Chapter Overview

Political Participation

• In what different ways do Americans participate in politics? Why is voting the most important form of political participation?

Who Participates and How?

• What is the history of suffrage in the United States?

Explaining Political Participation

• What explains levels of participation?
• Why has participation declined over time?

Participation and American Political Values

• What roles do political institutions play in promoting participation and fulfilling American political values? Have attempts to increase participation succeeded? Why or why not? What are the implications for democracy?