Political Parties – American Government
1. Political parties were not provided for in the Constitution, and they were generally feared by most of the founders. Describe the development of political parties in the U.S. (Hint: Describe the founding of the first parties and the controversy which separated them, then continue with a discussion of the evolution of parties in the U.S. and describe the key issue or issues around which each new party emerged.)
2. Discuss the key characteristics of the American party system: two-parties, fragmentation, moderation, and the role of minor parties in American politics.
3. What advantages would a responsible party government system offer the U.S. over its present party system?
4. Discuss the differences between election systems that use proportional representation and those which are winner-take-all arrangements.
5. Describe and discuss at least three different primaries used in U.S. elections.