HS Government Reading and Writing Workshop

Reading and Writing Workshop: Exploring Political Parties and Systems
​Objective:

• To help students analyze historical texts related to political party systems and their evolution.
• To improve students’ critical thinking and argumentative writing skills by using public domain texts.
• To encourage students to compare ideologies and evaluate the role of political parties in shaping U.S. governance.

Workshop OverviewWeek 1: Introduction to Political Parties and Their Origins

• Readings:
  • Federalist No. 10 by James Madison (Public Domain)
    • Focus on how Madison discusses factions and political parties.
  • Anti-Federalist Papers (selected excerpts)
    • Explore the concerns about party systems and centralized power.
• Discussion:
  • Students will discuss the formation of political parties in the early U.S. government.
  • What were the arguments for and against the establishment of political parties?
• Writing Assignment:
  • Analytical Essay: Write an essay analyzing James Madison's views on factions and their influence on American politics. Discuss whether his concerns about political parties are relevant today. Use examples from modern U.S. politics to support your argument.

Week 2: The Role of Political Parties in U.S. History

• Readings:
  • Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (Public Domain)
    • Examine how Lincoln addressed national unity despite deep political divisions.
  • The 1896 Democratic Party Platform (Public Domain)
    • Study how the platform reflected political party ideologies at the turn of the century.
• Discussion:
  • How have political parties shaped major moments in U.S. history (Civil War, New Deal, etc.)?
  • What are the long-term impacts of party platforms on American society?
• Writing Assignment:
  • Comparative Essay: Compare the 1896 Democratic Party Platform with Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Discuss how both documents reflect their authors’ views on national unity and the role of political parties in governance.

Week 3: Modern Political Parties and Third-Party Movements

• Readings:
  • Theodore Roosevelt’s “New Nationalism” Speech (Public Domain)
    • Analyze Roosevelt’s call for progressive reforms within the political system.
  • The Populist Party Platform of 1892 (Public Domain)
    • Study the Populist Party’s criticisms of major political parties and its call for political reform.
• Discussion:
  • How have third parties influenced major political shifts in U.S. history? Do you think third parties are still relevant today?
  • Can modern political parties still effectively address the issues raised by third-party movements?
• Writing Assignment:
  • Position Paper: Write a position paper arguing whether third parties still have a place in modern American politics. Use examples from history and public domain sources to support your argument.

Week 4: Political Parties in Practice – A Case Study on the New Deal Coalition

• Readings:
  • Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address (Public Domain)
    • Analyze Roosevelt’s rhetoric and its appeal to various groups during the Great Depression.
  • The Democratic Party’s 1936 Platform (Public Domain)
    • Examine how the Democratic Party’s platform aligned with the New Deal and its promises for economic recovery.
• Discussion:
  • What were the main principles of the New Deal, and how did political parties align themselves around these principles?
  • How did Roosevelt’s leadership reshape the Democratic Party and its coalition?
• Writing Assignment:
  • Argumentative Essay: Argue whether the New Deal was a successful example of political party alignment and action. Consider how the policies affected different social and economic groups. Use primary sources to support your argument.

Week 5: The Future of Political Parties

• Readings:
  • George Washington's Farewell Address (Public Domain)
    • Washington’s warning against political parties and their potential divisiveness.
• Discussion:
  • Do Washington’s warnings about political parties still resonate today? How might the political system function differently without strong political parties?
  • What role does partisanship play in modern U.S. governance?
• Writing Assignment:
  • Reflective Essay: Reflect on whether the United States would be better off without political parties, as Washington suggested. Consider both historical context and modern realities. Use examples from political history and current events to support your stance.

Final Project: Political Party Platform Creation

• Objective: Students will synthesize their learning about political party systems by creating their own party platform.
• Instructions:
  • Part 1: Research: Students will select a historical political figure (e.g., Franklin D. Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, or Theodore Roosevelt) and study their party's platform and policies.
  • Part 2: Platform Creation: Students will create a new political party platform based on the issues that they believe are most important in today’s political landscape. They will write a detailed platform addressing key issues such as the economy, foreign policy, social issues, and civil rights.
  • Part 3: Presentation: Students will present their platform to the class, explaining how their policies address modern challenges and reflect the legacy of historical political movements.
• Writing Component:
  • Students will submit a written version of their political party platform, explaining their reasoning behind each major policy.

Additional Activities

1. Close Reading: Choose a specific passage from one of the primary source texts and ask students to annotate it. They should highlight key arguments, note rhetorical devices, and write a brief reflection on the passage’s meaning in its historical context.
2. Group Discussions: Break students into small groups and assign each group a different public domain text to analyze. Each group will present a summary of their text, identify the author’s key argument, and discuss its relevance to modern political party systems.
3. Peer Review: After completing writing assignments, students will participate in a peer review session, providing constructive feedback on each other’s essays, focusing on argument clarity, use of evidence, and historical analysis.

This reading and writing workshop combines primary sources with critical thinking and writing exercises, allowing students to deeply engage with the historical role of political parties in the United States while also practicing essential writing skills.