chapter 4 AP gov

392 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
UNIT 4
American Political
Ideologies and Beliefs
What the public thinks and how that thinking is conveyed to government
officials are factors in shaping public policies. Professionals try to measure
public opinion for a variety of reasons, using a method that makes the results as
accurate as possible. Analysts and citizens alike should consider the legitimacy
of a poll as much as its general finding, because if its method is faulty, its
findings will be as well.
Public opinion changes, but the factors that help determine public
opinion remain fairly constant. Voters’ backgrounds, professions, and a range
of demographic traits have an impact on their political opinions. The family
has the largest impact, since it is an early source of political information and
understanding.
Public opinion and diverse political ideologies have an influence on policy
debates and choices. Liberal, conservative, and other political ideologies
compete to shape policy in such areas as monetary and fiscal policy, social
equality and opportunity, and civil liberties. BIG IDEA Using various types of
analyses, political scientists measure how U.S. political behavior, attitudes,
ideologies, and institutions are shaped by a number of factors over time.
ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: AMERICAN POLITICAL
IDEOLOGIES AND BELIEFS
MPA-1: Citizen beliefs about government are shaped by the intersection of
demographics, political culture, and dynamic social change.
MPA-2: Public opinion is measured through scientific polling, and the results of
public opinion polls influence public policies and institutions.
PMI-4: Widely held political ideologies shape policy debates and choices in
American policies.
Source: AP® United States Government and Politics Course and Exam Description

393CITIZENS’ BELIEFS AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
CHAPTER 12
Citizens’ Beliefs and
Political Ideology
Topics 4.1–4.4
Topic 4.1 American Attitudes About Government and Politics
MPA-1.A: Explain the relationship between core beliefs of U.S. citizens and
attitudes about the role of government.
Topic 4.2 Political Socialization
MPA-1.B: Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.
Topic 4.3 Changes in Ideology
MPA-1.B: Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.
Topic 4.4 Influence of Political Events on Ideology
MPA-1.B: Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.
Source: Getty Images
Family is a key influence in shaping political attitudes.

394 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
4.1
American Attitudes About
Government and Politics
“An idea is something you have; an ideology is something that has you.”
―Morris Berman, Coming to Our Senses, 2015
Essential Question: What is the relationship between the core beliefs
of U.S. citizens and their attitudes about the role of government?
Citizen beliefs include a range of opinions that help guide political actions
and shape public policy. Some views amount to a clear consensus. A consensual
political culture demonstrates that some values are shared among most of
the population and that beliefs overlap. For example, nearly everyone agrees
children should be educated and that the government should punish violent
criminals. However, people might disagree on aspects related to those issues.
For example, exactly what topics should children learn? What is the appropriate
punishment for premeditated murder? Political culture can also be conflictual
when groups with opposing beliefs clash over key issues. Those key issues range
from gay rights to U.S. foreign intervention.
Policymakers try to answer these questions in a society of diverse and
constantly shifting views. The framers built processes into the Constitution so
that different interpretations of the core values Americans share can be debated
and shaped into policy that represents the divergent views of Americans. The
most effective way to reach consensus on these issues is for citizens to debate
their ideas in a civil and respectful way.
Core Values and Attitudes
Citizens’ attitudes toward government and toward one another are influenced
by the way they interpret core American values. American citizens, coming
from a range of backgrounds and experiences, have widely different views of
how government ought to govern. Even when citizens generally agree on a
core value, they often disagree on how public officials should address it, how
to define the terms of the debate, and how government should fund it. For
example, most citizens believe that government should provide an economic
safety net for citizens, some kind of welfare system that will help those who
have lost their jobs, fallen to ill health, or found themselves without shelter.

395AMERICAN ATTITUDES ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Yet citizens differ greatly on what defines “poor,” at what point the government
should help people, and what type of assistance government should give.
Similarly, nearly all Americans oppose murder and all want to correctly
identify the killer before punishment is administered. However, we differ
noticeably on how government might prosecute the accused and what
punishment a guilty defendant will receive.
You’ll notice an “either or,” or maybe even a linear spectrum, to the
ideological views outlined above. (See Topic 4.7 for more about political
ideologies.) Some citizens believe in having a strict threshold to qualify for
welfare and longer prison sentences for convicted criminals. People at this end
of the spectrum are usually known as conservative.
Conservatives typically believe in law and order and would choose to lean
toward order even at the expense of some liberties. Conservatives believe in
traditions and institutions. They favor a small government that provides fewer
services over a large government that provides many. They tend to favor harsh
punishments for lawbreakers. Often, change comes slowly for a conservative.
Although conservatives may favor government support for people who are
very poor, other groups of citizens may want government to provide welfare to
people at a higher, though still impoverished, income level. These same people
may desire leniency from the government on punishments for lawbreakers.
People at this other end of the spectrum are usually known as liberal.
Liberals are more likely to experiment with policy. They believe in law and
order as well but are concerned about protecting the rights of the accused. They
are also accepting of higher taxes in exchange for more government services. BIG
IDEA Governmental laws and policies balancing order and liberty are based on
the U.S. Constitution and have been interpreted differently over time.
Relying on a linear scale to discuss citizens’ views oversimplifies the array
of viewpoints that stretch across multiple dimensions, but the simple scale can
be useful for discussion. No matter where on the scale people’s views might
lie, people of the United States have embraced common views that form the
country’s political culture—the set of attitudes that shape political behavior.
The cornerstones of political culture are individualism, equal opportunity, free
enterprise, the rule of law, and limited government.
Individualism
From the days of self-reliant colonists and rugged settlers in the West to today’s
competitive entrepreneurs, individualism—a belief in the fundamental worth
and importance of the individual—has been a value of American social and
Political Ideology
Moderate
Liberal Conservative

396 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
political life. It is rooted in the Enlightenment philosophy that helped shape
American government in which “inalienable rights” of individuals precede
government—they are not bestowed by government. Individual liberties are
enshrined in and protected by the Bill of Rights. Individualism is the value that
encourages people to pursue their own best interest.
Different interpretations of individualism create a spectrum of views
between self-centered individualism, which places the individual’s interest
above the group’s interest and wants little interference from the government,
to enlightened self-interest, which sacrifices some individual freedom for the
greater good and expects the government to help promote the public good.
American individualism and self-reliance seek the freedom to fulfill one’s own
promise while enjoying the benefits and protections of living in society.
Individualism, however, can be in tension with other social values
Americans share, such as respect for the common good and protection of the
public interest. Alexis de Tocqueville, the Frenchman who toured America
in the 1830s making observations and later cataloguing them in his book,
Democracy in America, warned about the dangers of individualism. He wrote
that individualism “disposes each citizen to isolate himself from the mass of his
fellows and withdraw into the circle of family and friends.” If everyone sought
only his or her best interest, society as a whole would become fractured.
Equality of Opportunity
Thomas Jefferson included the line “all men are created equal” in the
Declaration of Independence. The purpose of the line was not to suggest that
every person was an absolute equal to every other in ability or character or
any other subjective measure. Rather, the purpose of the line was to emphasize
the equal rights of people to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. Yet, not until
the ratification of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 was there a national
constitutional demand for state governments to guarantee the equal protection
of citizens. In the Progressive Era (1890–1920), as government began to protect
citizens from the harmful effects of industrialization and unfair business
practices, President Theodore Roosevelt spoke of practical equality for all and
declared, “[E]very man will have a fair chance to make of himself all that in him
lies; to reach the highest point to which his capacities . . . can carry him.” He
also pointed out the practical result that would enhance our nation, “[E]quality
of opportunity means that the commonwealth will get from every citizen the
highest service of which he is capable.”
The equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees
that people in similar conditions in every state will be treated equally under
the law.
Unequal treatment was not limited to the states. The federal government also
had discriminatory practices. Over time, the federal government has provided
remedies to redress these as well as state laws that resulted in unequal treatment.
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, for example, prohibits employment
discrimination based on race, sex, national origin, color, and religion. In 1965,

397AMERICAN ATTITUDES ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Congress created an agency to combat discrimination in the hiring or firing
of employees, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The
EEOC investigates complaints of discrimination in job termination or refusal
to hire based on race, sex, and other Title VII criteria.
Citizens argue the practical side of equality of opportunity by pointing
to the efforts of an individual that lead to success. Others will agree that the
occasional rags-to-riches story is impressive but not always possible without
some level of government support for advancement. Still others claim that it
is appropriate for the government to step in and, by law and policy, influence
the natural forces of society and the market. Despite these different viewpoints,
nearly all agree that equality of opportunity is a shared value.
Free Enterprise
Most Europeans came to North America for economic reasons: jobs,
opportunity, or distance from a government that might inhibit economic
success. In 1776, the same year the colonists declared independence, Scottish
economist and philosopher Adam Smith wrote The Wealth of Nations, an
examination of government’s role in the economy. Smith claimed that the
state (meaning government in general) should be primarily concerned with
protecting its people from invasion and with maintaining law and order
and should intervene in the natural flow of human economic interaction
only to protect the people. Businesses and merchants would succeed or fail
based on their decisions and decisions of the consumer. Government should
take a laissez-faire (“let it be”) approach. An “invisible hand,” guided by the
interactions of producers and consumers, would regulate the economy over
time. This approach is called free enterprise and those who adhere to this
approach are known as free-market advocates.
Smith would no doubt take issue with today’s government-required
overtime pay and limits on factory emissions. Times have changed. Today,
even most strict free-market advocates believe in a minimum wage and some
controls to keep clean the air we breathe.
Conservatives tend to want government to stay out of the way and
want fewer burdensome regulations on businesses. For these reasons, small
businesses owners and corporate leaders tend to vote with the Republican
Party. Republican President Donald Trump issued a number of executive
orders rolling back regulation on business, and in 2017, the Republican-
dominated Congress passed a tax bill that greatly reduced corporate taxes.
In contrast, liberals tend to see government regulation as necessary to assure
fairness and safety, and labor union leaders and hourly workers tend to side
with the Democratic Party. The Republican-backed tax law of 2017 passed
without support from any member of the Democratic Party.

398 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
Rule of Law
Every four years, the newly elected (or reelected) president is required to make the
following promise before taking office: “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I
will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the
best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United
States.” In fact, it is the Constitution itself that spells out this requirement in
Article II, Section 1, Clause 8. This oath assures that even the president, the
highest office holder in the land, must obey and protect the laws of the nation.
Rule of law—the principle of a government that establishes laws that apply
equally to all members of society and prevents the rule and whims of leaders who
see themselves as above the law—was a cornerstone of Enlightenment political
thought. John Adams cited Enlightenment philosophers when pointing to the
British injustices leading to the Revolution: “They [the philosophers] define a
republic to be a government of laws, and not of men.”
The rule of law assures stability and certainty. In many foreign governments
today, whatever dictator happens to be in charge will make most decisions in
the government, regardless of prior policy, including when and even if there
will be elections. In contrast, the U.S. Constitution dictates a presidential
election every four years under the rule of law, and the United States has never
missed an election, nor has it had a serious problem with the transfer of power.
At times, however, government officials disregard the rule of law for
personal gain, corruption, or power. Fortunately, there are systems in place
to address or reverse such disregard. Public records of government spending,
regular auditing of the public purse, independent law enforcement, a free press,
whistleblower protections, and public opinion all preserve the rule of law.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Adam Smith’s study of the influence of
government on the economy

399AMERICAN ATTITUDES ABOUT GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
Sometimes the law is not followed for the sake of leniency. A traffic cop might
let a young motorist go without a speeding ticket because the infraction was
small. A president might provide a new interpretation for how the government
treats immigrants. Our laws are written in language that has evolving meaning.
Separation of powers allows each branch of government some discretion in
enforcing or interpreting laws.
Limited Government
American individuality and the story of the nation’s creation after a battle with
an over-reaching government have ingrained in citizens a desire for limited
government—one kept under control by law and by checks and balances and
the separation of powers. The Constitution is filled with as many devices and
designs to prevent government action as to empower it. The Bill of Rights is a list
of rights, but also a list of what government cannot do. Citizens of all political
viewpoints agree that none should suffer from the heavy hand of government.
Both parties have embraced the idea of a limited government. For nearly
a century, the Democrats represented the party of limited government with
a largely conservative approach to government. After a transformation
through the Progressive Era (1890–1920) and the New Deal (1932–1937), the
Democrats fully embraced liberal government action for the greater good with
President Lyndon Johnson’s Great Society (1964–1965). Republicans were once
the party that used the federal government to free enslaved people, to build
railroads, and to create state colleges transformed during various eras in the
nation’s history also. Republicans came to desire less government involvement
in business, strong lines defining federalism, and a blindness to assure equality
in hiring and college admissions.
Limited government is key to civil liberties, another arena in which public
opinion is divided. Limited government is at issue when people grapple with
such questions as “When can government come into your home? When can it
regulate affairs related to church and morality?” among others.
THINK AS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST: DESCRIBE POLITICAL PRINCIPLES IN
DIFFERENT SCENARIOS
People’s attitudes about the role of government shift over time and in different
situations or scenarios. Events and laws can influence the values on which
people base their attitudes. For example, the many and far-reaching reforms
during the Depression altered how many people viewed the role of government.
Some favored the larger, more active federal government while others felt their
liberties threatened by stronger government.
Five core values define political culture and attitudes: individualism,
equality of opportunity, free enterprise, rule of law, and limited government.

400 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
Practice: For each of the following laws, decisions, or Constitutional clauses, explain
which core value likely motivated it and how it may have influenced attitudes toward
that core value subsequently.
1. Title IX (Topics 3.10 & 3.11)
2. The USA PATRIOT Act (Topic 1.5)
3. The Fourteenth Amendment—due process clause (Topics 1.8, 3.7 & 3.11)
4. Brown v. Board of Education (Topics 3.11 & 3.12)
5. The commerce clause—Article I, Section 8 (Topic 1.8)
REFLECT ON THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Essential Question: What is the relationship between the core beliefs of U.S.
citizens and attitudes about the role of government? On separate paper, complete
the table below.
Liberal Beliefs Conservative Beliefs
Individualism
Equality of
opportunity
Free enterprise
Rule of law
Limited
government
KEY TERMS AND NAMES
conservative
equality of opportunity
free enterprise
individualism
laissez-faire
limited government
liberal
political culture
rule of law

POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION 401
4.2
Political Socialization
“Democracy does not guarantee equality of conditions,
it only guarantees equality of opportunity.”
—Irving Kristol, Two Cheers for Capitalism, 1978
Essential Question: How do cultural factors influence political attitudes
and socialization?
What factors caused you, or anyone, to think about politics and policy
in particular ways? Attending college, getting married, purchasing a home,
and having children can have an enormous impact on one’s thinking. Even
career politicians whose political positions are well known can switch views
in response to an evolving world, changing life experiences, and competing
for voter support in an election. Every constituent and political participant is
affected by many influences that shape their political development.
Cultural Factors, Political Socialization, and Attitudes
If you try to pinpoint yourself with an X on the ideological spectrum shown
on page 446, where would you fall? Would you be on the continuum at all, or
would you identify with one of the other ideologies you read about? How did
you arrive at that point on the continuum? The process by which you develop
political beliefs, political socialization, begins as soon as you are old enough
to start forming opinions on public matters, and it never really ends.
Family
Family has long been regarded as the biggest influence on political socialization.
As children begin to inquire about world events or local issues, parents share
opinions that will likely influence their children. At the dinner table, families
discuss “kitchen table politics,” considering events currently happening and
what impact they might have on the family.
The children’s magazine Weekly Reader conducted an unscientific poll on
presidential elections from 1956 through 2008. Critics might dismiss such a
poll of young, nonvoters as a joke. Yet, responding children generally answered
as one or both of their parents would have, and thus the nationwide sample
became reflective of the parent population at large. Only one time in its history
did the Weekly Reader presidential poll fail to accurately predict the outcome.

402 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
Children can also differ from their parents in political opinions as do the
parents between themselves. Younger people have less consistent views than
older people. People aged 18–24 are frequently aligned with their parents. A
2005 Gallup study found that 71% of teens had a political ideology similar to
their parents.
Yet, new research has discovered a higher percentage of children don’t
follow their parents’ political party affiliation. “Children” include people
aged 18 to 82, so the research looks at lifelong parental influence on political
beliefs. The body of work from The British Journal of Political Science and
American Sociological Review made several findings. In homes where politics
is intensely discussed, values may immediately transfer from parent to child.
However, those discussions also model for the child how to discuss politics
into adulthood, which exposes them to varied views and information that
can cause ideological shifts. Increased access to information and resources
has reduced relative parental influence. And, roughly one-third of children
misperceived their parent’s affiliation or values anyway, which calls parental
political influence into question. These studies are worth further examination,
and associated trends may continue, but for now, family is still likely the most
significant influence in political socialization.
School and College
Both teachers and peer groups can have a large impact on student beliefs. In
school, topics come up in classes that may allow a teacher to influence students
politically, intentionally or not. There is no solid evidence that the K–12
experience makes one more conservative or liberal.
College campuses are places where professional scholars and students can
discuss new ideas and explore revolutionary theories. College classrooms have
more flexible rules than high school classrooms. College deans and professors
encourage a free flow of ideas in classroom discussion. Nonetheless, business,
economics, and engineering majors tend to be Republicans while students
majoring in English and humanities tend to be Democrats.
Fewer high school graduates attended college from the 1950s to the early
1980s than today’s high school graduates. In fact, in 1968 only about 13 percent
of Americans had a four-year college degree. In 2012, more than 33 percent
of Americans aged 24–29 had attended college and earned a degree. Because
such large numbers of people attend college and because so many post-college
forces influence one’s beliefs, how the undergraduate experiences tilts voters is
difficult to determine precisely.
Graduate school, however, is a different story. When researchers examine
voters with advanced degrees—people with master’s and doctoral degrees—
they find they more frequently vote Democratic and hold more liberal attitudes.
The highest percentage of people with advanced degrees (46.1%) consider
themselves moderate, according to a 2007 study by academics Neil Gross and
Solon Simmons.

403POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
Peers
Political scientists and sociologists have long looked at the relationships of
peers and how they might influence an individual’s political beliefs and voting.
Social conformity is no doubt a factor in influencing individuals’ thinking, as
people want acceptance by others in the group. Elizabeth Suhay of Lafayette
College posits an explanation regarding political conformity in that “self-
conscious emotions encourage individuals to adopt the norms of groups with
which they closely identify.”
Betsy Sinclair, author of The Social Citizen, finds that peer pressure works
to activate civic action or participation at the polls. A nonvoter living with
a voter will feel pressure to cast a ballot. She also finds that group campaign
fundraisers—potential donors gathered to meet and hear a candidate—turn
out higher amounts of donations because there’s a sense of social obligation to
contribute.
Media
As forms of media have spread to so many aspects of daily life, the media have
a significant influence on political socialization. In fact, young people spend so
much time in front of a screen—on their computers, phones, and other digital
devices—that they spend less time with their family members, and for this
reason the influence of the family on political socialization may be weakening
somewhat. Young people are exposed to a great deal of political information
and opinion through their exposure to media. Engaging with that content
helps young people form their political identity. They follow politicians they
admire and join groups that plan citizen events. As in face-to-face experiences,
peer influence is strong in social media, and through online discussions with
friends and family, young people develop their viewpoints.
Media are also influential in political socialization because of the way
they depict politics and politicians through both news coverage and fictional
television shows that are politically oriented. Even nonpolitical figures in the
media—fictional characters with a strong sense of individualism, for example,
or real-life people whose acts of bravery or self-sacrifice (or cowardice and
greed, on the other side of the coin)—both reflect and help shape political and
social views. (For more on the media as a linkage institution, see Topic 5.12.)
Social Environments
A person’s social environments beyond family and schools also influence
political socialization. Two types of environments are especially important:
religious institutions and civic institutions.
Religious Institutions Churches and other places of worship influence
individuals’ political thought. The National Election Study estimates that
33 percent of Americans attend church on a weekly or near-weekly basis.
Churches are more ideological and convey a more coherent philosophy than
does a typical school. There are so many different churches, religions, and sects

404 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
in this nation that there is no way to say how religion in general influences the
average voter’s ideology. However, people who attend church are more likely to
vote or participate in politics in other ways than those who don’t attend church.
Specific religious affiliations, though, can be directly tied to a political stance.
Fundamentalists and Evangelical Christians have a strong political presence in
the South and somewhat in the Midwest. Fundamentalists believe in a literal
interpretation of the Holy Bible. Evangelicals promote the Christian faith.
Both tend to take conservative positions and vote Republican. Catholics have
traditionally voted with the Democratic Party, though their vote is less attached
to Democratic candidates today than in earlier years because the demographics
of Catholics have become so diverse. Jews make up a small part of the national
electorate and tend to vote for Democrats.
Civic Institutions If you are a Girl Scout, Boy Scout, an athlete on
a neighborhood team, or a volunteer at a hospital, you are part of a civic
institution. Civic institutions make up civil society—the nongovernmental,
non-business, and voluntary sector of social life. Some civic institutions with
extreme political views bring only like-minded people together, while other
civic institutions bring together people from a variety of backgrounds and
viewpoints and help them learn how to work around their differences. Both
types influence political socialization: one reinforces already held beliefs while
the other socializes a person to accept diversity.
Geography
Geographic location plays a key role in the way people think about certain
issues. For example, for a century after the Civil War, the most identifiable
Democratic region was the South. The party went through a long-term
metamorphosis that shifted its strongest support away from southern states.
A close look at Electoral College results from a recent election will give you
some indication where the two parties, and thus the two ideologies, are strong
or weak. The candidate with the most votes in each state received the electoral
votes for that state.
In the Northeast, liberal Democrats dominate and more liberal policies
prevail. For example, higher tax rates fund more services, such as public
transportation. Vermont and Massachusetts were among the first states
to legalize civil unions and same-sex marriage. New York has followed.
Democrats dominate the congressional delegations from New England, New
York, and New Jersey. California and other western states also lean Democratic
with liberal philosophies, having a strong concern for the environment and
acceptance of diverse lifestyles.
The South is more influenced by conservative Christian values than are
the Northeast and West. Southern states contain higher percentages of gun
ownership than in other regions and are less friendly to organized labor. The
South is more religious than other parts of the country. Church attendance
is higher, and voters are decidedly more Protestant. Roughly 76 percent of
the South is Protestant versus 49 percent for the remainder of the nation.

405POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
Southerners also have a high concern for issues related to farming and
agriculture.
Republicans have enjoyed southern majorities in the last several national
elections, but there are still many southern voters who remain Democrat,
reflecting generations of party loyalty and the growth of southern cities. The
working-class southerner may side with the Democratic Party on economic
issues such as worker pay and employee benefits, but these same working-
class voters want tighter immigration enforcement, and they tend to vote with
traditional values in mind.
THINK AS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST: DESCRIBE THE DATA PRESENTED
Political socialization can be used to understand the distribution of votes
(popular and electoral) for presidential candidates. For example, in the 2016
Presidential Election, considered to be one of the most significant elections in
the nation’s history, the country was clearly divided by the candidates and the
platforms of the major parties by geography.
Practice: Study the map and answer the questions that follow.
1. How do the factors of political socialization explain the results on the map?
2. Explain the implications of this information by looking for patterns and trends.
For example, are there any meaningful clusters of states?
3. Based on what you know about the main regions of the United States (West,
Midwest, South, Northeast), do you see any patterns? If so, how might you
explain them?
AK
HI
WA
8
OR
7 ID
CA
55
NV
AZ
ND
SD
NE
TX
MN
VT NH ME
NY
DC 3
MD 10
DE 3
NJ 14
CT 7
RI 4
MA 11
MT
AR
LA
MS
SC
NC
MO
IA
WI
IL IN
VAWV
WY
UT CO
NM
KS
OK
AL GA
FL
TN 11
KY
MI
OH
PA
6
11
3
9
6
3
3 3
3
5
6
7
36 8
6
10
20 11 18
8
6 9 16
29
9
15
135
20
29
3 4 3
10 16
10
6
4
3
5
N
S
W E
Clinton Trump
Electoral College 2016

406 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
Globalization
The process of an ever-expanding and increasingly interactive world economy
is known as globalization. The impact of globalization, though, goes beyond
the economy. The political culture of the United States has both influenced and
been influenced by the values of other countries as a result of globalization.
U.S. Influence on Other Countries
The United States is the dominant economic power affecting globalization,
with U.S. businesses and products spread throughout the world. For example,
American film, television, commercials, streaming content, music, and video
games are popular throughout the world. These products reflect American
values, such as individualism and equality of opportunity, and consumers in
foreign countries, even those with political cultures very different from that
of the United States, can be influenced by these values. That influence may
heighten tension between the American values and local values. For example, in
countries where women do not have social or legal equality, American movies
and television shows portraying women as equals clash with local values. In
some places, that clash has led to the weakening of certain cultural values and
the adoption of more Western values. In other cases, however, that clash has led
to a strengthening of local cultures that do not want to see their cultural ideals
become subsumed into a dominant world culture.
In general, however, U.S. influence in the world is seen as “democratizing”—
promoting the principles of democracy. The more people in other countries are
exposed to the United States’ political culture, the more they may wish to have
a democratic political culture themselves.
Influence of Other Countries on the United States
Although most of the globalization influence flows from the United States
to other countries, through globalization and encouraging immigration, the
United States also is exposed to values from other parts of the world. The nation’s
diversity has increased as a result of globalization. Professionals and other
workers from all parts of the world bring their political and cultural ideas with
them, and as they engage with American society, they exert influence. People
from Asian countries, for example, tend to put the needs of the community
above individual needs. For this reason, these cultures are called collectivistic,
while the culture of the United States is called individualistic. Collectivistic
values have had an influence on American culture, especially in the workplace,
where collaboration, a collectivistic ideal, has been shown to lead to better
results than those of individuals working in isolation.
Global Identification
Globalization has also created a political culture in which people think beyond
national borders for their identity. For example, the European Union (EU)
is a group of sovereign European nations that function as an economic and

407POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
political unit, somewhat like the early confederation of states under the Articles
of Confederation. Many people within the EU, while not abandoning their
national identity, also feel a political and cultural kinship with other members
of the Union.
The global reach of news coverage can also foster a sense of global
citizenship. In 2019–2020, news coverage of forest fires in Australia engendered
global support—volunteers and donations of money—from a sense of shared
humanity. A number of international, non-governmental organizations, such
as Doctors Without Borders, provide services wherever they are needed, many
on a volunteer basis.
Pressures on the world’s resources, especially global warming, remind
people that they share their fate with other people around the world and can
promote a sense of global citizenship.
REFLECT ON THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Essential Question: How do cultural factors influence political attitudes and
socialization? On separate paper, complete the table below.
Influence on Political Attitude and Socialization
Family
School
Peers
Media
Social environments
Location
KEY TERMS AND NAMES
globalization political socialization

408 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
4.3
Changes in Ideology
“Principles that have served their day expire and new principles are born.”
—Justice Benjamin Cardozo, The Nature of
the Judicial Process, 1921
Essential Question: How do generational and life cycle events influence
political attitudes and socialization?
A t various points in the nation’s history the population may see similar events
very differently. As you read in Topic 4.2, family, schools, peers, media, social
environments, and location are key to an individual’s development of political
attitudes. Other key factors include the generation in which a person was born
and the person’s stage of life. For example, someone born in the 1930s who
grew up during World War II is likely to have different views about America’s
involvement in foreign wars than someone born in the 1950s who grew up
during the Vietnam War. In a similar way, senior citizens wondering if they
can afford to retire have different priorities from parents of young children who
want better schools in their community.
Generational Effects
Many polls show the differing voting patterns for people in different generations.
In the past few presidential elections, Democrats have won a majority of the
younger vote. The 2016 CNN exit poll shows Democrat Hillary Clinton won
voters under 45 years old, and Republican President Trump won those 45 and
older. Clinton’s share of younger voters was larger than Trump’s share of older
voters. Clinton won 56 percent of voters age 18 to 24, while Trump took only
34 percent of that age group. For those 65 years of age and over, Trump won
52–45 percent.
Yet when we examine generations as voting blocs, we examine millions of
people who come from all parts of the United States, each influenced not only
by their age but also by additional demographic characteristics. (See Topic 4.1.)
In fact, there is more variation in political attitudes within a given generation
or age bloc than between generations. As you have read, notable events can
have different effects on liberal- or conservative-leaning citizens. Citizens in
different generations can learn different lessons from the same events.
The impressionable-age hypothesis posits that people forge most of their
political attitudes during the critical period between ages 14 and 24. Political
and perhaps personal events occurring when a person is 18 are about three

409CHANGES IN IDEOLOGY
times as likely to influence partisan voting preferences as similar events
occurring when a voter is 40 years old.
Political scientists, psychologists, and pollsters typically place Americans
into four generational categories to measure attitudes and compare where they
might stand on a political continuum. They include from youngest to oldest:
Millennials, Generation X, Baby Boomers, and the Silent Generation.
Different authorities define the cutoffs at slightly different years. The Silent
Generation, those born before 1945, are senior citizens born during the Great
Depression or as late as the aftermath of World War II. Baby Boomers (those
born between 1946–1964) lived during an era of economic prosperity after
World War II and through the turbulent 1960s. Generation X includes those
Americans born after the Baby Boomers (between about 1962–1982), and
Millennials came of voting age at or after the new millennium. Generation Z,
those people born between 1995 and 2010, tend to share similar outlooks as
Millennials but are still being defined. A look at two of the age groups on this
timeline will show the role of generational effects on political socialization.
Millennials
This under-40 population tends to be more accepting of interracial and same-
sex marriage, legalization of marijuana, and second chances in the criminal
justice system than their elders. They are also more ethnically and racially
diverse than previous generations. About 12 percent of Millennials are first-
generation Americans. They tend to be tech-centered, generally supportive of
government action to solve problems, and highly educated. They have a high
level of social connectedness and great opportunities for news consumption.
By any measure, they are more liberal than previous generations. Gallup
researcher Jeffrey Jones says that Millennials will remain more liberal and the
United States will become more liberal as this group ages.
On Foreign Policy As Millennials began reading their news online,
they encountered a world characterized by a complex distribution of power,
a network of state and non-state actors shaping the foreign policy process
and international relations. Millennials’ frequent interactions with people not
exactly like them and at great distances have led them to be more willing to
promote cooperation over the use of force in foreign policy compared with
other generations. Although they are hopeful about the future of the country,
only about 70 percent of Millennials regard themselves as patriotic, a lower
percentage than older Americans.
Economic Views Millennials tend to follow a similar “stay out” mindset
in regard to social questions and some economic questions, yet their lines
separating government from the economy are not easy to draw. They are
business friendly but not opposed to regulation. They want citizens to earn
their way, but they want to protect the consumer, the environment, and society
at large. Their coming of age in a post-Earth Day world has created a desire to
protect the environment through recycling and other measures. They often

410 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
acknowledge government waste and are troubled by it, but they believe in a
higher degree of regulation than do typical conservatives. Nearly four out of
five Millennials believe Americans should adopt a sustainable lifestyle by
conserving energy and consuming fewer goods.
Millennials are more conservative on free trade and a meritocracy, with 48
percent saying that government programs for the poor undermine initiative
and responsibility and 29 percent disagreeing with that statement.
THINK AS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST: DESCRIBE TRENDS IN DATA
Statistics are a valuable tool to political scientists. Studying statistics over
decades or generations helps political scientists understand how groups change
over time and reveals differences in political attitudes and beliefs between
generations. As you read, some issues can demonstrate the expanse of the
divide between age groups more than others. For example, attitudes about the
amount of services provided by the federal government shows how people of
varying ages disagree on a key issue.
Practice: Study the data below and answer the questions that follow.
Generational Divides in Size and Scope of Government
Percentage who would prefer a bigger government providing more services
1. Describe a trend about Boomers in the decade between 2007 and 2017.
2. Compare the trend for the Boomers in that decade with the trend for Millennials.
3. Describe the trend of the total population of U.S. adults from 1980 to 2017.
4. Describe a difference in the trends of total U.S. adults and the Silent Generation
between the years 2007 to 2017. Draw one possible conclusion about the reason
for that difference.
Voting Though Millennials’ views show subtle differences, their voting
habits on Election Day do not. The Pew Research Center found in a 2016
study that 55 percent of 18- to 35-year-olds identified as Democrats or leaning
Democrat, and 27 percent called themselves “liberal Democrats.” More than
1980 1989 1996 1999 2007 2011 2014 2017
% % % % % % % %
Total 32 48 30 43 43 41 42 48
Millennial – – – – 68 56 54 57
GenX – – 53 54 51 45 46 50
Boomer 45 52 24 41 33 35 35 43
Silent 25 35 19 34 30 25 27 30
Source: PEW RESEARCH CENTER, 2017

411CHANGES IN IDEOLOGY
two out of three young Americans has a progressive tilt on energy, climate
change, government efforts to assist people and the economy, and fighting
inequality.
Silent Generation
On the opposite end of the age spectrum, senior citizens are defined as those
over 65 years old. The Silent Generation and Baby Boomers overlap in this age
group, but the following information focuses on the older generation. Unique
times and political events shaped this generation’s thinking.
On Foreign Policy Members of the Silent Generation are the last group
to remember the era before the 1960s counterculture movement and before
the Vietnam War. Most of this generation grew up hating communism, and
many of them supported America’s nine-year involvement in Southeast Asia
until the U.S. departure from the region in the mid-1970s. American prosperity,
patriotism, and a Judeo-Christian moral code were foremost in shaping their
views during their impressionable years.
On Social Issues The same generation gave religious values high priority
and opposed the cultural changes that came during the 1960s and 1970s. Racial
integration led to more interracial marriage and societal acceptance of racial
equality, but that acceptance came more slowly to those who grew up in
segregated societies.
The women’s movement changed the traditional roles of the family and
eventually legalized abortion. Casual drug use and a counterculture movement
caused many who had come of age in the 1950s and early 1960s to question
the order of things, yet many of those who started voting in the 1970s stood
with the old guard, influenced by their parents’ choices. They held conservative
beliefs and questioned changing American values.
As Molly Ball of The Atlantic explained in 2016, this cohort “has fought
through the culture wars, has watched God and prayer leave the public square,
and has watched immigration infiltrate U.S. society and culture.” The same
group today wants government to be tougher on criminal defendants and terror
suspects than do younger groups, they more often oppose gay marriage, and
they are bewildered with states’ decisions to legalize marijuana. A 2016 PRRI-
Brookings survey showed that a majority of those over 65 believe America’s
“culture and way of life” have changed for the worse.
Voting Seniors are the most reliable voters. The retired and elderly show
up consistently to vote in the highest percentages. This group often has lifelong
investment in their communities and concerns over many key issues, not just
Social Security and Medicare, as is sometimes portrayed.
According to a 2015 study by the U.S. Census Bureau, in the 2014 midterm
elections, 59 percent of those over 65 voted. National averages in most
midterm elections average around 38 percent. In fact, this senior midterm
measure beats most voting blocs even in presidential election years. The 55–64

412 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
year-old group turned out in large numbers in the 2016 presidential election,
about 66 percent, but still somewhat lower than their elders whose turnout was
about 71 percent.
Lifecycle Effects
Just as each generation experiences dynamic social changes, people experience
change as they move through the life cycle. Lifecycle effects include the variety
of physical, social, and psychological changes that people go through as they
age. These can affect political socialization in several ways. For one, they can
shift focus to issues that are important at different age levels. For example,
many college-age students are concerned about the accumulation of student
debt and the challenges in finding a job that provides both a good income and
health insurance benefits. In part because of these concerns, many Millennials
and the following generation were drawn to the candidacy of U.S. Senator
Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in the Democratic presidential primaries in 2016 and
2020 because he called for free education at public colleges, more corporate
regulations, and an expansion of Medicare—the health insurance program for
seniors managed by the government—to include everyone, paid for in part by
a tax increase for the wealthiest citizens.
When people in this group move into the next stage of life, which often
involves marriage and family, their priorities might shift to other issues
related to a stable economy and to schools their children might attend. At
this point, a second lifecycle effect also becomes apparent. The demands of
adult responsibility and raising children may limit the amount of active
political participation people in this stage of the lifecycle can manage. They
may be less able to volunteer in election efforts or to participate in
demonstrations.
Source: Getty Images
The Silent Generation and
Baby Boomers are often more
politically active than younger
citizens. Older generations
would have a keen interest in
this news conference where
Florida lawmakers share
information about a 2003
bill that would aid seniors in
obtaining prescription drugs.

413CHANGES IN IDEOLOGY
Just as young adults focus on the issues that matter at their life stage,
seniors are worried about things that matter most as they age. The American
Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the powerful interest group that
directly represents more than 40 million seniors, lists among its major
issues on its website: Social Security, health issues, Medicare, retirement, and
consumer protection. Retirees who have paid into the Social Security system
start collecting their benefits, and trips to the doctor become necessary and
more expensive. According to a 2016 AARP study, 81 percent of seniors think
prescription drug prices are too expensive and 87 percent say they support a
tax credit to help families afford caregivers.
By the time they become seniors, people have had a full life to forge their
political attitudes and to practice political habits—consuming news, interacting
with government on a local level, and developing the habit of voting. They have
likely already registered to vote and are familiar with voting routines, and they
usually don’t have to schedule voting around work.
KEY TERMS AND NAMES
Baby Boomers
Generation X
generational effects
lifecycle effects
Millennials
Silent Generation
REFLECT ON THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Essential Question: How do generational and life cycle events influence political
attitudes and socialization? On separate paper, complete the chart below.
Influences on Millennials’
Political Attitudes
Influences on the Silent Generation’s
Political Attitudes

414 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
4.4
Influence of Political Events on
Ideology
“September 11 is one of our worst days but it brought out the best in us. It
unified us as a country and showed our charitable instincts and reminded
us of what we stood for and stand for.”
—Senator Lamar Alexander, (R-TN)
Essential Question: How do significant events influence political
attitudes and socialization?
Political beliefs can be shaped by major national political events, such as war,
a charismatic president completing his agenda, or a landmark Supreme Court
ruling that alters society. Events closer to home can also have lasting political
impact. Watching a friend or loved one benefit or be harmed by affirmative
action, serving in a war zone, or experiencing the effects of very high taxes or
business regulation costs can shape one’s views of national policy.
Influence of Major Political Events
Each generation has its own political and economic events that bring about
dynamic social change. Living through these events has an influence on
political attitudes and socialization.
The Older Generation
Those who endured the economic hardships of the Great Depression (1929–
1933) lived in an era in which many people had a favorable attitude toward
government involvement in social life. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s
New Deal put people back to work by creating government jobs related to
infrastructure (roads, canals, railroads) and even the arts. Social Security
provided support for seniors and lifted many members of that age group out
of poverty. Through the political socialization process, these events influenced
ideology—in this case advancing trust in the government and support for the
role of government in providing a social safety net.
As the Depression waned, the United States became involved in World
War II. The war brought the nation together against fascism, creating a sense
of united purpose and a belief in the reliability of the government. Women’s
entrance into the workforce to help industrial output of needed war materials

415INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL EVENTS ON IDEOLOGY
redefined the role of women in society and helped shape political attitudes
about gender.
After World War II, the Russians (Soviets at the time) replaced the Axis
powers as the new enemy, and the United States stood up to totalitarianism
and the Soviet annexation of or influence on vulnerable nations. The Vietnam
War was one of the final major efforts that placed large numbers of American
GIs on the battlefield to defeat communism. As the mission in Vietnam proved
to be a failure and as a rising number of Americans disagreed with U.S.
involvement, many of those over 35 years old, especially blue-collar workers
and those in rural communities, differed from the Baby Boomers. Unlike the
Boomers, these Americans trusted and supported their government on the
way into Vietnam and refrained from criticizing their government as failure
became imminent. They were more forgiving of their government in the
aftermath of the conflict.
The Baby Boomers
“Where were you when you heard that President Kennedy had been shot?” is
a question most people of school age or older in 1963 can answer without a
second thought. Such an event has a lasting impact on a person’s absorption of
political culture. Kennedy’s assassination was one of an unfortunate number
of assassinations during the 1960s: presidential candidate and brother Robert
Kennedy and civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther
King Jr. These assassinations were in the same decade known for protests—of
racial segregation and discrimination, of the United States’ involvement in the
Source: Library of Congress
Vietnam War protestors at the White House. The division over the war shaped the ideology of many who
are now the older generation.

416 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
conflict in Vietnam, and the draft of young men to defend the interests of the
country in Vietnam. Mass protests were a feature of the political culture of
the time and influenced the political socialization of both participants and
observers as an active democracy engaged members of society over life and
death matters. Challenging the government became a political norm, and
people tended to feel they had the power to bring about social changes through
their actions.
From 1992 to 2006, Boomers were primarily a Democratic voting group.
They took the place of the Silent Generation—the massive New Deal Coalition
of Americans who voted for Franklin Roosevelt and Democrats who followed
him—after the elders died. However, as Boomers aged, they joined other seniors
in flocking to the Republican Party from the Democratic Party, a consistent
trend that began in 2006 and held true on election night in 2016.
The shift of this generation is due in part to the shift in policy positions by
each of the major parties. The Democratic Party, though redefined as “liberal”
economically in the New Deal era, still held somewhat conservative views and
dominated in the South into the 1970s and 1980s. As the party took on more
liberal social views, supporting the right to abortion, same-sex marriage, and
affirmative action, followers of Roosevelt and their children have shifted to the
Republican Party.
The Younger Generation
The two seminal events in Millennials’ formative years were the September 11,
2001 attacks orchestrated by al-Qaeda (see Topic 1.5) and the military conflicts
in Afghanistan and Iraq that followed. Two schools of thought prevail on how
Millennials view the September 11 attacks. One is that the attack on U.S. soil
calls for aggressive homeland security and counterterrorism measures. Events
that threaten national security have led Millennials to patriotism and trust
in government, although in smaller percentages than older groups. Another
point of view is that the event should serve as a wake-up call that the United
States should be less involved in the Middle East. Some studies report that
53 percent of Millennials believe the United States ultimately provoked the
attacks.
The U.S. and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military attacks on
Afghanistan following September 11 and the 2003 Iraq invasion and subsequent
occupation have also helped shape Millennials’ views. The war in Afghanistan
eventually surpassed Vietnam as America’s longest military conflict, and the chief
premise for invading Iraq, a search for weapons of mass destruction, proved
groundless. This younger generation will likely compare future conflicts to the
war in Iraq, predisposing this cohort to be more reluctant to intervene or use
military force than older generations. A 2014 study by the Chicago Council on
Global Affairs found that almost 50 percent of Millennials say the United States
should stay out of world affairs, the largest percentage by a generational group since
the Council began the survey in 1974.

417INFLUENCE OF POLITICAL EVENTS ON IDEOLOGY
Many in this generation became politically aware around the time of the
Great Recession (2007–2012). Studies show that growing up in an economic
recession can greatly shape attitudes toward government redistribution of
wealth—welfare and Social Security. Nearly 70 percent of Millennials accept
the idea of government intervention in a failing economy, 10 percent more than
the next older cohort. Pessimistic views formed during a sudden economic
downturn tend to be long-lasting. Such experiences could increase the chances
these citizens vote for a Democratic presidential candidate by 15 percent.
In the 2016 presidential election, Millennials favored the Democratic Party
by 43 percent, while only 26 percent of that group favored the Republican Party.
About 10 percent of Millennials voted for someone other than Donald Trump
or Hillary Clinton, while those 40 and older voted for minor candidates only
about 4 percent of the time.
THINK AS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST: EXPLAIN HOW THE AUTHOR’S
ARGUMENT AND PERSPECTIVE RELATE TO POLITICAL PRINCIPLES AND
BEHAVIORS
Much of what has been written or spoken about political life in the United
States can be tied to the core values of individualism, equal opportunity, free
enterprise, the rule of law, and/or limited government. Significant events can
have an effect on how a generation interprets those values. For example, the
COVID-19 pandemic will likely influence people’s ideas about the proper role
of government in public health and safety.
Practice: Read the excerpt about Social Security by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
from 2019 and answer the questions that follow.
Social Security is the most successful government program in our nation’s history.
Before Social Security was signed into law, nearly half of seniors lived in poverty.
Today, while much too high, the poverty rate for seniors is down to 9.2 percent.
Through good times and bad, Social Security has paid every nickel owed to
every eligible American – on time and without delay. That is an extraordinary
accomplishment.
Despite what you may have heard from those who want to cut back on Social
Security, let’s be clear: Social Security is not “going broke.” Social Security has a
$2.9 trillion surplus and can pay every benefit owed to every eligible American for
the next 16 years.
Although Social Security’s finances are strong, Congress must strengthen and
expand it for generations to come. How do we do that? Simple.
At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, the wealthiest Americans in
this country must pay their fair share into the system. Today, a billionaire pays the
same amount of money into Social Security as someone who makes $132,900 a year
because the Social Security payroll tax is capped.
[My] Social Security plan would lift this cap and apply the payroll tax on all income
over $250,000.

418 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT & POLITICS: AP ® EDITION
REFLECT ON THE ESSENTIAL QUESTION
Essential Question: How do significant events influence political attitude and
socialization? On separate paper, complete the table below.
Generations Events Impact on Political
Attitudes
Millennials and
Generation X
Silent Generation and
Baby Boomers
KEY TERMS AND NAMES
Great Depression (1929–1933)
New Deal Coalition
Iraq invasion (2003)
Great Recession (2007–2012)
1. What is Sanders’s main point in the excerpt?
2. Sanders refers to “good times and bad” through which Social Security came
through. Based on what you read in this section, what are some of the signifi-
cant events to which he refers?
3. Explain how Sanders’s position on Social Security relates to the principles of
equal opportunity and limited government.

CHAPTER 12 REVIEW: LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND KEY TERMS 419
CHAPTER 12 Review:
Learning Objectives and Key Terms
TOPIC 4.1: Explain the relationship between core beliefs of U.S. citizens and attitudes
about the role of government. (MPA-1.A)
Effect of Core Values on Citizens’ Attitudes (MPA-1.A.1)
conservative limited government
equality of opportunity liberal
free enterprise political culture
individualism rule of law
laissez-faire
TOPIC 4.2: Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.
(MPA-1.B)
Factors Influencing Political Attitudes (MPA-1.B.1 & 2)
globalization political socialization
TOPIC 4.3: Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.
(MPA-1.B)
Generational and Life Cycle Effects on Attitudes (MPA-1.B.3)
Baby Boomers lifecycle effects
Generation X Millennials
generational effects Silent Generation
TOPIC 4.4: Explain how cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.
(MPA-1.B)
Influence of Cultural Factors on Socialization (MPA-1.B.4)
Great Depression (1929–1933) New Deal Coalition
Iraq invasion (2003) Great Recession (2007–2012)

420 CHAPTER 12 CHECKPOINT: CITIZENS’ BELIEFS AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
CHAPTER 12 Checkpoint:
Citizens’ Beliefs and Political Ideology
Topics 4.1–4.4
MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
Question 1 refers to the information below.
TWO CITIZEN PROFILES
William Sarah
Hometown: Huntsville, Alabama
Age: 57
Level of Education: B.A. in Business
Socio-economic Level: Upper
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Age: 27
Level of Education: M.A. in English
Socio-economic Level: Middle
1. Based on the information in the infographic, which political beliefs are
these citizens most likely to have?
(A) Sarah’s views would be pro-life on abortion and William would be
pro-choice.
(B) William would support legalization of marijuana while Sarah
would oppose legalizing marijuana.
(C) Sarah and William both would hold liberal views on free speech.
(D) William would want fewer regulations on commerce, while Sarah
would be more supportive of welfare programs.
2. Millennials’ political socialization was affected by the September 11
attacks by al-Qaeda terrorists, showing most clearly which effect on the
formation of political views?
(A) The generational effect
(B) The lifecycle effect
(C) The effect of social media
(D) The effect of globalization

CHAPTER 12 CHECKPOINT: CITIZENS’ BELIEFS AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY 421
3. Which of the following is an accurate comparison of Millennials and
members of the Silent Generation?
MILLENNIALS SILENT GENERATION
(A) Favor tough punishments for
criminals
Favor lenient punishments for
criminals
(B) Generally oppose same-sex marriage Generally support same-sex marriage
(C) Tend to believe the United States
should stay out of foreign countries
Tend to see the United States as a
world guardian of democracy
(D) Tend to be Republicans Tend to be Democrats
Questions 4 and 5 refer to the excerpt below.
The social condition of the Americans is eminently democratic; this was its
character at the foundation of the Colonies, and is still more strongly marked at
the present day. I have stated in the preceding chapter that great equality existed
among the emigrants who settled on the shores of New England. The germ of
aristocracy was never planted in that part of the Union. . . . [in the middle
states] some great English proprietors had settled, who had imported with
them aristocratic principles . . . it was impossible ever to establish a powerful
aristocracy in America; these reasons existed with less force to the southwest
of the Hudson. In the South, one man, aided by slaves, could cultivate a great
extent of country: it was therefore common to see rich landed proprietors. But
their influence was not altogether aristocratic as that term is understood in
Europe, since they possessed no privileges; and the cultivation of their estates
being carried on by slaves, they had no tenants depending on them, and
consequently no patronage.
—Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1835
4. Based on the text, which of the following prevented the emergence of an
American aristocracy?
(A) High levels of taxation of inherited wealth
(B) The reliance of wealthy landowners on slave labor rather than
tenant labor
(C) The existence of relatively cheap land in the United States
(D) Laws that prohibited an aristocracy from emerging
5. Which of the following core beliefs about American government is
emphasized most by the author?
(A) Equality of opportunity
(B) Free enterprise
(C) Rule of law
(D) Limited government

422 CHAPTER 12 CHECKPOINT: CITIZENS’ BELIEFS AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY
6. Which of the following statements accurately describes the relationship
between family and political opinions?
(A) Children are rarely surveyed, so it is difficult to determine the
relationship.
(B) Children’s political opinions are heavily influenced by their parents,
but not as much as they used to be.
(C) Children who discuss politics at a younger age with parents have
fewer political discussions with parents over time.
(D) Children are keenly aware of their parents’ political opinions and
invariably follow them.
FREE-RESPONSE QUESTIONS
Concept Application
The following is a passage from a notable article in the Journal of Democracy.
1. “The vibrancy of American civil society has notably declined over the past
several decades. . . . it was the Americans’ propensity for civic association
that most impressed [the French observer Alexis de Tocqueville] as the
key to their unprecedented ability to make democracy work . . . The norms
and networks of civic engagement also powerfully affect the performance
of representative government. . . . Americans ha[ve] forsaken their parents’
habitual readiness to engage in the simplest act of citizenship [voting] . . . .
It is not just the voting booth that has been increasingly deserted . . . . more
Americans are bowling today than ever before, but bowling in organized
leagues has plummeted in the last decade or so. . . . [it is] the social
interaction and even occasionally civic conversations over beer and pizza
that solo bowlers forgo. Whether or not bowling beats balloting in the eyes
of most Americans, bowling teams illustrate yet another vanishing form of
social capital [social relationships that enable society to function] . . . . High
on America’s agenda should be the question of how to reverse these trends in
social connectedness, thus restoring civic engagement and civic trust.”
—Professor Robert Putnam, “Bowling Alone: America’s
Declining Social Capital,” 1995
After reading the excerpt above, respond to A, B, and C below:
(A) Describe changes in political participation based on the excerpt.
(B) In the context of this scenario, explain why social capital has
declined in the 20 th and 21st centuries.
(C) In the context of the scenario, explain how social capital and other
cultural factors influence political attitudes and socialization.

CHAPTER 12 CHECKPOINT: CITIZENS’ BELIEFS AND POLITICAL IDEOLOGY 423
Quantitative Analysis
Source: Pew Research Center, 2019
2. Use the graph above to answer the following questions.
(A) Identify the religious group with the highest percentage
participating in four or more community groups.
(B) Describe a difference in community group participation across
income levels.
(C) Draw a conclusion about why the difference from part B exists.
(D) Explain how the data in the chart could influence citizens’ political
ideology.
11%23%23%43%Full sample
12242341Christian
12252439Protestant
12202147Catholic
24282028Jewish
9212149Unaffiliated
13192346Ages 18-29
1120244530-49
1023224550-64
1331223465+
10252341White
17222338Black
9162451Hispanic
9172152High school or less
10212445Some college
15322330College graduate
11181953Less than $30,000
10242443$30,000-$74,999
13282633$75,000+
0 1 2-3 4+
Community Group Involvement
Percentage Participating in 0 to 4+ Groups