Political Parties, Elections & Voting (10-20%)
UNIT 3 General Resources
Study Guide -- Part I: Political Parties, Nominations & Campaigns
Study Guide -- Part 2: Media & Interest Groups (distributed in class)
Unit 3 Concepts previously tested on AP GOPO exams
Unit 3 Key Concepts (must know)
HippoCampus Videos -- Political Parties
The Function of Parties in America
Factors that Lead to Party Identification
Party Realignment and Dealignment
HippoCampus Videos -- Elections
Primaries, Caucuses & the Conventions
Assignments
The Redistricting Game -- Complete all five missions. Also read the "Learn More" sections, quotations, and reform proposals.
How an Iowa Caucus Works -- In less than 3 minutes, learn how an Iowa Caucus works.
Presidential Delegate Timeline -- Scroll down & hit play. Then, watch the map & delegate bar graphs. You'll easily understand the primary calendar & frontloading.
Policy Project #3 -- Profile an interest group related to your public policy topic
Related Media (from 2010)
Tea Party Politics -- Kate Zernike talks about her new book, Boiling Over -- Inside Tea Party America
The Starfish & The Spider -- (AKA the Tea Party & the RNC) Excellent primer on the emergence of leaderless groups
The Midterm Elections -- Okay, it is over two hours long. If you love politics, however, you'll enjoy this video!
Party Platforms
2008 National Democratic Party Platform
2008 National Republican Party Platform
2010 Texas Democratic Party Platform
2010 Texas Republican Party Platform
2008 Texas Democratic Party Platform
2008 Texas Republican Party Platform