TOPIC.1: What Parties Do PARTIES AND PARTY SYSTEMS

ENGAGE DIRECTIONS & HINTS : 1. Analyze the cartoon contained in the box through the using the tools in below. 2. Complete the source information and then address the questions that assist in breaking down the cartoon to help you understand its meaning. 3. Finally, reflect on what your impression of the cartoon is 4. TIME: 7 Minutes: stopwatch.com/large-stopwatch/ stopwatch.com/large-stopwatch/

EXPLAIN.1 QUESTION: What is a political party? QUESTION: What defines membership in a political party? QUESTION: What are the objectives of political parties? QUESTION: What Political Party do you feel represents you?

EXPLAIN.2 What is a political party? Political parties are a special form of social organization. One Definition: “A political party is a team of people seeking to control the governing apparatus by gaining office in a duly constituted election” Another definition: “any political group identified by an official label that presents at elections, and is capable of placing through election, candidates for public office.” Looking at these definitions, What do they seem to emphasize?

EXPLAIN.3 Criteria to identify political parties: A party strives to influence the formation of political opinion and aims to have a general political impact A party is an association of citizens holding individual memberships A party has to demonstrate the will to consistently take part in the political representation of the people during elections A party has to be an independent and permanent organization A party must be willing to appear in public A party does not necessarily need to win a seat in government, but it has to fulfil all the other criteria

EXPLAIN.4 In General then, Parties can therefore be understood as permanent associations of citizens that are based on free membership and a program, and which are anxious to occupy through the path of elections, the politically decisive positions of the country with their team of leaders, in order to materialize suggestions for resolving outstanding problems. The means of elections implies the competition of at least two parties.

EXPLAIN.5 Watch this short Video on Political Parties and what they do Political Parties So, What Party do you Dance Too? ASSIGNMENT Finish Reading Notes on the role and Functions of Political Parties / Due at End of Class

PROJECT ELECTION 2016 Who will Win in 2016 THE RESULTS ARE IN: A Principles of Government Survey TOPIC: Qualifications for the Presidency Who will choose the Presidents of the next several decades? Who will determine which Senators and Representatives make laws during the 21st century? Who will cast the votes that will influence public policy of the future? The answer is: YOU. As a member of the next generation of American voters, your opinion counts. That’s why the Close Up Foundation and Prentice Hall teamed up to sponsor a national survey of high school students’ views about government and politics. On the Magruder’s American Government Web site at the results of the entire survey can be found. Follow the link to the Close Up Foundation and click on Student Opinion on Government and Politics.

PROJECT ELECTION 2016 Who will Win in 2016 TASK 1. Conduct a poll of your classmates about what they feel are the qualities needed in a President 2. Ask your English and Social Studies Teachers for Permission to conduct the survey 3. Hand-out the Survey slip and have students check off the best answer for each box 4. They do not put their names on it 5. Collect the survey’s and return them to class: Assigned – Return to class In-class we will tally the results 7. place your data on the spread sheet 8. Create an Austin HS Bar graph displaying the answers 9. Compare your data to the 2000 poll 10. Analyze and answer the questions

PROJECT ELECTION 2016 Who will Win in 2016 Part.1 CONDUCT SURVEY 1. Conduct a poll of your classmates about what they feel are the qualities needed in a President 2. Ask your English and Social Studies Teachers for Permission to conduct the survey 3. Hand-out the Survey slip and have students check off the best answer for each box 4. They do not put their names on it 5. Collect the survey’s and return them to class: Assigned – Return to class

PROJECT ELECTION 2016 Who will Win in 2016 Part.1 CONDUCT SURVEY 1. Conduct a poll of your classmates about what they feel are the qualities needed in a President 2. Ask your English and Social Studies Teachers for Permission to conduct the survey 3. Hand-out the Survey slip and have students check off the best answer for each box 4. They do not put their names on it 5. Collect the survey’s and return them to class: Assigned – Return to class