Two-Party System Teacher Resources

Was American politics always bound to the two-party system? Learn how the two-party system developed, why third parties tend not to do so well, and all the various political parties that have emerged throughout US history. Each party is...

Guide your students' reading with this worksheet. Included are five matching and five multiple choice questions focused on aspects of the two-party system employed in the United States. Use as a quiz, guided reading questions, or homework.

Two's company, three's a crowd. High school historians learn about the Electoral College, a two-party, winner-take-all voting system in the United States. The lesson plan explains the pros and cons of the two-party system, roadblocks for...

Young political scientists go beyond the two-party system and research third-party candidates running in the 2020 US Presidential election. Groups present background information about the candidate, the party's platform points, and a...

Five matching and 5 multiple choice questions to challenge your class. Their answers will test their knowledge of early American government. Party systems, Electorate, and major constituents of the time are the topics included.

What is a political party, and what major parties exist in American politics today? How did the party system develop in American history, and how are parties organized? These questions and many other details regarding the political party...

Whether or not it's a presidential election year, this debate activity will spark research on current political issues. Split your government scholars into 4 groups and assign each a political party. One person will be the "candidate"...

The advantages and disadvantages of the United States' two-party system are the focus of a short PBS video. After listening to a series of political scientists, viewers are asked whether they think the United States should change its...

Use this 5-day lesson to clarify the platforms of the two major parties, comparing and contrasting against young scholars' beliefs. Begin by looking at unlabeled summaries of both party platforms, having learners identify most with one....

Help to increase the knowledge of your future (or current) voters with this quiz about minor parties. By matching various minor parties, both historical and contemporary, students can become better-informed about the entirety of American...

Scholars investigate the emergence of the political party system in the early days of United States government and politics. They view the 41st video in a 50-part series to analyze the reasoning behind the existence of political parties...

Eighth graders analyze purposes of government, examine importance of citizenship to individuals and society at large, explain structure and functions of three branches of federal government, cite roles/duties, qualifications, and terms...

High schoolers list some issues important during the campaign of 1840. They compare and contrast the careers of Martin Van Buren and William Henry Harrison before they became president and explain why the Whigs wanted to find a candidate...

How does propaganda influence our vote? Through grand conversation, scholars gain information about what is and how to identify the different ways propaganda is used in a presidential election. Using their new-found knowledge, citizens...

Students give examples to indicate how voting participation changed in the first half of the 19th century, and make connections between changes in voting participation and the results of the election of 1828.

Young scholars give examples to indicate how the franchise was extended and limited in the first half of the 19th century, and cite some differences in the newly enfranchised population that could affect the way they would vote.

A thorough examination of Andrew Jackson's presidency and politics, these slides contain important facts and pictures of the growing United States. Events such as the Trail of Tears and the Tariff Battles of the early 19th century are on...

Twelfth graders name some of the parties in the political system of the United States. They identify the two main parties along with key information, issues, events, elections and/or people for each system. They then break into groups...

Tenth graders examine the Election of 1912. In groups, they identify the roles of the Democratic and Republican parties along with any third party mentioned. Using the internet, they describe the main issues of this election and discuss...

Students compare and contrast William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren as candidates for president. They explain why the Whigs wanted to find a candidate in the mold of former president Andrew Jackson and discuss whether Harrison fit...

Students discuss the use of visual images, objects, and spectacle in the 1840 campaign, then take a stand: Was the campaign of 1840 based more on substance or image?

Students reflect on the nature of the campaign of 1840. They identify the positions of the Democrats and the Whigs and their basic differences.

Students take a stand, supported by evidence, on whether there was a "corrupt bargain" between Henry Clay and John Quincy Adams.

Here is a four-corner debate-style activity specifically geared to election year issues. Learners group themselves according to whether they strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with statements that relate to elections...