment over the last year was up in44 of the 50 States and the unemployment rate wasdown in all regions and in 47 of the 50 States. . . .

The President’s critics act as if none of thesepositive developments ever occurred. They longago came to the cynical conclusion that what’sworst for the American people is what’s best forthem politically. . . .

While we are seeing positive results, we havemuch more to do. The President, Republicans inCongress, and Republican Governors are commit-ted to making sure that every American who wantsa job can find a job. . . .

John Kerry has a different plan: one that callsfor higher taxes, more regulation, and more litiga-tion [law suits] that would kill jobs and derail ourrecovery. . . . Senator Kerry favors policies from aretired playbook, one that has failed many classwarfare candidates in the past.

John Kerry voted for higher taxes. . . .In these challenging times we cannot hope that

magic is real; we need steady leadership.

on Primary Sources

Analyzing Primary Sources1. According to Gillespie, why should Americans vote

for his candidate, George W. Bush? 2. What words and phrases does Gillespie use to

describe Bush’s opponent, Senator John Kerry?Why does he describe Kerry in these terms?

3. Would you label this speech propaganda? Why orwhy not?

The President’s decision to putmore money in the pockets ofAmerica’s families has laid the foun-dation for growth and job creationfor years to come.

When it comes to national security,when it comes to homeland security,when it comes to creating jobs, andwhen it comes to who shares our val-ues, President Bush is right, hisopponent is wrong, and we are goingto prove it come November. It is for

reasons like this our Party is united under GeorgeW. Bush in a way I have not seen since it was underPresident Reagan.

Our Party is growing. . . .We are successfulwhen, at the grassroots, people are energized, andwe’re a bottom up Party. And our supporters aretalking to one another after religious services, atsoccer games, in grocery store aisles.

Every dollar you donate, every phone you call,every e-mail you forward, every door you knock,every neighborhood you walk, every yard sign youpost, every bumper sticker you stick—matters!

Ed Gillespie

The Republican CampaignFocus Before students read thePrimary Source feature, have themlook ahead to page 139, where theycan read about the role of the nationalchairperson. Have students list theways the chairperson accomplishes thegoal of strengthening the party. (Theypromote party unity, raise money,recruit new voters, and prepare for thenext presidential election.)Instruct Have students read theexcerpt and list the ways that Mr.Gillespie is trying to strengthen theparty with his speech. As a class, dis-cuss whether the speech demonstratesthe party-building strategies studentslisted in the Focus activity.Close/Reteach Hold a brief class dis-cussion about the role of the nationalchairperson. Point out that the job ismost important during a presidentialelection year.

Keep It Current CD-ROM includesgovernment-related projects

by unit. The CD-ROM links to thePrentice Hall School Web site andmay be used for daily updates.

136

Answers to . . .Analyzing Primary Sources1. Mr. Gillespie claims that Mr.Bush’s economic policies are work-ing and that his plans for nationalsecurity and social issues are whatthe majority of Americans want.2. Mr. Gillespie uses phrases suchas “higher taxes,” “kill jobs,”“derail recovery,” “retired play-book,” and “failed many classwarfare candidates in the past.”3. The excerpt displays many ofthe qualities of propaganda givenon pages 17 and 250. That is, ituses name-calling (John Kerry is a“class warfare candidate”), pre-sents only one side of the economicissue, uses the bandwagonapproach (“our Party is united . . .Our Party is growing”), and usesthe plainfolks approach (“we’re abottom up Party. . . . every bumpersticker you stick—matters!”).

Close Up on Primary Sources ReformingAmerican Government, p. 7, extends this featurewith a primary source activity.

Corner

To keep up-to-date on Close Up news and activities, visit Close Up Online at

www.closeup.org

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_PS 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 136

136

Page 24: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Objectives You may wish to callstudents’ attention to the objectivesin the Section Preview. The objectivesare reflected in the main headings ofthe section.Bellringer Have students suppose theyare attending a huge family reunionwith all their relatives. Would thisgroup support one another in a crisis?Might they disagree on some familymatters? Does any one person controleveryone in the group? Explain thatin this section, students will discoverthat political parties have character-istics similar to huge families.Vocabulary Builder Point out theterms in the Political Dictionary. Askstudents to predict which one namesa factor that contributes to theweakening of the two major parties.(split-ticket voting) Have them explaintheir reasoning.

Party Organization5

137

Customize forMore Advanced StudentsHave students conduct research to investigate thechanging role of the Speaker of the House. (Youmay wish to assign each student a specific speaker.)Ask students to summarize their research in briefreports and then lead a discussion on the changingrole.

Consider these suggestions to manage extendedclass time:! As students read, have them take notes aboutwhat the text calls “the decentralized nature” ofAmerican political parties. Then have them con-sider the following question: If the two parties arein fact so decentralized, why don’t they splinterinto smaller parties more frequently? Have stu-dents poll family members, other adults, andother students on this question, and then presenttheir polls as charts or graphs.

! Have students reread the section of the text“The Future of the Major Parties.” Ask smallgroups to write newspaper articles, set in 2050,about what has happened to the major parties.Articles should include historical precedents.Have groups read their articles to the class.

Block Scheduling Strategies

Lesson Plan

1. Focus Tell students that the majorAmerican political parties have adecentralized structure. Ask studentsto discuss how decentralization mightaffect relationships among national,State, and local party units.2. Instruct Ask students why themajor parties are decentralized.Discuss the two main reasons. Thenhave students construct an organiza-tion chart on the board, showing themain elements of the parties’ national,State, and local machinery. Thendiscuss the future of the two majorparties.3. Close/Reteach Remind studentsthat the decentralized structure ofeach major party makes for a frag-mented, disjointed organization. Askeach student to write five questionsabout party organization, along withthe answers. Then have students quizone another.

Party Organization

Objectives

1. Understand why the major parties have adecentralized structure.

2. Describe the national party machinery andhow parties are organized at the State and local levels.

3. Identify the three components of the parties.4. Examine the future of the major parties.

Why It Matters

The major parties of the United Stateshave a decentralized structure, and thedifferent parts and elements work togetherprimarily during national elections. Theparties themselves have been in decline,or losing influence, since the 1960s.

PoliticalDictionary! ward! precinct! split-ticket voting

! The parties have many local headquarters, such as this onein Bennington, Vermont.

7The party does have a temporary leader for a brief time everyfourth year: its presidential candidate, from nomination to electionday. A defeated presidential candidate is often called the party’s “titular leader”—a leader in title, by custom, but not in fact. What’smore, if he lost by a wide margin, the defeated candidate’s leader-ship may be largely discredited.

HHow strong, how active, and how well organized are the Republican and

Democratic parties in your community?Contact the county chairperson or anotherofficial in one or both of the major parties.They are usually not very difficult to find. Forstarters, try the telephone directory.

The Decentralized Nature of the PartiesThe two major parties are often described asthough they were highly organized, close-knit,well-disciplined groups. However, neitherparty is anything of the kind. Rather, both arehighly decentralized, fragmented, disjointed,and often beset by factions and internalsquabbling.

Neither party has a chain of command run-ning from the national through the State to thelocal level. Each of the State party organiza-tions is only loosely tied to the party’s nationalstructure. By the same token, local party orga-nizations are often quite independent of theirparent State organizations. These variousparty units usually cooperate with one another,of course—but that is not always the case.

The Role of the PresidencyThe President’s party is usually more solidlyunited and more cohesively organized than theopposing party. The President is automatically theparty leader. He asserts that leadership with suchtools as his access to the media, his popularity,and his power to make appointments to federaloffice and to dispense other favors.

The other party has no one in an even faintlycomparable position. Indeed, in the Americanparty system, there is seldom any one person in theopposition party who can truly be called its leader.Rather, a number of personalities, frequently incompetition with one another, form a loosely iden-tifiable leadership group in the party out of power.7 Teaching the Main Ideas L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_05 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 137

137

Page 25: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information/OutlineHave students outline the structureof party organization as they read.Encourage them to use headings andsubheads as outline entries.

Point-of-Use Resources

Guided Reading and Review Unit 2booklet, p. 10 provides studentswith practice identifying the mainideas and key terms of this section.

Lesson Planner For completelesson planning suggestions, see theLesson Planner booklet, section 5.

Political Cartoons See p. 22 ofthe Political Cartoons booklet for acartoon relevant to this section.

Section Support TransparenciesTransparency 25, Visual Learning;Transparency 124, Political Cartoon

Chapter 5 • Section 5

Background NoteShifting AlliancesAlthough the nominating processinvolves intraparty contests, even themost bitter primary battles often end inrenewed party unity. During the 1980presidential primaries, for example,George Bush and Ronald Reaganfought each other for the Republicannomination. Bush criticized Reaganharshly, calling his proposals for taxcuts and increased defense spending“voodoo economics.” But when Reaganwon the nomination, he selected Bushas his running mate. Bush abandonedhis criticisms of his former opponent,and the two went on to capture theWhite House together.

Answer to . . .Government Online The strategistmight ask questions that gaugepublic opinion about the oppo-nent’s commercials, physicalappearance, personality, character,past record, or stands on specificissues.

the party. Second, the nominating process canbe, and often is, a divisive one. Where there isa fight over a nomination, that contest pitsmembers of the same party against one another:Republicans fight Republicans; Democratsbattle Democrats. In short, the prime functionof the major parties—the making of nomina-tions—is also a prime cause of their highlyfragmented character.

National Party MachineryThe structure of both major parties at thenational level has four basic elements. These ele-ments are the national convention, the nationalcommittee, the national chairperson, and thecongressional campaign committees.

The National ConventionThe national convention, often described as theparty’s national voice, meets in the summer ofevery presidential election year to pick theparty’s presidential and vice-presidential can-didates. It also performs some other functions,including the adoption of the party’s rules andthe writing of its platform.

Beyond that, the convention has little author-ity. It has no control over the selection of theparty’s candidates for other offices nor over thepolicy stands those nominees take. You will takea longer look at both parties’ national nominat-ing conventions in Chapter 13.

The National CommitteeBetween conventions, the party’s affairs are handled, at least in theory, by the national com-mittee and by the national chairperson. For years,each party’s national committee was composed ofa committeeman and a committeewoman fromeach State and several of the territories. Theywere chosen by the State’s party organization.However, in recent years, both parties haveexpanded the committee’s membership.

Today, the Republican National Committee(RNC) also seats the party chairperson from eachState in which the GOP has recently had a win-ning record and members from the District ofColumbia, Guam, American Samoa, Puerto Rico,and the Virgin Islands. Representatives of suchGOP-related groups as the National Federationof Republican Women also serve on the RNC.

The Impact of FederalismFederalism is one major reason for the decentral-ized nature of the two major political parties.Remember, the basic goal of the major parties is togain control of government by winning electiveoffices.

Today there are more than half a million elec-tive offices in the United States. In the Americanfederal system, those offices are widely distributedat the national, the State, and the local levels. Inshort, because the governmental system is highlydecentralized, so too are the major parties thatserve it.

The Role of the Nominating ProcessThe nominating process is also a major cause ofparty decentralization. Recall, from page 117,that the nominating process has a central role inthe life of political parties. You will consider theselection of candidates at some length inChapter 7, but, for now, look at two relatedaspects of that process.

First, candidate selection is an intrapartyprocess. That is, nominations are made within

Taking the Public Pulse “When I die, I want to come backwith real power—I want to come back as a member of a focus group,”a powerful campaign strategist once said. Joking aside, the strategistwas attesting to the growing influence of focus groups on who getselected in this country, and who doesn’t.

Focus groups were first used by businesses to test consumerproducts. Used as part of a political campaign, these groups can varyin number from 10 to as many as 30 or more people, typically mem-bers of the general public. They usually meet in two-to-three-hour ses-sions. Guided by trained monitors, their discussions help candidatesidentify issues that are important to voters. Focus groups are also usedto test reactions to political commercials, speeches, and debates. Theycan be employed to probe opponents for weaknesses, as well.

Focus groups have had an important place in presidentialcampaigns since at least 1988. That year, they helped the Republicancandidate George H. W. Bush defeat his Democratic opponent, GovernorMichael Dukakis of Massachusetts, by identifying several weaknessesin the Dukakis campaign.

Government OnlineGovernment Online

Use Web Code mqd-2058 to find out moreabout the use of focus groups in politicalcampaigns and for help in answering the

following question: What kinds of issues might a campaign strategistaddress in order to find out about the opposition’s weaknesses?

PHSchool.com

138

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_05 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 138

138

Page 26: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Time 90 minutes.Purpose Hold a mock national con-vention.Grouping Groups of six students.Activity Assign half the groups toact as members of the RepublicanNational Convention and the otherhalf as members of the DemocraticNational Convention. Each six-persongroup should nominate one of itsmembers as a presidential candidateand one as a vice-presidential candi-date. In addition, groups should pre-pare a list of party rules and shouldoutline their party’s platform. Roles Presidential candidate, vice-presidential candidate, discussionleader, recorder, spokesperson.Close Spokespersons for each groupshould present their party’s rules andplatform and introduce the candidates.Presidential and vice-presidentialcandidates should give brief speechesaccepting the party’s nomination anddiscussing future campaign plans.

Point-of-Use Resources

Government Assessment RubricsCooperative Learning Project:Process, p. 20

Block Scheduling with LessonStrategies Additional activities forChapter 5 appear on p. 21.

139

Chapter 5 • Section 5

The Democratic National Committee (DNC)is an even larger body. In addition to the com-mitteeman and -woman from each State, itnow includes the party’s chairperson and vice-chairperson from every State and the severalterritories. It also includes additional membersfrom the party organizations of the largerStates, and up to 75 at-large members chosenby the DNC itself. Several members of Congress,as well as governors, mayors, and YoungDemocrats, also have seats.

On paper, the national committee appearsto be a powerful organization loaded withmany of the party’s leading figures. In fact, itdoes not have a great deal of clout. Most of itswork centers on staging the party’s nationalconvention every four years.

The National ChairpersonIn each party, the national chairperson is theleader of the national committee. In form, he orshe is chosen to a four-year term by the nationalcommittee, at a meeting held right after thenational convention. In fact, the choice is madeby the just-nominated presidential candidateand is then ratified by the national committee.

Only two women have ever held that topparty post. Jean Westwood of Utah chairedthe DNC from her party’s 1972 conventionuntil early 1973; and Mary Louise Smith ofIowa headed the RNC from 1974 until early1977. Each lost her post soon after her partylost a presidential election. Ron Brown, theDemocrats’ National Chairman from 1989 to1993, is the only African American ever tohave held the office of national chairperson ineither major party.

The national chairperson directs the work ofthe party’s headquarters and its small staff inWashington. In presidential election years, thecommittee’s attention is focused on the nationalconvention and then the campaign. In betweenpresidential elections, the chairperson and thecommittee work to strengthen the party and itsfortunes. They do so by promoting party unity,raising money, recruiting new voters, and other-wise preparing for the next presidential season.

The Congressional CampaignCommitteesEach party also has a campaign committee ineach house of Congress.8 These committeeswork to reelect incumbents and to make surethat seats given up by retiring party membersremain in the party. The committees also take ahand in selected campaigns to unseat incum-bents in the other party, at least in those Houseor Senate races where the chances for successseem to justify such efforts.

In both parties and in both houses, the mem-bers of these campaign committees are chosenby their colleagues. They serve for two years—that is, for a term of Congress.

State and Local Party MachineryNational party organization is largely theproduct of custom and of the rules adopted bythe national conventions. At the State and

8They are the National Republican Campaign Committee and theDemocratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the House; in theSenate, they are the National Republican Senatorial Committee andthe Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

! Step Right Up Volunteers of all ages help theirparties in national, State, and local races.

! Madam Chairperson Mary Louise Smith was national chairperson ofthe Republican Party in the 1970s.

Provides a complete set of powerfulteaching tools to make lesson plan-ning and administering tests quickerand easier.

L3

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_05 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 139

139

Page 27: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

140

Chapter 5 • Section 5

Make It Relevant

Joe Franco was named one ofTeen People Magazine’s “20teens who will change theworld.” This was even beforehe ran for the Denver,Colorado, RegionalTransportation District (RTC)Board of Directors, at the ageof 20. When he was just 18,and still in high school, Joemanaged successful campaignsfor Lakewood Mayor SteveBurkholder and state represen-tative Kelley Daniel. He is afirm believer in teen involve-ment in politics and other com-munity projects: “There’s a lotof people with needs that aren’tmet by governments or otherorganizations. By the youthgoing out and volunteeringtheir time, they can makechanges in their communities.”His main goal in running forthe RTC board was “reducingtraffic congestion for Coloradofamilies so we can spend moretime with our loved ones.”

Students Make a Difference

Answers to . . .Interpreting Diagrams(a) Congressional districts. (b) Precincts, except in large cities,where precincts may be furthersubdivided into units as small asan apartment building.

offices are to be filled: congressional and legisla-tive districts, counties, cities and towns, wards,and precincts. A ward is a unit into which citiesare often divided for the election of city councilmembers. A precinct is the smallest unit of elec-tion administration; the voters in each precinctreport to one polling place.

In most larger cities, a party’s organizationis further broken down by residential blocksand sometimes even by apartment buildings.In some places, local party organizations areactive year-round, but most often they areinactive except for those few hectic monthsbefore an election.

The Three Components of the PartyYou have just looked at the makeup of theRepublican and Democratic parties from anorganizational standpoint. The two major par-ties can also be examined from a social stand-point—that is, in terms of the various rolesplayed by their members. From this perspective,the two major parties are composed of threebasic and closely interrelated components.

1. The party organization. These are theparty’s leaders, its activists, and its hangers-on—“all those who give their time, money, and

local levels, however, party structure is largelyset by State law.

The State OrganizationAt the State level, party machinery is builtaround a State central committee, headed by aState chairperson.

The chairperson may be an important politi-cal figure in his or her own right. More oftenthan not, however, the chairperson fronts for thegovernor, a U.S. senator, or some other powerfulleader or group in the politics of the State.

Together, the chairperson and the centralcommittee work to further the party’s interestsin the State. Most of the time, they attempt to dothis by building an effective organization andparty unity, finding candidates and campaignfunds, and so on. Remember, however, bothmajor parties are highly decentralized, frag-mented, and sometimes torn by struggles forpower. This can complicate the chairperson’sand the committee’s job.

Local OrganizationLocal party structures vary so widely that theynearly defy even a brief description. Generally,they follow the electoral map of the State, witha party unit for each district in which elective

States are dividedinto congressionaldistricts.

In cities, districts aredivided into wards. Wards are divided

into precincts.

Ward1

Ward2

Ward3 Ward

4

Ward5

Ward6

Ward7

Ward8

9thCongressional

District8th

10th

13th

7th

Precinct208

207

221

240

250

262251

63rd Ave.

57th Ave.

Broa

dway

Mad

elin

eSt

.

Mad

elin

eSt

.

61st Ave.

58th Ave.

Jeff

erso

nSt

.

In large cities, thesmallest unit of partyorganization may be a single apartment building.

Local Party Organization

Interpreting Diagrams (a) According to the diagram, which unit of local party organization is the largest in a State? (b) Which is the smallest?

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_05 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 140

140

Page 28: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Chapter 5 • Section 5

Ask students to prepare a five-questionquiz for another classmate based onsection content. Students can createa multiple choice, fill in the blank,or matching quiz. Each quiz shouldask at least one question on each ofthe following topics: Decentralizationof parties, State and local partymachinery, national party machinery,the three components of parties,and the future of the major parties.Encourage students to use headings,subheadings, and bolded words asclues in writing their questions. Aftertaking a quiz, students should returnit to its owner for grading. ELL

For career-related links and activities, visitthe Magruder’s American Governmentcompanion Web site in the Social Studiesarea at the Prentice Hall School Web site.

141

Make It Relevant

The Federal Election Campaign Act requirespolitical parties to report a great deal of financialinformation, especially campaign contributionsand expenses, to the Federal Election Commission(FEC). This data is audited by accountants. Infact, accountants are at work in all levels of gov-ernment, in most agencies and departments, keep-ing track of the multi-trillion dollar enterprise

that is American government. Skills Activity Distribute copies of blank tax returnsto small groups of students. Give them sets of data,and have groups work together to fill out the form.Then have individual students write paragraphsexplaining why they would or would not be inter-ested in a career as a government accountant.

Careers in Government—Accountant Answer to . . .Interpreting Political Cartoons Studentsshould recognize that the cartoonistalso believes that the two major par-ties are very similar to one another.Specific current issues might includesuch matters as the economy orcampaign finance.

skills to the party, whether as leadersor followers.”9

2. The party in the electorate.This component includes the party’sloyalists who regularly vote thestraight party ticket, and those othervoters who call themselves partymembers and who usually vote forits candidates.

3. The party in government. Theseare the party’s officeholders, thosewho hold elective and appointiveoffices in the executive, legislative,and judicial branches at the federal,State, and local levels of government.

You have taken a quick look atthe party as an organization here.You will consider the party in the electoratein the next chapter, and the party in govern-ment in several later chapters.

The Future of the Major PartiesPolitical parties have never been very popular inthis country. Rather, over time, most Americanshave had very mixed feelings about them. Mostof us have accepted parties as necessary institu-tions, but, at the same time, we have felt thatthey should be closely watched and controlled.To many, political parties have seemed littlebetter than necessary evils.

Political parties have been in a period ofdecline since at least the late 1960s. Theirdecline has led some analysts to conclude thatthe parties not only are in serious trouble, butthat the party system itself may be on the pointof collapse.

The present, weakened state of the parties canbe traced to several factors. They include:

1. A sharp drop in the number of voters will-ing to identify themselves as Republicans orDemocrats, and a growing number who regardthemselves as independents.

2. A big increase in split-ticket voting—votingfor candidates of different parties for differentoffices at the same election.

3. Various structural changes and reformsthat have made the parties more “open,” buthave also led to greater internal conflict anddisorganization. These changes range from theintroduction of the direct primary in the early1900s to the more recent and far-reachingchanges in campaign finance laws.

4. Changes in the technology of campaigningfor office—especially the heavy use of televisionand of the Internet, professional campaign man-agers, and direct-mail advertising. These changes

Interpreting Political Cartoons The two major political partieshave been criticized as failing to distinguish themselves fromone another. Do you agree with the point of view presentedin the cartoon? Explain your answer using specific currentissues.

! Direct Access Voters can judge the candidates for themselves by watching televised events such as this Democratic debate during the 2004presidential primary campaign. From left to right: Florida Senator BobGraham, Missouri Representative Dick Gephardt, former Illinois Senator CarolMosley Braun, Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, Ohio Representative DennisKucinich, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, Connecticut Senator JoeLieberman, and former Vermont Governor Howard Dean.

9Frank J. Sorauf and Paul Beck, Party Politics in America, 6th ed.

PHSchool.com

L2

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_05 1/9/06 2:04 PM Page 141

141

Page 29: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Point-of-Use Resources

Guide to the Essentials Chapter5, Section 5, p. 36 provides

support for students who need addi-tional review of section content.Spanish support is available in theSpanish edition of the Guide on p. 29.

Quiz Unit 2 booklet, p. 11includes matching and multiple-choice questions to check students’understanding of Section 5 content.

Presentation Pro CD-ROM Quizzesand multiple-choice questions

check students’ understanding ofSection 5 content.

Answers to . . .

Section 5 Assessment1. The power not in party doesn’thave a strong central leader (thePresident), federalism results in adivision of power in parties, andthe nominating process encouragescompetition and divisiveness.2. The national convention, thenational committee, the nationalchairperson, and congressionalcampaign committees.3. Wards and precincts are party unitscreated for the purposes of elections.4. (a) Split-ticket voting is voting forcandidates of different parties at thesame election. (b) It weakens partiesbecause it encourages lack of alle-giance to a particular party.5. Possible answer: With broad sup-port of the American people for fed-eralism and local and State autonomy,it is no surprise that local party orga-nizations vary widely.6. Questions will vary, but shouldrefer to reasons why voters are disil-lusioned with the two major partiesor the two-party system.7. Answers will vary, but shouldreflect themes mentioned in the text.

Chapter 5 • Section 5

142

Answers to . . .Interpreting Graphs (a) Independents.(b) Democrats.

Key Terms and Main Ideas1. What are the major causes of the decentralized nature of

political parties?2. What are the four main elements of major party organiza-

tion at the national level?3. Describe how wards and precincts are part of the local

party organization.4. (a) What is split-ticket voting? (b) How has its increase

contributed to the weakened state of the two major parties?Critical Thinking5. Drawing Conclusions Based on what you know about

parties, their goals, and the American people, why do youthink local party organizations vary so widely?

6. Formulating Questions A growing number of voters consider themselves to be independents. Compose three

questions that a pollster might ask in an attempt to learnwhy this is the case.

7. Predicting Consequences Do you think the major partieswill survive and emerge from their current period ofdecline? Why or why not?

2004

Political Party Identification, 1964 –2004

*Polling method changed from personal interview to telephone survey.

SOURCE: The Gallup Organization

1964 1968 1972 1976

Perc

ent o

f reg

iste

red

vote

rs

1980 1984 1988* 1992 1996

100908070605040302010

0

Democrat Republican Independentand other

34

34

31

53

25

22

46

27

27

43

28

29

47

23

30

46

24

30

40

31

29

35

30

35

34

29

37

35

30

35

2000

44

33

23

You will look at these and several othermatters affecting the condition of the partiesover the next four chapters. As you do so,remember these points: Political parties areindispensable to democratic government—andso, then, to American government. Our twomajor parties have existed far longer than hasany other party anywhere in the world. And, asyou have seen, they perform a number of quitenecessary functions. In short, the reports oftheir passing may not only be premature, theymight in fact be quite farfetched.

in campaign technology have made candidatesmuch less dependent on party organizationssince, in many cases, they can now “speak”directly to the electorate.

5. The growth, in both numbers and impact, ofsingle-issue organizations in our politics. Thesegroups support (or more often, oppose) candidateson the basis of the group’s own closely defined viewsin some specific area of public policy—for example,the environment, gun control, or abortion—ratherthan on a candidate’s stands on the full range ofpublic policy questions.

Interpreting Graphs This graph shows the percentage of voters who identify with thetwo major parties and the percentage of independents. (a) Which group shows thebiggest gain in support between 1964 and 2004? (b) Which group lost the mostsupport during that time?

PHSchool.com

For: An activity on State-levelpolitical parties

Web Code: mqd-2055

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2055

PHSchool.com

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Self-quiz with vocabulary practiceWeb Code: mqa-2055

Typing in the Web Code whenprompted will bring students directly to detailedinstructions for this activity.

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_05 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 142

142

Page 30: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

on the Supreme Court

The 1st Amendment gives Americans the right to express freely their opinions on mat-ters of public concern. But should the government be able to restrict free speech toprotect other important governmental interests? For example, should judges who mayhave to decide a particular legal issue be free to tell the public in advance how theywould decide?

Can Judicial Candidates State Legal Views?

2. Minnesota cannot show that the restriction onfree speech is necessary to protect importantgovernmental interests.

3. Judges do not give up their impartiality justbecause they have opinions on controversialtopics, and voters should be able to know whatthose opinions are.

Arguments for White1. Judicial impartiality and the public’s perception

of impartial justice will be harmed if prospec-tive judges publicly discuss their views on mat-ters that may come before their courts.

2. Judicial decision-making will be harmed ifjudges have previously stated public opinionson important topics, because then judges willfeel obligated to decide cases according to theirprior statements rather than on the merits ofthe particular case.

3. The parties to a case would be denied fair judi-cial process if the judge had previouslyannounced his or her view on the case.

Republican Party of Minnesota v. White(2002)A Minnesota Supreme Court rule said that lawyersrunning for judgeships could not announce theirviews on any legal matter that might come beforetheir court if they were elected. This rule wasintended to keep judges impartial and to maintainfor the public a sense of judicial impartiality.Candidates could discuss their judicial philosophyin the abstract, but could not say what theybelieved about concrete issues that they might laterdecide or vote on.

In 1996, Attorney Gregory Wersal was runningfor associate justice of the Minnesota SupremeCourt. As part of his campaign, he wrote and dis-tributed documents criticizing several of that court’scontroversial decisions. He withdrew from the raceafter being accused of an ethical violation, but ranagain in 1998. This time he sued the officers of theLawyer’s Professional Responsibility Board and theMinnesota Board of Judicial Standards, chaired bySuzanne White, in U.S. District Court. Wersalclaimed that the rule prevented him from telling vot-ers his positions on matters of public importance.The Minnesota Republican Party joined the suit,saying that the rule prevented them from learningWersal’s views, so they could not decide whether tosupport his candidacy.

Arguments for Wersal and the RepublicanParty1. The constitutional right of free speech applies to

candidates for elected office, and a candidatemay not be prevented from expressing thosebeliefs during the campaign.

on the Supreme Court

Decide for Yourself1. Review the constitutional grounds upon which

each side based its arguments and the specificarguments each side presented.

2. Debate the opposing viewpoints presented in thiscase. Which viewpoint did you favor?

3. Predict the impact of the Court’s decision onStates’ attempts to restrict the speech of publicofficials in other contexts. (To read a summary ofthe Court’s decision, turn to pages 799–806.)

PHSchool.com

Use Web Code mqp-2059 to reg-ister your vote on this issue andto see how other students voted.

Can Judicial CandidatesState Legal Views?Focus Ask students whether theydiscern any difference between judi-cial candidates and those for othergovernment positions. Point out thata judge must be able to interpret thelaw with impartiality, without allow-ing his or her personal views toinfluence decisions.Instruct Explain to students thatgovernment cannot place priorrestraint on speech. This means thatgovernment cannot prevent a personfrom expressing ideas. The Court hasupheld this rule with very few excep-tions. Those exceptions have been incases where the speech in questionendangers the nation’s security orotherwise harms government interests,incites violence, or includes obscenity. Close/Reteach Explain to studentsthat the main qualifications for ajudge include knowledge of the law,fairness, honesty, and integrity. Howcan voters determine if a candidatepossesses these skills? (Voters canlook at a candidate’s record or pastexperience to determine how well heor she meets these qualifications.)

Have students access Web Codemqp-2059 to participate in an onlinestudent poll on the topic of thisdebate.

PHSchool.com

143

Answers to . . .Decide for Yourself1. The Republican Party claimedthat the Minnesota rule violatedthe constitutional right to freespeech found in the 1stAmendment. White argued thatthe Minnesota rule was necessaryto protect the right to fair judicialprocess.2. Answers will vary, but shouldbe supported with valid reasoning.3. The Court ruled in favor of theRepublican Party, holding that theMinnesota rule violated the 1stAmendment.

Close Up on the Supreme Court RepublicanParty of Minnesota v. White, p. 6 provides anactivity to extend coverage of this case.

Corner

To keep up-to-date on Close Up news and activities, visit Close Up Online at

www.closeup.org

MAG05_NA_TE_05_SC 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 143

143

Page 31: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

AssessmentPracticing the Vocabulary1.–10. Sentences should accuratelydescribe each term in the context ofchapter content.11. False; a plurality is the largestnumber of votes cast.12. True.13. False; the correct term is economicprotest party.14. False; partisanship means firmallegiance to a party.

Reviewing Main IdeasSection 115. To control government by winningelections and holding public office.16. Unifying; they bring conflictinggroups together and encourage com-promise.17. Public officeholders are elected onthe basis of party; State legislaturesare organized on party lines; partiesserve as a liaison between the execu-tive and legislative branches.

Section 218. Single-member district systemsdiscourage minor parties, and elec-tion laws have been deliberatelywritten to discourage non-majorparty candidates.19. It is a strength because it givesvoters more choices and morebroadly represents the electorate,and a weakness because it leads toinstability in government.20. Both major parties are moderate,built on compromise, and constructedto gain support from all Americans.

Section 321. (a) The Federalist Party. (b) Ledby Alexander Hamilton, it favoreda strong central government.22. (a) The Republican Party began inopposition to the Democratic Party.(b) It was unique because it was theonly party to make the transitionfrom third-party to major-party status.23. It brought about a shift in thepublic’s attitude toward the govern-ment’s role, and in so doing usheredin a period of domination by theDemocratic Party.24. Divided government, wherebyone party controls the White Houseand the other, Congress.

144

Chapter 5

Section 425. Ideological parties are basedon a particular set of beliefs;single-issue parties concentrateon one public policy matter;economic protest parties expressgeneral discontent with the rulingparty; splinter parties have splitfrom one of the major parties.26. The roles of critic and inno-vator have been most important,as they have drawn attention to

important issues that the majorparties have not addressed.

Section 527. It has a strong party leader(the President) with leadershiptools that bring about cohesion.28. The national chairpersondirects the work of the party’sheadquarters and prepares forpresidential elections.

29. Factors include: A drop inthe number of voters who iden-tify themselves with the majorparties; an increase in split-ticketvoting; structural changes thathave brought conflict withinparties; changes in campaigningdue to technology; the growthof single-issue groups.

Section 115. What is the major function of a political party?16. Which term better describes political parties in American

politics: divisive or unifying? Why?17. Cite two examples that show why American government may

be described as government by party.

Section 218. In what two ways does the American electoral system tend to

promote a two-party system?19. How can the diversity of views represented in a multiparty

system be seen as both a strength and a weakness?20. How is the ideological consensus of the American electorate

reflected in the membership of the major parties?

Section 321. (a) Which political party was the first to appear in the new

United States? (b) Who was its leader and what type of gov-ernment did it favor?

22. (a) How did the Republican Party begin? (b) How was itsdevelopment unique in American politics?

23. What effect did the Great Depression have on American politi-cal parties?

24. What unusual feature characterizes the present era ofAmerican two-party history?

Section 425. Briefly describe the four types of minor parties.26. Historically, what have been the most important roles of

minor parties? Briefly explain one of these roles.

Section 527. Why is the party in power more cohesive than the opposition

party?28. Describe the role of the national chairperson.29. List and explain four factors that have contributed to the pre-

sent weakened state of the major parties.

political party (p. 116)major parties (p. 116)partisanship (p. 117)party in power (p. 118)minor party (p. 119)two-party system (p. 119)single-member district (p. 120)plurality (p. 120)bipartisan (p. 120)

pluralistic society (p. 121)consensus (p. 121)multiparty (p. 122)coalition (p. 122)one-party system (p. 123)incumbent (p. 127)faction (p. 127)electorate (p. 129)sectionalism (p. 129)

ideological parties (p. 132)single-issue parties (p. 132)economic protest parties (p. 133)splinter parties (p. 133)ward (p. 140)precinct (p. 140)split-ticket voting (p. 141)

Political Dictionary

Practicing the Vocabulary

Reviewing Main Ideas

Using Words in Context For each of the terms below, writea sentence that shows how it relates to this chapter.

1. multiparty2. pluralistic society3. party in power4. minor party5. split-ticket voting6. one-party system7. consensus8. splinter parties9. single-member district

10. two-party system

True/False Determine whether each of the following state-ments is true or false. If it is true, write “true.” If it is false, rewritethe sentence to make it true.11. A plurality is more than half the votes cast.12. A ward is a unit into which cities are often divided for the

election of city council members.13. An ideological party arises over a particular issue or crisis

and soon fades away.14. Partisanship means membership in one of the major parties.

AssessmentAssessment

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_CA 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 144

144

Page 32: Chapter 5 Page CHAPTER 5 Political Parties

Critical Thinking Skills30. Possible answers: no, becauseturnout was high and most votersfelt strongly about supporting Bushor Kerry and were not likely to con-sider minor-party candidates; yes,because less than three percentagepoints separated Bush and Kerry, soa successful minor-party candidatemight have changed the outcome. 31. Some students might suggest thatwithout that historical event, debatewould not have been polarized andthe United States would have gonethe multiparty route taken by mostof Europe; others might say that thenature of American politics and theideological consensus of the Americanpeople would have led to a two-partysystem eventually.32. Answers will vary, but shouldeither describe the important rolesthat minor parties play or pointout that the two-party system istoo entrenched for minor parties to really compete.33. Both television and the Internethave weakened the two-party systemby making candidates much lessdependent on their party organiza-tions, as they can now speak directlyto the people.

Analyzing Political Cartoons34. The cartoonist implies that theyhave a cordial relationship; he con-veys this idea by showing them sittingtogether at a dining table.35. No; their battering ram is muchtoo small to break down the fortress,and the major parties seem barelyable to hear their assault.

You Can Make a DifferenceRefer students to the Close Up onParticipation booklet in the TeachingResources for service learning-relatedprojects.

Participation Activities36. Reports should include relevantexamples and accurately state theparty’s position.37. Time lines should include all rel-evant political events.38. Cartoons should reflect a clearpoint of view.

145

Point-of-Use Resources

Guide to the Essentials ofAmerican Government Chapter 5

Test, page 37 provides multiple-choicequestions to test students’ knowledgeof the chapter.

ExamView®Test Bank CD-ROMChapter 5 Test

Chapter Tests Chapter Testsbooklet

Additional support materials and activities for Chapter 5of Magruder’s American Government can be found in theSocial Studies area at the Prentice Hall School Web site.PHSchool.com

Critical Thinking30. Face the Issues Study the role of minor party candidates

in the most recent presidential election. In your opinion,would including these candidates in the debates havechanged the outcome of the election? Explain.

31. Determining Relevance If there had not been a groupopposed to the adoption of the Constitution in the 1780s, doyou think a strong two-party system would have developed inthe United States? Why or why not?

32. Distinguishing Fact from Opinion Explain why youagree or disagree with this statement: “A vote for a minorparty candidate is a vote wasted.”

33. Recognizing Cause and Effect (a) How has televisionaffected the state of the two-party system? (b) How has theInternet impacted the two-party system?

Participation Activities36. Current Events Watch Look in newspapers or news

magazines for a local or national issue on which there is publicdisagreement. See if the two major parties have taken standson the issue. If not, look for the positions taken by electedofficials and other representatives of the major parties. Usingthe information you have found, prepare a report tellingwhether each party is united or divided in its response to theissue and whether the two major parties oppose each otheron this issue. Support your conclusions with examples.

37. Time Line Activity Using information from the chapter,create a time line showing the major political events of thecurrent era of divided government. Include at least ten entriesin your time line. You might begin with Richard Nixon’s electionto the presidency in 1968. So far, which party has held theWhite House more frequently during this era?

38. It’s Your Turn Election law in this country is often writtento discourage minor party candidates. Draw a political cartoonin which you comment on this situation. Take either the pro orthe con position in your cartoon. (Drawing a Cartoon)

Analyzing Political CartoonsUsing your knowledge of American government and this cartoon,answer the questions below.

34. What does the cartoonist imply about the relationship betweenthe two major parties? Explain how he conveys this idea.

35. Does the cartoonist regard the minor parties as a seriousthreat to the status quo? How do the major parties react tothis threat?

You can make a difference. You can make a differ-ence. You can make a difference. You can make a dif-ference. You can make a difference. You can make adifference. You can make a difference. You can makea difference. You can make a difference. You canmake a difference. You can make a difference. Youcan make a difference. You can make a difference.You can make a difference. You can make a differ-ence.

Even if you are not yet eligible to vote, you can stillfind a place in party politics. Local party organizationswelcome volunteer help during a campaign. You mayfind yourself answering phones, tacking up posters, orstuffing envelopes—all part of grassroots politics. Tobegin, look up the local headquarters of the two majorparties and any minor parties that are currently activein your area. Choose a candidate whose positions onissues are similar to your own. Then offer your help.

You Can Make a Difference

Progress Monitoring OnlineFor: Chapter 5 Self-Test Visit: PHSchool.comWeb Code: mqa-2056

As a final review, take the Magruder’s Chapter 5 Self-Testand receive immediate feedback on your answers.The test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions designedto test your understanding of the chapter content.

PHSchool.com

MAG05_NA_TE_CH05_CA 1/9/06 2:05 PM Page 145

145


Recommended