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5.3 Political Parties

6 min read • january 30, 2023

VladimirGenkovski

Linkage Institutions

A linkage institution is an organization that connects different parts of a society and helps to facilitate communication and cooperation between them. This can include government agencies, non-profit organizations, business groups, and other types of institutions that play a role in linking different stakeholders and promoting cooperation towards common goals. They are vehicles that connect people with the government by allowing them to communicate their preferences to policy making institutions. The AP US Government exam explores four linkage institutions -- political parties , interest groups , elections , and the media 📰. Each of the institutions serve an important role in helping shape public opinion and policy.

Political parties

Political parties represent different political ideologies and interests. They sere as a platform for the variety of worldviews, allowing citizens to identify with and support a particular party that aligns with their values and beliefs. Political parties mobilize voters, raise awareness about issues, and influence public opinion through their political campaigns, rallies, and platforms. They foster democratic participation as they provide citizens with the opportunity to take part in the democratic process by supporting and electing candidates, contributing to campaigns, and becoming involved in party activities. Political parties also facilitate governance by supporting and passing legislation, and making decisions that affect the nation.

Interest groups

Interest groups represent specific interests as they serve as a platform for advocacy (e.g. for environmental protection, labor rights, or gun rights). They influence public policy as they use their resources and expertise to educate and ensure that policy-makers will follow up on issues that are important to their embers and to advocate for specific policy outcomes. Interest groups provide policy-makers with information and research about the issues that are being discussed. They also foster democratic participation as they provide citizens with the opportunity to take part in advocacy efforts and become involved in lobbying activities.

Some of the public interest groups in the United States include the National Organization for Women, the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and many more. They all can be found in government websites--one of the signs for the importance interest groups have in the democratic process.

They allocate political power as they determine who will hold political office and make decisions that affect the nation, allowing citizens to have a say in who will represent their interests. Elections how elected officials accountable to their constituents, as citizens have the opportunity to vote them out of office if they are not satisfied with their performance. They provide a competitive framework for political parties and candidates to compete for the support of voters and advocate for their ideas and policies. Elections also encourage citizen participation by providing opportunities for voters to cast their ballots and make their voices heard in the political process.

Media in the US serves as a linkage institution by connecting citizens with their government and providing a means for the dissemination of information and the formation of public opinion. It provides citizens with information about current events, political issues, and policies, allowing them to stay informed and make informed decisions. Media is notorious for the way it shapes public opinion. It frames issues (which determines how they are perceived and understood by the public), select and emphasize certain news (which shapes public perceptions of what is important and what is not), influence opinions through storytelling (e.g. by portraying political leaders and issues in a positive or negative light), and shapes political discourse (which determines what issues are discussed and how they are discussed). Furthermore, media serves as a watchdog for government, investigating and reporting on government actions, and holding elected officials accountable for their actions. It also provides a platform for democratic debate, allowing citizens and policy-makers to engage in open discussion and exchange of ideas.

Functions and Impact of Political Parties

Mobilization and education of voters

An ongoing goal of political parties is to attract more members to the party so as to strengthen the chance that their preferred candidates will get elected in future elections . Party workers and volunteers actively recruit new members by making phone calls 📱, sending emails and automated text messages, and even go door-to-door to persuade potential voters. In the past decade, parties have increasingly utilized social media to broaden their coalitions, purchasing online ad space and creating official party accounts to connect with current and potential members. In the weeks leading up to an election, parties send large numbers of supporters into local neighborhoods 🏡 to connect directly with voters by handing out brochures, answering questions about their preferred candidates, and to spread the overall vision 👀 of the party.

Party platforms

Political parties in the United States develop  party platforms  in an effort to represent the views of the millions of voters who identify with a party. The platforms are written every four years and are essentially a mega list of the party’s beliefs and goals for the next presidential term. Major themes within the Republican Party 🟥 platform include heavy investments in national defense, lower taxes, and fewer restrictions on businesses, while the Democratic Party 🟦 platform reflects a desire to actively use the government to solve pressing issues—including but not limited to minority rights, environmental restrictions, and increased regulations on businesses. The platforms are communicated at each party’s  national conventions  🎉 and are important for party leaders in their attempt to hold their preferred candidate accountable.

Candidate Recruitment & Campaign Management

Parties are always on the lookout for potential candidates at all levels of government—federal (president, Congress), state (governors, state senators and assemblymen and women), and local (mayors, school board, city council). Party leaders actively recruit people who are informed, personable, and electable. Once candidates are recruited, party leaders help manage campaigns by holding events, fundraising 🤑, and attempting to engage and excite voters for the upcoming election to increase turnout. 

Party leaders are in a tricky position during the nomination phase of an election, since multiple candidates from the same party are all vying for the same position. Acting more as a traffic cop 👮, parties help facilitate the process by sponsoring debates between candidates and offering general support. Once a nominee is declared, party leaders and rank and file members typically rally around the candidate during the  general election . Common practices during the general election phase include: planning and holding rallies and fundraisers; making phone calls 📱, sending emails, and social media posts; distributing campaign SWAG—bumper stickers 🚙, pins, yard signs, and buttons; and purchasing TV 📺, radio, and internet  ads—either supporting their candidate or attacking 😠 their opponent.

Campaign management (including fundraising and media strategy) helps to communicate and promote the ideology and platform of a political party, reflecting the party's values and beliefs. It helps to mobilize party supporters and voters, reflecting the strength and organizational capability of the party. Campaign management plays a role in determining party strategy, including the allocation of resources, the targeting of key electoral groups, and the development of campaign messages. It is crucial because it shapes the image of the given political candidate, which reflects the party's priorities and values and promotes a candidate who best represents the party's platform. Finally, campaign management can also help to build party infrastructure, such as creating a network of volunteers, supporters, and donors, which can be used to support future campaigns and party initiatives.

Committee and party leadership systems in legislatures

Committee assignments and party leadership positions reflect the ideological divisions within a legislative body, with members being appointed to committees and elected to leadership positions based on their alignment with party ideology. They play a role in shaping the legislative agenda, with committees determining which bills are considered and party leaders determining the priority and focus of legislative initiatives. Committee and party leadership systems also play a role in influencing legislative action, with committees making recommendations on bills and party leaders determining the pace and outcome of legislative negotiations and voting. The distribution of committees reflects the relative strength of political parties within a legislative body, and can impact the ability of parties to achieve their legislative goals. Furthermore, it helps promoting party cohesion by giving party leaders a means of enforcing party discipline and ensuring that members vote in accordance with party positions.

📽️ Watch: AP Gov -  Political Parties Crash Course

Key Terms to Review ( 10 )

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)

Committee and Party Leadership Systems in Legislatures

Interest Groups

National Organization for Women (NOW)

Political Parties

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One Big Party?

Lesson plan.

In One Big Party , students learn about the role of political parties in the United States and the influence parties have in our political system, including the role of third parties. This lesson does not cover political party ideologies.

Use our mini-lesson  Party Systems  to teach students about the different kinds of political party systems that exist in countries around the world. (Party Systems used to be part of One Big Party but now stands alone.)

Got a 1:1 classroom? Download fillable PDF versions of this lesson's materials below! Or use our Google Slide and Pear Deck activities !

Love this lesson?  Explore all of our free election curriculum and teaching resources at our  Election Headquarters . 

Teacher Resources

Get access to lesson plans, teacher guides, student handouts, and other teaching materials.

• One Big Party_Lesson Plan.pdf
• One Big Party_StudentDocs.pdf

I find the materials so engaging, relevant, and easy to understand – I now use iCivics as a central resource, and use the textbook as a supplemental tool. The games are invaluable for applying the concepts we learn in class. My seniors LOVE iCivics.

Lynna Landry , AP US History & Government / Economics Teacher and Department Chair, California

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Campaign cash (infographic).

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Candidate report card, cast your vote.

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Election results tracker, got ballot, midterm math (infographic), mini-lesson: the incumbent advantage (hs).

See how it all fits together!

Political Parties

Looking to get involved in American politics? A great way to start is by learning about the different political parties! In this lesson, students will be introduced to both major and minor political parties in the United States. This lesson encourages students to become more involved in the political process, whether it be through voting or other means of engagement.

Check out the “Options for Lesson” section for additional ideas to add to the lesson. An excellent way to introduce the lesson is to start with one of the lessons or videos from the Learn Bright collection.

Description

Additional information, what our political parties lesson plan includes.

Lesson Objectives and Overview: Political Parties introduces students to history behind the division of political views in the US as represented by parties. Students will discuss the major political parties in the US. They will also discover the purpose of political parties and their importance to the system of democracy in US politics. This lesson is for students ins 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade.

Classroom Procedure

Every lesson plan provides you with a classroom procedure page that outlines a step-by-step guide to follow. You do not have to follow the guide exactly. The guide helps you organize the lesson and details when to hand out worksheets. It also lists information in the yellow box that you might find useful. You will find the lesson objectives, state standards, and number of class sessions the lesson should take to complete in this area. In addition, it describes the supplies you will need as well as what and how you need to prepare beforehand. Ensure your students have internet access for this lesson.

Options for Lesson

In the “Options for Lesson” section of the classroom procedure page, you will see some suggestions for additional activities or ideas to add to the lesson if you want to. Younger students will need some background information to provide context to comprehend a lesson on political parties. Learn Bright offers lessons and videos on the electoral college, democracy, branches of government, and various political leaders. An excellent way to introduce the lesson is to start with one of the lessons or videos from the Learn Bright collection.

Teacher Notes

The paragraph on this page provides a little more information or guidance on what to expect from the lesson. It emphasizes that this is a non-partisan lesson. The lesson aims to help students develop insights into how parties operate and why they are critical. You can use the blank lines to record any thoughts or ideas you have as you prepare.

POLITICAL PARTIES LESSON PLAN CONTENT PAGES

Intro to political parties.

The Political Parties lesson plan contains four pages of content. There is no greater responsibility of citizens in the United States than to vote. There is rarely a time when political candidates are not seeking support to represent you in local, state, or national elections. Through voting, citizens in the United States can choose who will represent them in public policy or decide what they want our government to do.

Everything from new roads to schools to healthcare is on the ballot every time there is an election. So how do candidates get on the ballot to be voted on to represent us? What are political parties, and what role do they play in elections? Let’s begin with some basic ideas that make elections in the United States unique from the rest of the governments in the world.

Have you ever heard the word democracy? Democracy is a form of government. The word comes from the Greek word demos, meaning citizens, and kratos, meaning power or rule. Democracy is a form of government where the power of government resides in the citizens who freely choose how they want to be led by their leaders. For example, you may have voted in your class for a class leader or for what kind of game you want to play at recess. If so, you participated in a democracy! The US government is a democracy.

There are many democracies in the world. However, the US has a unique form of democracy that is different from other world governments. The US is a democratic republic form of government. In a true democracy, citizens vote on every issue. In the US, citizens will sometimes vote on specific issues. Usually, we vote for representatives to make most of the decisions rather than vote on every issue or government decision ourselves.

History of Political Parties

In early American history when cities and populations were small, leaders hosted town meetings. It was easy to get everyone together to vote on something. As cities grew, it became increasingly more challenging to organize town meetings. The growth of cities and communities meant the issues became more complicated. Leaders needed the authority to make day-to-day decisions without convening every citizen in the town for a vote.

So, when the 13 states ratified or approved the Constitution on June 21 of 1788, it established our government as a federal constitutional democratic republic. What a mouthful! The Constitution separated the government into federal and state governments. The state governments formed local governments like city, county, and parish governments, or special boards like school boards.

In the United States, citizens vote on leaders (candidates) to represent them at every level of government. The leaders represent our interests and what we want the government to do. If we are unhappy with their decisions, we vote to replace them with other candidates. This is where political parties play a role.

The United States’ first president was George Washington, who was elected in 1789. When the US was first formed, there were no political parties. You might say that Washington was an Independent or not a member of any political party. The members of Congress wanted to give the newly formed government and Constitution a chance to succeed. The members were mostly non-partisan or open to listening to many opinions before making decisions.

Party Formation

That’s not to say members of Congress didn’t have severe differences of opinion. They did! The members realized that they could better serve the new government and the people if they worked together. So, they chose to compromise, or reach agreements by making a deal in which each person gave up part of their demands.

The non-partisan government didn’t last long. By 1797, members of Congress began to align with two camps—Federalists and Anti-Federalists. One of their disagreements was about the government in general. Federalists wanted a strong central federal government. Anti-Federalists believed a weak federal government and strong state government would be better. The two factions, or partisan groups, had other arguments too. They argued over the election of government officials, term limits for officeholders, and individual liberties.

The partisanship led to the formation of two political parties, the Democratic-Republican and Republican parties, in 1798. Inside the parties were even more factions. The parties became more divided with each subsequent presidential election. The lesson provides a list of the significant political parties that formed since 1828.

Although several political parties have started, only two have been able to elect candidates consistently. The Democratic and Republican Parties have dominated US politics since the 1850s. In modern times, while many local elections like school boards or city councils have become non-partisan, candidates still identify with one of the two parties: Democrat or Republican.

Importance of Political Parties

Political parties perform an important function in US politics. They work to find qualified people to run for elected positions. Political parties recruit and train candidates to run for elected office. They raise money, provide organizational support, and run campaigns to get their candidates elected. After elections, political parties try to influence public policy by encouraging their elected officials to vote in specific ways. Public policy is the concept that laws and the actions governments take should work in favor of the public.

Political parties keep the members of the public informed about what the government is doing. All of these are good things, but some think the two major parties have too much say in how the government runs. Many political scientists who study politics and government believe the two parties have become too partisan. They believe the two parties are more interested in maintaining their influence than they are in working for the general good of the voters.

In his last speech to Congress, George Washington warned that political parties and partisan factions were dangerous if left unchecked. Surveys of voters indicate they feel the same way. About one-third of voters say they are Democrats, one-third are Republicans, and the remaining are Independents. Voters expect elected officials to work together, not fight over partisan issues.

POLITICAL PARTIES LESSON PLAN WORKSHEETS

The lesson plan includes three worksheets: an activity worksheet, a practice worksheet, and a homework assignment. These worksheets will help students demonstrate what they learned throughout the lesson and reinforce the lesson concepts. The guide on the classroom procedure page outlines when to hand out each worksheet to your students.

UNITY AND INNOVATION PARTIES ACTIVITY WORKSHEET

Students will work with a partner for the activity. They will first read a short story that describes two people with different views. With their partners, students will discuss how the two characters should vote. They will also discuss how partisan political parties play a role in how a person should vote. At the bottom of the worksheet are a few questions for students to think about.

PRESIDENTIAL QUOTES PRACTICE WORKSHEET

The practice worksheet requires students to use their critical thinking skills. They will read two quotes about government and political parties, one from President Kennedy and the other from President Coolidge. Students will write what they believe each president was saying about political parties in the space provided at the bottom of the page.

POLITICAL PARTIES HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT

For the homework assignment, students will complete a chart by researching the elected officials in their state. They will describe which political party the official belongs to and how many of each are in that party. They will then consider what the chart tells them about the strength of political parties in their state.

Worksheet Answer Keys

The final page of the lesson plan document is an answer key for the practice worksheet. The answers provided may vary from those of your students. If you choose to administer the lesson pages to your students via PDF, you will need to save a new file that omits these pages. Otherwise, you can simply print out the applicable pages and keep these as reference for yourself when grading assignments.

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Creating a Political Party and Platform Activity

Published: Sep 15, 2020 Contributor: Rachel Bzostek Walker License: CC BY NC SA 4.0 license – Allows revisions and additions but forbids commercial use.

This is an active learning resource for lower-division introductory American government courses. In the assignment, students are asked to build a political party by thinking about the component parts of parties and then start to build the party platform by selecting key issues and suggesting solutions to deal with those issues. One of the goals of this assignment is to get the students to understand that partisanship and ideology are related to each other, yet also separate and distinct from each other.

Keywords: active learning; assignment; lower-division course; political parties

• Creating a Political Party and Platform Link opens in a new tab.
• Rachel Bzostek Walker - Creating a Government class assignment Link opens in a new tab.
• Rachel Bzostek Walker - Amending the Constitution activity Link opens in a new tab.
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Resource Type

• Writing assignment

Course Topic

• U.S Government and Politics

Course Level

• High school
• Introductory
• Lower division

Course Type

Peer reviewed.

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Lesson Plan: Electoral College Map Virtual Scavenger Hunt

How the electoral college works.

University of Baltimore Law Professor Kimberly Wehle talked about how voting in the electoral college works in most states.

Description

This lesson has students explore C-SPAN’s online Historical Electoral College Map resource to learn about the process, history, and current patterns and trends relating to the electoral college. This self-guided activity will have students use a series of online electoral college maps and results from 1900 to 2016 to complete a virtual scavenger hunt. Students will use this resource to analyze maps and data to better understand how the electoral college works.

Before beginning class, have the students brainstorm what they already know about how presidents are elected.

INTRODUCTION:

Review what the students know about the process for electing a president. After addressing any misconceptions, introduce the concepts of the electoral college and the popular vote by having the students watch the video clip below. They should answer the questions as they view it.

Video Clip: How the Electoral College Works (1:05)

Who actually picks the president?

Explain how the popular vote impacts the electoral college.

• How do most states allocate their electoral votes?

EXPLORATION:

After introducing the electoral college, use the handout linked below to have students analyze the collection of historical electoral college maps found on the Historical Electoral College Map resource.

Students will search through the various election slides and answer each of the following questions relating to the electoral college. They will view the maps and data associated with the answers and complete the chart. Answers might be found using the map, the election results or the “Did you know?” section on the slides.

The handout is organized into the three sections relating to how the electoral college works, the history of the electoral college and current trends. Teachers can choose one of the following ways to implement this resource in their classes.

Individual Scavenger Hunt- Have the students work individually to complete either all of the activity or individual sections.

Jigsaw- Divide the class into groups of three. Assign the students in the groups one of the three sections. Students will become experts on that section and report back to their group.

• Students Choose- Require that students complete a specific number of questions from either the entire activity or specific sections.

VIRTUAL SCAVENGER HUNT RESOURCES:

Website: C-SPAN’s Historical Electoral College Maps

Handout: Electoral College Virtual Scavenger Hunt (Google Doc)

APPLICATION AND CULMINATING ASSIGNMENT:

Once students have completed the activity and have a strong understanding of how the electoral college works, students will use the previous electoral college maps and electoral results to predict the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Students can print out the blank electoral college map below and color in the states or use the blank map on 270toWin

Handout: Blank 2020 Electoral College Map (PDF)

Have the students address the following when explaining their prediction.

Summarize your prediction. Which candidate won? How many electoral votes did you predict each candidate will get?

Which major states/areas of the country did each candidate win? Why did you predict this?

• How did you use the previous election results to make your prediction?

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

Electoral College Math- Using the current electoral college map, answer the following math questions. What would be the smallest number of states needed to win 270 electoral votes? Which states would this include? What would be the largest number of states needed to win 270 electoral votes? Which states would this include?

State Research- Choose a state. Using the electoral maps, track how that state voted in each election from 1900 to 2016. From this explain the following:

How often did your state vote for each party?

How often did your state’s winner become president?

Explain how the population of your state has changed.

Does your state’s voting patterns match neighboring states?

• What assumptions can you make about your state and its influence in presidential elections?

ADDITIONAL PROMPTS:

How much does the popular vote matter in presidential elections?

Should more states move away from winner-take-all systems? Explain your answer.

How can candidates win the popular vote but lose the electoral vote?

What type of states does the electoral college favor? Explain your answer.

• How do regional differences in the United States impact electoral politics?

Additional Resources

• C-SPAN Classroom Deliberations: Should the Electoral College Be Reformed?
• Bell Ringer: The Significance of the Popular Vote in Presidential Elections
• 12th Amendment
• Electoral College
• Faithless Elector
• Popular Vote
• Presidential Election
• Swing State
• Third-party Candidate
• Winner-take-all System