Political Parties

  

Do you know what a political party is? A political party is a group of people who have similar ideas about what the government should do. They work together to elect people in their party to work in the government. Electing means choosing by voting.

Political parties choose the people they want to elect. These people are called candidates. Then, parties work to get people to vote for their candidates. The candidates that most people vote for will be elected. They will be the people making laws and carrying out those laws.

The United States has two big political parties. One is the Democratic Party. The other is the Republican Party. There are also many other, smaller parties.

The Democratic Party is the oldest political party in the United States. It began almost 200 years ago. Two examples of people in the Democratic Party who became presidents are Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

The Republican Party began in the 1850s. It was also called the “Grand Old Party.” Donald Trump, George W. Bush, and his father George H.W. Bush were two Republican presidents.

Many Americans are in a political party. A person does not have to be in a party to vote, though. In the end, all voters choose which candidates get elected.

Comprehension Questions

1. What is a political party? 

1. a group of people who work together to celebrate politics 
2. a group of people who have similar ideas about what the government should do 
3. a group of people who work together to stop others from voting 

2. The article describes some examples of political parties in the United States. What is one example from the text of a political party in the United States? 

1. the American Party 
2. the Republican Party 
3. the Birthday Party 

3. The people of a political party work together to elect people of their party into government office. Political parties in the United States nominate, or choose, the people they want to elect.

Based on this information, who do political parties nominate for a government office? 

1. people from another country 
2. people of a different political party 
3. people of their own political party 

4. Based on the text, how are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party different? 

1. The Democratic Party and the Republican party have different ideas about what the government should do. 
2. The Democratic Party and the Republican party have different ideas about how to elect people into office. 
3. The Democratic Party and the Republican party have different ideas about how to throw parties. 

5. What is the main idea of this article? 

1. The Republican Party and the Democratic Party both have had their candidates become president. 
2. The United States has two main political parties that work to get their candidates elected. 
3. The United States has many small political parties that work to help American voters. 

6. Read these sentences from the text.

"Political parties in the United States nominate, or choose, the people they want to elect. Once those people are chosen,party members work to win votes for their candidates. Party members want their candidates to be the ones making laws and the ones carrying out those laws."

Based on these sentences, what does the word “candidate” mean? 

1. a person who stays out of the government 
2. a person who votes for a party member 
3. a person that a political party wants to elect 

7. Choose the answer that best completes this sentence.

Political parties choose their candidates, ______ they try to get people to vote for them. 

1. while 
2. after 
3. then 

8. What do political parties try to do for their candidates? 

1. (written answer)

9. Why are American voters important in elections? 

1. (written answer)

10. Why might political party members work hard to get voters to support their candidates? Support your answer with evidence from the text. 

1. (written answer)