1. Unit 2: Chapters 5-6

2.  A political party is a group of people who seek to control government by winning elections and holding office  Platform: Formal statement of basic beliefs, opinions, and objectives.

3.  Nominate Candidates President, Congress, Governor, City Council, etc.  Combine people who support similar ideas  Oppose ideas together  Raise money to fund elections TV & radio ads, signs, etc.

4.  America has always had a two party system  They have changed through history Federalists & Anti-Federalists Whigs and Democrats Democrats & Republicans (for the last 150 years)  Minor parties have always existed as well

5.  Conservative Party  Red  GOP  Elephant  “Right Winged”  Do NOT have control of Presidency  DO have majority in the HOUSE

6. Republicans  Issues: Pro-Life (oppose abortion) Limited/Small government (less involvement in everyday affairs) Stronger support for “staying the course” in Iraq, Afghanistan  Leaders: John Boehner John McCain Mitch McConnell Sarah Palin***

7.  Liberal  Blue  Donkey

10. Democrats  Liberal  Blue  Donkey  “Left Winged”  Have a majority in the Senate and control the Presidency

11. Democrats  Issues: Pro-Choice (support abortion) Big government (more involvement in everyday affairs) Cut taxes for poor & raise taxes for businesses and upper class End involvement in Iraq & Afghanistan ASAP  Leaders: Barack Obama Joe Biden Harry Reid Hillary Clinton

12. Minor Parties  Why are Minor Parties important? Spoiler, Critic, Innovator Often have big influence on elections

13.  Ideological Parties: Libertarians – reducing government Socialists – Karl Marx ideas  Single Issue Parties: Free-Soil Party– abolition of slavery Right to Life – opposes abortion

14. Minor Parties  Economic Protest Parties Disgust for ……..  Splinter Parties Break off a larger party 1912 – Progressive (Bull Moose)  Ross Perot won almost 20 million votes in 1992 Presidential election

15.  Each party has a headquarters in every state. Downtown Nashville  Delegates are chosen in each state to represent the state’s interests  Conventions Used to rally supporters and choose candidates

16.  Senators for TN Lamar Alexander (R) Bob Corker (R)  House of Representatives 9 Representatives Marsha Blackburn (R) represents most of Williamson County & Friends Jim Cooper (D) Davidson, Wilson, etc.

17.  Gerrymandering Drawing electoral district lines in order to limit the voting strength of a particular group or party Used to guarantee a party will win / lose.

18.  Suffrage – right to vote (Franchise)  1776: Male White Over age 21 Land Owning Literate Passed Religious test Paid Tax  2010: Male/Female All Races Over age 18 No ownership qualifications No tests, etc.

19.  1810: most religious tests, property requirements had been eliminated  After Civil War 13 th Amendment outlawed slavery 14 th gave citizenship rights to former slaves 15 th outlawed denying right to vote based on race or color  NOT enforced

20. History of Suffrage  Voting discrimination Poll Taxes – Voting fee, administered by poll workers after 15 th Amendment  Fee to African Americans to prevent from voting Literacy tests  Required before allowing to vote Grandfather Clause  If a person’s ancestor voted before 1870, they could vote without paying a poll or taking literacy test.

21. History of Suffrage  1920 19 th Prohibited denying right to vote based on gender  1960’s Civil Rights Acts & Voting Rights Act 23 rd Amendment – DC 24 th – outlawed poll taxes  1970’s 26 th – Voting age lowered to 18

22. Suffrage Timeline  Include 14 items: Amendments: 15 th, 19 th, 23 rd, 24 th, 26 th Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964 Voting Rights Acts of 1965, 1982 Motor Voter Law Supreme Court Cases:  Harper v. Virginia  Oregon v. Mitchell  Hill v. Stone  Explain ALL items very briefly

23.  Who can vote? Citizens of the United States Legal residents of the state they will vote in At least 18 years old  States can legally restrict the voting rights of: Mentally incompetent Convicted of serious crimes Dishonorably discharged from Military

24.  In November ‘08, only 56.8% of eligible people voted in the Presidential election Participation is even lower for off-year elections  Off year – Congressional elections held between Presidential elections  Straight Ticket voting Voting for candidates of only one party  Split Ticket voting Voting for candidates of multiple parties Aka: a candidate’s party affiliation is less important

25.  Idiotes – non-voter in Ancient Greece  Why do people not vote? Inconvenience Don’t believe their vote will make a difference Distrust of politics or candidates Bad weather on voting day

26.  Picking a Candidate is complicated  Candidates are chosen either by being chosen through a primary or making an announcement that they are running.  Primaries are a way for the public to voice their opinion. They help pick the candidate. But states do it many different ways