1. Warm – Up
Choose one characteristic from each set of the political party platforms half sheet.

2. Political Parties
SS.7.C Identify America's current political parties, and illustrate their ideas about government.
Essential Question:
What are America’s current political parties?
What are their ideas about government?
Teacher should introduce remediation by making some reference to the current political race for president. Be sure to not include too much of your own personal opinion into the I do portion of the lesson.

3. Political Parties Foldable
Add the definition of political parties to the front of your booklet.
Political Party – a group of people with similar views on public issues

4. Political Parties I DO - 5 Min.
Many political parties have come and gone in our nation’s history.
Today, we have two primary parties –
The Republicans
The Democrats
We also have a number of smaller parties including –
The Socialist Party
The Communist Party
The Libertarian Party
The Green Party
Remember, this is brief, you’re working with students to give a bit of information. Use your text, the Gateway Book and other resources as appropriate.

5. Where Did Political Parties Begin?
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Believed in strong national (federal) government in order to protect individual’s rights and create a healthy economy.
Believed that the best way to protect individual’s rights was to limit the power of the national government
Supported more power for the states, which were closer to the people
Where did political parties begin? Parties arose because people had different ideas about what the government should do. As we wrote the Constitution, two sides developed…
Federalists - Eventually led to the Democratic Party and by 1825 members of this party thought that people in each territory should decide for themselves whether to permit slavery
Anti-Federalists - Eventually led to the Republican Party in Some members of this party opposed slavery in the southern states, while others thought that slavery should not spread to new territories

6. Major Political Parties Today… We Do – 10 min
Democrats
Generally favors providing more government services to promote social justice and achieve full equality of opportunity.
Generally means higher taxes.
Often support programs to help with roads, schools, public works and research.
Republicans
Generally favors less government interference, more private enterprise, lower taxes and a strong foreign policy
Less power at national level, return power to states (Anti- Federalists ring a bell?)
Strong military

7. Third Parties We Do - 10 Min.
Libertarian
Favor less government and more personal freedoms
Favor freedom of speech, free market economy, reduced taxes, reduced government spending, states rights and the ability to carry guns.
Green Party
Support 10 key values
Formed to protect the environment
No desire to exploit people or the environment.

8. Third Parties We Do - 10 Min.
Communists
Seek to Eliminate Class struggles
Believe Business owners exploit workers
Abolished private property and established a system where the government controls everything.
Socialists
Desire strong unions
Public ownership of utilities, transportation housing and other basic industries
Free health care and education

9. Political Parties You Do – 10 min
Political Party Functions – page 297 – 299 in text. Take notes on the 6 major functions of political parties today.
Electing Candidates – is the major role that political parties play today. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Political Party Booklet!
See I do slides for comparisons.

10. In the modern political system, which issue represents a basic disagreement between Republicans and Democrats?
Quick Check
the responsibilities of government
the frequency of national elections
the legality of the U.S. Constitution
the support for the U.S. military soldier
The below statement is from a political party platform:
“We, the workers and our allies, need to take power from the hands of the wealthy few, their corporations, and their political operatives”
Which party is represented in the statement?
The bell ringer is also available in Word format. You may print and hand copies at the door. Answers to the bell ringer appear later in the presentation.
Communist
Democrat
Republican
Socialist

11. In the modern political system, which issue represents a basic disagreement between Republicans and Democrats?
Quick Check – ANSWERS
the responsibilities of government
the frequency of national elections
the legality of the U.S. Constitution
the support for the U.S. military soldier
The below statement is from a political party platform:
“We, the workers and our allies, need to take power from the hands of the wealthy few, their corporations, and their political operatives”
Which party is represented in the statement?
Communist
Democrat
Republican
Socialist

12. You Do – Answer this question:
“We seek a society based on personal liberty and responsibility – a society in which all individuals are sovereign over their own lives… People have the right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and pursue happiness in whatever manner they choose…”
Which political party’s views are represent in the above statement?
Green Party
Communist Party
Democratic Party
Libertarian Party
Which issues represents a basic disagreement between democrats and republicans?
Whether monopoly capitalism should be replaced by state ownership
Whether Americans should unite behind the nation against global terrorism
Whether higher levels of taxation should be imposed to pay for more public services
Whether current uses of natural resources should be radically replaced by a greater focus on the future sustainability.
Answers are D and C