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Political Parties

Political Parties. Chapter 5. Section 1. Parties and What they do. What is a party?. A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and holding public office. Major Parties = democrats and republicans. What do parties do?. Nominate Candidates

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Political Parties

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  1. Political Parties Chapter 5

  2. Section 1 Parties and What they do

  3. What is a party? • A group of persons who seek to control government through the winning of elections and holding public office. • Major Parties = democrats and republicans

  4. What do parties do? • Nominate Candidates • Informing and activating supporters • Bonding agent function (ensure performance of candidates and officeholders) • Governing • Watchdog

  5. Section 2 The two-party system

  6. Do you know these people? • Michael L. Faith - AI • Darrell Castle - CON • Cynthia McKinney – G • Chuck Baldwin • Lawson Mitchell Bone - I • Kevin Mottus - I • John Leroy Plemons - I • Lou Kujawski - R • Brian Moore - S

  7. Why a Two-Party System? • No one answer, many reasons put together explain • The historical basis • Who fought over ratification of the Constitution?

  8. Why a Two-Party System? • Tradition….humans are stubborn • The electoral system • Single-member districts • The American ideological consensus • We are in the middle, except for a few key issues

  9. Multiparty Systems • A system with several major and many lesser parties that can truly compete in elections • Problem is very unstable • Italy averages new government every 9 months since WW II

  10. One-Party Systems • Essentially a dictatorship, no other party can try to run • Sometimes happens within our own states….but still the possibility for change

  11. Other U.S. Political Parties • Libertarian • Prohibition National Committee • America First Party • Te Constitution Party • The Communist Party • Green Party • Socialist Labor Party • The Natural Law Party

  12. Section 3 The two-party system in American history

  13. The Nation’s First Parties • Federalist v. Anti-federalist over the ratification of the Constitution • Started with 1796 election between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson

  14. American Parties: Four Major Eras

  15. The Era of Democrats 1800-1860 • Begins with Jefferson’s win • Federalist gone by 1816 • Major Changes • Voting for all white males • More elected offices • Spread of spoils system • Rivals with the Whig Party • Era ends with election of Republican Lincoln (only third party to make jump to major party)

  16. The Era of Republicans, 1860-1932 • Dominated by Republicans, with only two democrat presidents being elected over the 72 year period • Grover Cleveland • Woodrow Wilson…thanks to Teddy Roosevelt and Republican split vote

  17. Return of the Democrats, 1932-68 • 1932 and the arrival of FDR • Lasted four terms • Republicans win in 1952 & 1956 • Dwight D. Eisenhower, WW II Hero • Then the victory of JFK

  18. The Start of a New Era • Nixon elected in 1968 • Back and forth control, usually White House Republican and Congress Democrat • Period marked by divided government

  19. Section 4 The Minor Parties

  20. Minor Parties in the United States • They can be split into four categories • Ideological • Single-issue • Economic Protest • Splinter

  21. Ideological Parties • Parties based on a particular set of beliefs • Communism, socialism, libertarianism • Historically do not win many votes, but live a long time

  22. Single Issue Parties • Focus on only one public policy matter. • Free soil party, right to life party, “know nothings” • Have usually faded away quickly, just like the issues

  23. Economic Protest Parties • Rooted in periods of economic discontent • No ideological base • Greenback party, and Populist party • Focus on the enemy of “wall street”, or monetary system, or railroads • Disappear with economic improvement

  24. Splinter Parties • A party split from one of the two major parties. • “Bull Moose” Progressive Party, State’s Rights Party, American Independent Party • Impact the electoral vote, because of strong personality • Some parties do not fit these categories, The Green Party

  25. Why Minor Parties Are Important • National Conventions were started by a minor party in 1831 • 1912 election was partially decided because of Roosevelt’s Progressive Party • They help to criticize the major parties and keep them in check

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