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CE 5a & 5B Functions of political parties & comparing similarities and differences between political parties. Essential Question?. What roles do political parties play in the American political process?. Functions of Political Parties. Recruiting and nominating candidates
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CE 5a & 5BFunctions of political parties & comparing similarities and differences between political parties
Essential Question? • What roles do political parties play in the American political process?
Functions of Political Parties • Recruiting and nominating candidates • Example: Finding qualified people to run for office.
Educating the electorate about campaign issues • Example: Issue based advertising in the media. • http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/issue/welfare
Helping candidates win elections • Example: Canvassing (going door to door).
Monitoring actions of officeholders (acting as a watch dog). • Example: Keeping a voting record of how a candidate voted in Congress.
Essential Understanding • Political parties play a key role in government and provide opportunities for citizens to participate in the political process.
Essential Questions? • How are the two major political parties similar, and how do they differ? • How do third parties differ from the two major parties?
Watch the Brainpop video and CNN Explain it! Fill in your Venn Diagram with as much information as you can! • Democrats • http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2012/09/04/cnn-explains-democrats.cnn • Republicans • http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/politics/2012/08/26/cnnexplains-gop.cnn
…but what goes in the middle??? • It often seems that the two major parties have nothing in common with all the bickering they do, but they are actually trying to accomplish the same things! • 1. Organize to win elections • 2. Influence public policies • 3. Reflect both liberal and conservative views • 4. Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the political center
And then there were three… • What is a third party? • Any party that is not the Republicans or Democrats • What do they do? • -Introduce new ideas and/or press for a particular issue • -Example: The Green Party’s main concern is the environment • Third Parties often revolve around a political personality • -Example: Theodore Roosevelt created the “Bull Moose” party • Sometimes third parties will swing the election • -Example: Teddy Roosevelt left the Republican party and took votes away from President Taft, allowing Woodrow Wilson to win.
Essential Understandings • A two-party system characterizes the American political process. • Although third parties rarely win elections, they can play an important role in public politics.
Where do you stand??? • Watch Brainpop– Political Beliefs • Take the ideological survey and complete the handout for homework. • Make sure to answer all parts of the homework for full credit!