1. Lesson 11- Candidates and Elections SS.C.7.2.9

2. Overview Overview In this lesson, students will understand the requirements to run for political office and evaluate candidates based on additional qualifications. Essential Questions What are the constitutional requirements to run for political office? How does one evaluate candidates running for political office? NGSSS Benchmarks SS.7.C.2.9 Evaluate candidates for political office by analyzing their qualifications, experience, issue-based platforms, debates, and political ads. Learning Goals/Benchmark Clarifications Students will identify the constitutional requirements to run for federal political office. Students will recognize the requirements to run for state and local political offices Students will be able to analyze and/or evaluate the qualifications of candidates for public office based on their experience, platforms, debates, and political advertisements.

3. Bell Ringer Compare these two ads from the 2012 presidential campaign. What are some things you notice about Obama’s ad? Romney’s ad?

4. Requirements for Political Office Qualification: the action of qualifying or being eligible for something Make a list of what you think qualifications should be for the following elected officials: ◦ President ◦ Senate ◦ House of Representatives ◦ Governor ◦ Mayor ◦ Local representative

5. Name of OfficeCitizenship RequirementsAgeResidency (where you live) PresidentNatural-born citizen (Must be born in the United States) 3514 years in the U.S. U.S. SenateNatural-born or naturalized citizen (Just have to be a citizen) 309 years in the U.S.; must reside in the state that they represent U.S. House of RepresentativesNatural-born or naturalized citizen (Just have to be a citizen) 257 years in the U.S.; must reside in the state that they represent State Governor Natural-born or naturalized citizen (Just have to be a citizen) 307 years in the state they represent City Mayor Natural-born or naturalized citizen (Just have to be a citizen) 18Must live in the city they represent (some cities have the 1-year rule) State senator OR State legislator (House of Representatives) Natural-born or naturalized citizen (Just have to be a citizen) 212 years in Florida; resident of the district being represented Requirements for Federal Office

6. Before they became presidents… What are some common occupations you see? When considering someone for a political office, what type of experience are you looking for the candidate to have? Occupations of U.S Presidents 1.George Washington1789-1797Soldier, Planter 2.John Adams1797-1801Lawyer 3Thomas Jefferson1801-1809Lawyer, Planter 4.James Madison1809-1817Politician, Planter 5.James Monroe1817-1825Lawyer 6.John Quincy Adams1825-1829Lawyer, Senator, Diplomat 7.Andrew Jackson1829-1837Lawyer, Soldier 8.Martin Van Buren1837-1841Lawyer 9.William Henry Harrison 1841Soldier 10.John Tyler1841-1845Lawyer 11.James K. Polk1845-1849Lawyer 12.Zachary Taylor1849-1850Soldier 13.Millard Fillmore1850-1853Lawyer 14.Franklin Pierce1853-1857Lawyer, Public Official 15.James Buchanan1857-1861Lawyer 16.Abraham Lincoln1861-1865Lawyer 17.Andrew Johnson1865-1869Tailor, Public Official 18.Ulysses S. Grant1869-1877Soldier 19.Rutherford B. Hayes1877-1881Lawyer 20.James A. Garfield1881Teacher, Public Official 21.Chester A. Arthur1881-1885Lawyer 22.Grover Cleveland1885-1889Lawyer 23.Benjamin Harrison1889-1893Lawyer 24.Grover Cleveland1893-1897Lawyer 25.William McKinley1897-1901Lawyer 26.Theodore Roosevelt1858-1909Author, Lawyer, Public Official 27.William Howard Taft1909-1913Lawyer, Public Official 28.Woodrow Wilson1913-1921Professor, College Administrator, Public Official 29.Warren G. Harding1921-1923Editor-Publisher 30.Calvin Coolidge1923-1929Lawyer 31.Herbert Hoover1929-1933Engineer 32.Franklin D. Roosevelt1933-1945Lawyer, Public Official 33.Harry S. Truman1945-1953Farmer, Businessman, Public Official 34.Dwight Eisenhower1953-1961Soldier 35.John F. Kennedy1961-1963Author, U.S. Navy Officer, Journalist, Public Official 36.Lyndon Johnson1963-1969Teacher, Public Official 37.Richard Nixon1969-1974Lawyer, Public Official 38.Gerald Ford1974-1977Lawyer, Public Official 39.Jimmy Carter1977-1981Soldier, Farmer, Warehouseman, Public Official, Professor 40.Ronald Reagan1981-1989Actor, Public Official 41.George H. W. Bush1989-1993Businessman, Public Official 42.Bill Clinton1993-2001Lawyer, Public Official 43.George Walker Bush2001-2009Businessman, Public Official 44.Barack Obama2009Community Organizer, Public Official

7. Experience Why do you think there are common occupations among presidents? How might these occupations provide important experience to prepare someone to be the leader of the country? Occupations of Presidents

8. Political Platform (Issue Based) Issue Based Platform - a document stating the goals and principles of a political party or political candidate, also known as a political platform Why would you want to consider a candidate’s views on issues? How would you find out information about their stance on issues?

9. Debates "Television is no gimmick [trick], and nobody will ever be elected to major office again without presenting themselves well on it." – Television producer and Nixon campaign consultant Roger Ailes, 1968 Think about this quote, then after the videos, revisit it for a better understanding.

10. Debates Presidential debates have become an important component of presidential campaigns. NY Times Clip – This video begins with three debate examples and then concludes with a summary of the importance of debates for voters. http://www.nytimes.com/video/2012/09/2 8/us/politics/100000001814028/presidenti al-debate-moments.html http://www.nytimes.com/video/2012/09/2 8/us/politics/100000001814028/presidenti al-debate-moments.html

11. Political Ads $896 million was spent in 2012 in one area for candidates to inform voters about themselves and the opponent. What do you think this money was spent on? Why do they think so much money is spent on these advertisements? Take notes on what they learn about the candidates for each advertisement we are about to view.

12. Political Ads We will now watch a series of television political advertisements. What do you think the message is for each ad? What do you learn about the candidate? The First TV Ad: Dwight Eisenhower, 1952 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1952 Mrs. JFK Speaks to Spanish-Speaking Voters: Kennedy, 1960 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1960 Reagan Pushes Hope Campaign: Reagan, 1980 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1980 Bush Makes Dukakis Look Bad: Bush, 1988 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1988 I Want to Be A…: Clinton, 1996 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/1996 We Live in a Dangerous Word: Bush, 2000 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2000 Making Obama Look Bad: Romney, 2012 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2012 Obama Defends Himself Against Romney’s Attack Ads: Obama, 2012 http://www.livingroomcandidate.org/commercials/2012 So why do we have ads? Why are they so important? Why do politicians spend so much money on ads?

13. Content Vocabulary Word/TermPart of SpeechDefinition candidatenouna person running for political office electornouna person who has the right to vote in an election evaluateverbto determine or to judge issue based platform nouna document stating the goals and principles of a political party or political candidate, also known as a political platform natural born citizen nounsomeone who was born in the U.S. or born to U.S. citizens political officenouna position for which a candidate is elected to hold political officialnouna person holding an elected office qualificationnounthe traits and accomplishments that fit a person for some function or office requirementnounsomething necessary (something mandatory) voteverbto elect or decide