Political parties play a major role in shaping elections, policies, and government leadership in the United States. But what do these parties actually do, and how do they influence the political process?

In this episode of The American Government Curriculum Companion, we explore the foundations of political ideology and the political spectrum, from conservative to liberal and everything in between. We’ll also examine the role of political parties in American democracy, including how they nominate candidates, run campaigns, and organize at the local, state, and national levels. Finally, we’ll discuss the impact of third parties, party platforms, and how political ideology shapes government decisions.

This episode is designed to accompany our unit plan on Political Parties and Ideology for our complete Civics and American Government Curriculum, which includes resources and lessons designed for middle school and high school classrooms.

Students of History provides engaging lessons and resources for every unit in Civics & Government, along with US History, World History, and World Geography. You can learn more at StudentsofHistory.com.