Chapter 9: Political Parties

Study Plan

In this chapter, we will:

• explain why political parties exist. In doing so, we will see that parties play a significant role in the political process.
• examine the history of the American two-party system. As we will see, the history of parties has followed an interesting pattern that has had important consequences for governance.
• examine parties as organizations, parties in the electorate, and the role of parties in the campaign process. We will see that although party organizations remain strong, the electorate’s identification with parties and the role of parties in the electoral process have been declining in recent decades.
• assess the impact of parties on government and the policy-making process. We will see that the differences between the two major parties can and do have an effect on policy.

As you work through the below assignments, don't forget to generate a Progress Report. Fill out the sections you have completed and send a copy to your email account.

Organize

1. Follow this Study Plan to access your chapter assignments.
2. Print out the Chapter Outline and bring it to lecture to help structure your note-taking and check-off topics covered in class.
3. Access Quiz+! The results of this chapter quiz create a Custom Study Plan that links you directly to materials that will assist your pre-exam review.

Learn

1. Read Chapter 9 in your textbook or ebook.
2. Read the Chapter Review of Chapter 9. Note any material you have difficulty remembering from the text.
3. Master the key terms for this chapter by working through the deck of Flashcards.

Connect

1. Explore the Interactive Politics Simulation and the questions that follow.
2. Complete the You Decide Exercise after reading the Policy Debate box in Chapter 9 of your textbook or ebook.
3. Answer the Questions for Discussion and Thought and articulate your own point of view on the chapter's material.
4. Complete the What Government Does Exercises to understand the structure of American government and how it affects your life in a direct way.
5. Complete the Get Involved Exercise to see how you can use what you have learned in this chapter to effect change in politics and policy.
6. Watch the Video Exercises for this chapter and answer the accompanying questions.
7. Mobilize for political action with Mobilize.org!

Links

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