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STANDARD CE.5a
Political
Parties |
The student will demonstrate knowledge
of the political process at the local, state, and national levels of
government by:
a) describing the functions of political parties |
What roles do political parties play in the American political
process?
Political parties play a key role in government and
provide opportunities
for citizens to participate in the political process.
Functions of political parties
• Recruiting and nominating candidates
• Educating the electorate about campaign issues
• Helping candidates win elections
• Monitoring actions |
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STANDARD CE.5b
Similarities and Differences between Political Parties |
The student will demonstrate knowledge
of the political process at the local, state, and national levels of
government by:
b) comparing the similarities and differences of political parties |
How are the major political parties similar, and how do they
differ?
How do third parties differ from the two major parties?
A two-party system characterizes the American political
process.
Although third parties rarely win elections, they play an
important role in
public politics.
Similarities between parties
• Organize to win elections
• Influence public policies
• Reflect both liberal and conservative views
• Define themselves in a way that wins majority support by appealing to the
political center
Differences between parties
• Stated in a party's platform and reflected in campaigning
Third parties
• Introduce new ideas or press for a particular issue
• Often revolve around a political personality (e.g., Theodore Roosevelt) |