Name: Period: 1 2 3 5 6 Due Date: 10/27/2017
2017-18 A.P. Government & Politics: Chapter 6 Study Guide
Answer the following questions as you read Chapter 6 from Government in America.
1. Explain how America’s changing and shifting population is destined to influence reapportionment; and therefore American politics. (Think immigration and the baby-boomers and now the economy).
2. The term political socialization describes the solidification of one’s political beliefs over the course of one’s lifetime. After reading about this process, discuss which factor (family media, school, other) has been the most powerful influence in your life. Which one is currently the most dangerous in your life (greatest potential to cause harm/manipulate/lead astray/distort)? Take a guess on how this will change as you become older?
Most Powerful:
Most dangerous:
Change as you become older:
3. What does the text say about the nature of political beliefs as one gets older? Hypothesize how this pattern might influence politics in Washington DC. How might this pattern shape the behavior of national political parties? How does it shape political advertising? (If you think about it, it is a circle)
Political Beliefs as you get older:
Shaping National Political Parties:
Shaping Political Advertising:
4. Describe how public opinion polls are conducted, what role they play in our democracy, and what they reveal about Americans’ knowledge and attitudes.
5. Pretending Table 6.1 on page 199 is 100% reliable, draft a quick summary of the most liberal person and the most conservative person you can imagine. Include statistical generalizations about age, gender, race, social class, religion, and policy attitudes. Also, feel free to include any blatant stereotypes, labels, or exaggerations (do your best to make it funny … but please keep it school appropriate).
Liberal:
Conservative:
6. Discuss how political participation rates are linked to economic status and race.