Scenario Matching Activity
Directions: Read each scenario about the impact of political parties. Determine the political party function
that is being described and list the function next to the correct scenario. Each function will be used once.
1. Most members of Congress belong to a political party and support the
in ideas in their political party's platform. Senators and Representatives
propose legislation and pass laws based on the ideas from their political
party's platform. These laws impact the government and society.
2. Political parties impact the way society views candidates for office. One
way this happens is through the campaign advertisements political parties
create for or against candidates.
3. Political parties provide options of candidates to society. Socicty
determines which candidates they will elect to serve in government. Once
elected, these public officials will make decisions (such as passing laws)
that will impact society.
4. Political parties impact the government at the federal, state, and local
levels. Because there are many more elected offices at the state and local
levels, political parties tend to be more active at these levels. Also,
political parties raise and spend money in order to
get candidates elected
and to help spread their message to voters.
5. The political party that wins more seats in one house of the national or
state legislature becomes the majority party in that house of the legislature.
The party that wins fewer seats in one house of the national or
state
legislature becomes the minority party in that house of the legislature. The
majority party in the legislature often has more control over the
lawmaking process than the minority power.
However, the minority party