CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE The Rise of Political Parties 4 CHAPTER TWO The Two-Party System 12 CHAPTER THREE Third Parties 20 CHAPTER FOUR The Work of Political Parties 28 CHAPTER FIVE Political Parties in Government 36 Fast Facts 42 Stop and Think 44 Glossary 46 Learn More 47 Index 48 About the Author 48
CHAPTER ONE THE RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES Political parties serve an important role in American society People in these organizations share common values and beliefs Parties pick political candidates They help voters make choices It may be hard to research every candidate’s positions Political parties can give voters a general sense of what candidates believe Modern political parties help voters make choices about candidates standing for election 5
