CH. 8 - SEC. 1

Mass Media and Public Opinion

 The Formation of Public Opinion
You no doubt have opinions on a variety of issues, from school prayer to which political party should be in power. Several factors help shape your opinions. The two most important factors are family and education.

CH. 7 - SEC. 3

The Electoral Process

  Money and Elections
Money is an indispensable campaign resource. Yet money also poses a variety of problems in the election process. That's why the use of money is regulated in today's elections.

CH. 7 - SEC. 2

The Electoral Process

 Elections
The election process lies at the very heart of the democratic concept. Indeed, it is impossible to picture a democratic government in which popular elections are not held.

CH. 7 - SEC. 1

The Electoral Process

  The Nominating Process
The nominating process narrows the field of possible candidates for office. It is thus an essential part of an election. The caucus and convention were important nominating methods in the past. The direct primary has largely replaced them. Self-announcements and petitions are also used today as nominating devices.

CH. 6 - SEC. 4

Voters and Voter Behavior

 Voter Behavior

Low voter turnout is a serious problem in this country. Among those who do vote, sociological and psychological factors to work together influence voter behavior over time and in particular elections.

CH. 6 - SEC. 3

Voters and Voter Behavior

Suffrage and Civil Rights

The 15th Amendment declared that the right to vote cannot be denied on account of race. Nevertheless, a variety of tactics were used in southern States to disenfranchise African Americans. The Supreme Court struck down a number of these efforts, and, beginning in the 1950s, Congress passed laws to protect minority voting rights.

CH. 6 - SEC. 2

Voters and Voter Behavior

Voter Qualifications

All States have citizenship, residence, and age requirements for voting. Other voting qualifications differ from State to State. Some requirements - especially those that were used to disenfranchise certain groups - have been eliminated over time.

CH. 6 - SEC. 1

Voters and Voter Behavior

The Right to Vote

Democratic government can succeed only if its citizens are willing to vote. The history of the United States has been marked by a steady expansion of the electorate through the eliminations of restrictions on voting qualifications.

CH. 5 - SEC. 5

Political Parties

Party Organization

The major parties of the United States have a decentralized structure, and the different parts and elements work together primarily during national elections. The parties themselves have been in decline, or losing influence, since the 1960s.

CH. 5 - SEC. 4

Political Parties

The Minor Parties
Many minor parties have been active in American politics. They provide alternatives to the positions of the major parties, and sometimes have affected particular elections and shaped public policies.

CH. 5 - SEC. 3

Political Parties

The Two-Party System in America
The origins and history of political parties in the United States help explain why the two major parties work today and how they affect American government.

CH. 5 - SEC. 2

Political Parties

The Two-Party System
The two-party system in the United States is a product of historical forces, our electoral system, and the ideological consensus of the American people. It provides more political stability than a multiparty system and more choice than a one-party system.

CH. 5 - SEC. 1

Political Parties

What They Do
Political Parties are essential to democratic government. In the United States, political parties have shaped the way the government works. Today, the major parties perform several important functions without which our government could not function.

CH. 4 - SEC. 3

Federalism

Interstate Relations
What if Texas citizens were not allowed to travel into Oklahoma, or needed a special passport to do so? What if your North Carolina's driver's license were not valid when you drove through Ohio? Fortunately, several key provisions in the Constitution promote cooperation between and among the States.

CH. 4 - SEC. 2

Federalism

The National Government and the 50 States
In this country, the power to govern is shared by the National Government and each of the 50 States (including their thousands of local governments). Given this fact, conflicts are inevitable - and cooperation is absolutely necessary.

CH. 4 - SEC. 1

Federalism

The Division of Power
The federal system divides government power in order to prevent its abuse. There are two basic levels of government in the federal system - National and State. The Judicial Branch's Supreme Court settles disputes between the two.

CH. 3 - SEC. 3

The Constitution

Informal Amendment
In addition to the 27 formal amendments, Americans have made many more informal changes to the Constitution. As the Federal Government expanded, all three branches introduced new ways to govern that do not conflict with the original Constitution.

CH. 3 - SEC. 2

The Constitution

 Formal Amendment
The Constitution has grown and changed with the United States through the addition of 27 amendments. The first ten amendments guarantee many of our basic freedoms and are known as the Bill of Rights.

CH. 3 - SEC. 1

The Constitution

The Six Basic Principles
The Constitution is a brief, straightforward document that has guided American government for over 200 years. Its authors wrote the Constitution based on the principle of republicanism - that political power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by representatives chosen by them.

CH. 2 - SEC. 5

Origins of American Government

Ratifying the Constitution

The Constitution could not take affect until it had been ratified by nine States. The battle between those who had supported the Constitution was hard fought in all the States.

CH. 2 - SEC. 4

Origins of American Government

 Creating the Constitution

The Framers of the Constitution created a document that addressed the major concerns of the States attending the Philadelphia Convention. By reaching compromise on items about which they disagreed, the Framers created a new National Government capable of handling the nation's problems.

CH. 2 - SEC. 3

Origins of American Government

The Critical Period
The Articles of the Confederation established a fairly weak central government, which led to conflicts among the States. The turmoil of Critical Period of the 1780s led to the creation of a stronger National Government.

CH.2 - SEC. 2

Origins of American Government

The Coming of Independence
Changes in British colonial policies led to resentment in the colonies and eventually to the American Revolution. Ideas expressed in the early State constitutions influenced the development of the governmental system under which we live today.

CH. 2 - SEC. 1

Origins of American Government

Our Political Beginnings

Our system of government has its origins in the concepts and political ideas that English colonists brought with them when they settled North America. The colonies served as a school for learning about government.

CH. 1 - SEC. 3

Principles of Government

Basic Concepts of Democracy

Democracy rests on your rights and freedoms as an individual and as a member of society. The free enterprise system is a natural counterpart to democracy because it relies on the freedom of the individual to succeed.

CH. 1 - SEC. 2

Principles of Government

Forms of Government

You can group most of the world's governments into categories by asking three specific questions about each government. For example, the United States is a democracy with a federal and presidential system of government.

CH. 1 - SEC. 1

Principles of Government

Government and the State

Government is essential to the existence of human beings in a civilized society. What any particular government is like and what that government does have an extraordinary impact on the lives of all people who live within its reach.