Political Beliefs and Behaviors (10-20%)
Calendar & Study Guide
Unit 2 Calendar -- REVISED (9/13) Unit Calendar for Political Beliefs & Behaviors with reading assignments
Unit 2 Study Guide (Chapter 6) -- You will receive a copy in class. Due on 9/20 when you take the exam.
HippoCampus Videos
Watching HC videos is an excellent way to prepare for the exam. Click the Hippo.
Class Assignments & Readings
Political Ideology Assessment -- Due on Monday, September 12. You will use the following sites listed below to determine your political ideological profile.
Pew Research: Political Typology
World’s Shortest Political Quiz
2008 Election Analysis -- Due on Friday, September 16. Part I -- Complete the Demograhic Voting Behavior 2008 chart. Use the NYT Election 2008 Interactive -- Exit Polls.
Unit 2 Public Policy Assignment -- Due on Monday, September 19. I postponed the date because I want you to have time to ask me for help. It will be easier to find polls for some topics than others. You MUST ask questions, however, by Friday. I will not be available to answer questions during the weekend.
Comparing the Party Platforms -- We completed this in class on Monday, September 12. If you were absent, use these links to complete the chart on page 2 of your Unit 2 Study Guide.
2008 National Democratic Platform
2008 National Republican Platform
2010 Texas Democratic Platform
2010 Texas Republican Platform
FRQ Exam Questions
On Monday, you will take the FRQ section of your Unit 2 exam. Click here for a copy of the potential questions. I will roll a die to see which question your class period will answer.
Unit 2 Resources
Polling Resources
Polling Sites -- my comprehensive list of political pollsters
The Magic Numbers for Presidents & Pollsters -- Frank Newport & Susan Page
The Electoral College
Graphic Illustration of the Electoral College
HippoCampus Video -- short & sweet
Electoral Math for 2012 -- Larry Sabato (UVA) previews the 2012 battle to win the Electoral College
FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD --
Individual citizens hold a variety of beliefs about their government, its leaders, and the U.S. political system in general; taken together, these beliefs form the foundation of U.S. political culture. It is important for students to understand how these beliefs are formed, how they evolve, and the processes by which they are transmitted. Students should know why U.S. citizens hold certain beliefs about politics, and how families, schools, and the media act to perpetuate or change these beliefs. Understanding the ways in which political culture affects and informs political participation is also critical. For example, students should know that individuals often engage in multiple forms of political participation, including voting, protest, and mass movements. Students should understand both why individuals engage in various forms of political participation and how that participation affects the political system.
Finally, it is essential that students understand what leads citizens to differ from one another in their political beliefs and behaviors, and the political consequences of these differences. To understand these differences, students should focus on the different views that people hold of the political process, the demographic features of the American population, and the belief and behavior systems held by specific ethnic, minority, and other groups.
- Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders
- Processes by which citizens learn about politics
- The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion
- The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life
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Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors