While people love to criticize political parties, the reality is that the modern political system could not exist without them. This chapter will explore why the party system may be the most important component of any true democracy. What are political parties? Why do they form, and why has the United States typically had only two? Why have political parties become so highly structured? Finally, why does it seem that parties today are more polarized than they have been in the past?

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Weekly Objectives

-Topic 7 Political Parties-

Topic 7.1 What Are Parties and How Did They Form?

Objectives:

• Describe political parties and what they do.
• Differentiate political parties from interest groups.
• Explain how U.S. political parties formed.

Topic 7.2 The Two-Party System

Objectives:

• Describe the effects of winner-take-all elections.
• Compare plurality and proportional representation.
• Describe the institutional, legal, and social forces that limit the number of parties.
• Discuss the concepts of party alignment and realignment.

Assignment Due 5/17

1. Topic 7.1 What Are Parties and How Did They Form?
2. Topic 7.2 The Two-Party System

Late Assignments that Close 5/17

1. Topic 6.1 The Colorado Legislative Branch
2. 6.2 Who Represents Me?