1. Overview: Chapter 1
Political Thinking and Political Culture: Becoming a
Responsible Citizen
Chapter Goals
The chapter addresses the following goals:
· Describe the importance of political thinking in a democracy
and the current barriers to political thinking among the public.
· Describe the discipline of political science and how it can
contribute to political thinking.
· Explain the nature of politics in the U.S. and how it is a
struggle for power among competing groups and interests.
· Discuss America’s cultural ideals of liberty, individualism,
equality and self-government and how they have affected some
public issues like taxation or social welfare policy.
· Discuss the major rules of American politics: democracy,
constitutionalism, and the free market system, and why rules are
necessary in politics.
· Explain differing theories of political power, including
majoritarianism, pluralism, corporate power, and elitism, and
how they may undercut the ideals of democracy in the U.S.
· Discuss the nature of the free market system in the U.S. and
how it compares to European and other economic systems.
Focus and Main Points
Contemporary American government is placed in historical
perspective in this chapter. The value of political science in
examining the development of American politics since the
country’s earliest years is examined briefly, and concepts such
as power, pluralism, and constitutionalism that are central to the
study of government and politics are also assessed. In addition,
the value of political thinking and the ability of political
science to help develop political thinking are discussed. Several
comparisons between the cultural development of political
institutions and financial systems of the United States and

2. Europe are made to help illustrate the different forms of
government and economic organization.
The main points of this chapter are as follows:
· The development of political thinking is important for
functioning democracies, which rely on the informed choices of
citizens for the formation of government. There are powerful
barriers to political thinking, such as individual unwillingness
to develop it, changing patterns of media consumption, and
“spin” by political leaders. Political science is a discipline that
can help develop political thinking among students and also
lead to a fuller understanding of political phenomena.
· Every country has a distinctive political culture, a widely
shared and deep-seated belief system. National identity in many
countries is taken from the common ancestry and kinship they
share. Americans are linked not by a shared ancestry but by the
country’s political culture as the foundation of its national
identity.
· Politics is the process through which a society settles its
conflicts. Those who win, in political conflict, are said to have
power, and those leaders that have gained the legitimacy to use
that power have authority. The play of politics in the United
States takes place in the context of democratic procedures,
constitutionalism, and the free market system. Theorists differ
in explaining how power is wielded, using elements of
majoritarianism, pluralism, corporate power, and elite rule as
explanatory models.
· Politics in the United States is characterized by a widespread
sharing of power through a highly fragmented governing system
with extensive checks and balances, a high degree of pluralism,
and an extraordinary emphasis on individual rights.
Chapter Outline
I. Learning to Think Politically
A. Obstacles to Political Thinking
B. What Political Science Can Contribute to Political Thinking
II. Political Culture: Americans’ Enduring Beliefs
A. Core Values: Liberty, Individualism, Equality, and Self-

3. Government
B. The Limits and Power of America’s Ideals
III. Politics and Power in America
A. A Democratic System
B. A Constitutional System
C. A Free-Market System
D. Who Does Govern?
IV. The Text’s Organization
Chapter Summary
Political thinking is the careful gathering and sifting of
information in the process of forming knowledgeable views of
political developments. Political thinking is a key to responsible
citizenship, but many citizens avoid it by virtue of paying scant
attention to politics. The tools of political science can
contribute to effective political thinking.
The United States is a nation that was formed on a set of ideals.
Liberty, individualism, equality, and self-government are
foremost among these ideals. These ideals became Americans’
common bond and today are the basis of Americans’ political
culture. Although imperfect in practice, these ideals have
guided what generations of Americans have tried to achieve
politically.
Politics is the process that determines whose values will prevail
in society. The basis of politics is conflict over scarce resources
and competing values. Those who have power win out in this
conflict and are able to control governing authority and policy
choices. In the United States, no one faction controls all power
and policy. Majorities govern on some issues, while other issues
are dominated by groups, elites, corporations, individuals
through judicial action, or officials who hold public office.
Politics in the United States plays out through rules of the game
that include democracy, constitutionalism, and free markets.
Democracy is rule by the people, which in practice refers to a
representative system of government in which the people rule
through their elected officials. Constitutionalism refers to rules
that limit the rightful power of government over citizens. A free

4. market system assigns private parties the dominant role in
determining how economic costs and benefits are allocated.
Overview: Chapter 2
Constitutional Democracy: Promoting Liberty and Self-
Government
Chapter Goals
The chapter addresses the following goals:
· Describe the system of checks and balances on the powers of
the three branches of American government, and assess its
effectiveness in controlling the abuse of political power.
· Explain and analyze the roots of limited government in
America.
· Compare separation of powers and separated institutions
sharing power. Assess why the second, which characterizes the
U.S. system, is the more substantial check on political power.
· Explain what is meant by the term judicial review, and assess
its significance in a system based on limited government. Be
sure to explain the constitutional significance of Marbury v.
Madison.
· Discuss the distinction the framers made between the terms
democracy and republic, and why they considered one
preferable over the other.
· Describe how provisions for majority rule have changed and
increased over time, and what role the Progressive movement
played in this evolution.
· Summarize the arguments for and against direct democracy, as
compared to an indirect, representative government.
· Compare and contrast current American constitutional
democracy with other political systems, paying special attention
to the ways in which the United States is more – or less –
democratic.
Focus and Main Points
This chapter describes how the principles of representative
government and limited government are embodied in the

5. Constitution and explains the tension between them. The
chapter also indicates how these principles have been modified
in practice in the course of American history.
The main points presented in this chapter include the following:
· America during the colonial period developed traditions of
limited government and representative government. These
traditions were rooted in governing practices, political theory,
and cultural values.
· The Constitution provides for limited government mainly by
defining lawful powers and by dividing those powers among
competing institutions. The Constitution, with its Bill of Rights,
also prohibits government from infringing on individual rights.
Judicial review is an additional safeguard.
· The Constitution in its original form provided for
representative government mainly through indirect methods of
electing representatives. The framers’ theory of representative
government was based on the notion that political power must
be separated from immediate popular influences if sound
policies are to result.
· The idea of popular government—in which the majority’s
desires have a more direct and immediate impact on governing
officials—has gained strength since the nation’s beginning.
Originally, the House of Representatives was the only
institution subject to direct vote of the people. This mechanism
has been extended to other institutions and, through primary
elections, even to the nomination of candidates for public
office.
Chapter Outline
I. Before the Constitution: The Colonial and Revolutionary
Experiences
A. The Declaration of Independence
B. The Articles of Confederation
C. A Nation Dissolving
II. Negotiating Toward a Constitution
A. The Great Compromise: A Two-Chamber Congress
B. The Three-Fifths Compromise: Issues of Slavery and Trade

6. C. A Strategy for Ratification
D. The Ratification Debate
E. The Framers’ Goals
III. Protecting Liberty: Limited Government
A. Grants and Denials of Power
B. Using Power to Offset Power
C. Separated Institutions Sharing Power: Checks and Balances
1.
1.
1. Shared Legislative Powers
2. Shared Executive Powers
3. Shared Judicial Powers
D. The Bill of Rights
E. Judicial Review
IV. Providing for Self-Government
A. Democracy versus Republic
B. Limited Popular Rule
C. Altering the Constitution: More Power to the People
1.
1.
1. Jeffersonian Democracy: A Revolution of the Spirit
2. Jacksonian Democracy: Linking the People and the
Presidency
3. The Progressives: Senate and Primary Elections
4. Interpretation of the Constitution
V. Constitutional Democracy Today
Chapter Summary
The Constitution of the United States is a reflection of the
colonial and revolutionary experiences of the early Americans.
Freedom from abusive government was the main reason for the
colonies’ revolt against British rule, but the English tradition
also provided ideas about government, power, and freedom that
were expressed in the Constitution and, earlier, in the
Declaration of Independence.
The Constitution was designed in part to provide for a limited
government in which political power would be confined to

7. proper uses. The framers wanted to ensure that the government
they were creating would not itself be a threat to freedom. To
this end, they confined the national government to expressly
granted powers and also denied it certain specific powers. Other
prohibitions on government were later added to the Constitution
in the form of stated guarantees of individual liberties in the
Bill of Rights. The most significant constitutional provision for
limited government, however, was a separation of powers
among the three branches. The powers given to each branch
enable it to act as a check on the exercise of power by the other
two, an arrangement that during the nation’s history has in fact
served as a barrier to abuses of power.
The Constitution, however, made no mention of how the powers
and limits of government were to be judged in practice. In its
historic ruling in Marbury v. Madison, the Supreme Court
assumed the authority to review the constitutionality of
legislative and executive actions and to declare them
unconstitutional and thus invalid.
The framers of the Constitution, respecting the idea of self-
government but distrusting popular majorities, devised a system
of government that they felt would temper popular opinion and
slow its momentum so that the public’s “true interest” (which
includes a regard for the rights and interests of the minority)
would guide public policy. Different methods were advanced for
selecting the president, the members of the House and the
Senate, and federal judges as a means of insulating political
power against momentary majorities.
Since the adoption of the Constitution, the public gradually has
assumed more direct control of its representatives, particularly
through measures that affect the way officeholders are chosen.
Presidential popular voting (linked to the Electoral College),
direct election of senators, and primary elections are among the
devices aimed at strengthening the majority’s influence. These
developments are rooted in the idea, deeply held by ordinary
Americans, that the people must have substantial direct
influence over their representatives if government is to serve

8. their interests.
Overview: Chapter 3
Federalism: Forging a Nation
Chapter Goals
The chapter addresses the following goals:
· Define federalism and describe the bargaining process at the
Philadelphia convention resulting in its inception.
· Specify the differences among enumerated, implied, and
reserved powers. Explain the purpose underlying this
distribution of power.
· Distinguish among the “necessary and proper,” supremacy,
and commerce clauses, explaining how their constitutional
interpretations have affected the division of powers in American
government.
· Outline the different stages in the Supreme Court’s
interpretation of federalism, referring to its major decisions and
their significance.
· Describe the causes behind the rise in nationalism, such as the
nature of interdependency and the cooperative federalism that
has resulted.
· Outline the aspects of fiscal federalism, including the types of
grants-in-aid and the influence they can bear on behalf of the
federal government.
· Explain the causes behind the devolution movement of the
latter decades of the twentieth century, and describe the recent
developments that have brought about an end to the devolution
trend.
Focus and Main Points
The author focuses on the issue of federalism: its creation
through the Constitution, its evolution during the nation’s
history, and its current status.
The main points presented in the chapter are these:
· The power of government must be equal to its responsibilities.

9. The Constitution was needed because the nation’s preceding
system (under the Articles of Confederation) was too weak to
accomplish its expected goals, particularly those of a strong
defense and an integrated economy.
· Federalism—the Constitution’s division of governing authority
between two levels, nation and states—was the result of
political bargaining. Federalism was not a theoretical principle,
but rather a compromise made necessary in 1787 by the prior
existence of the states.
· Federalism is not a fixed principle for allocating power
between the national and state governments, but rather a
principle that has changed over time in response to political
needs and partisan ideology. Federalism has passed through
several distinct stages in the course of the nation’s history.
· Contemporary federalism tilts toward national authority,
reflecting the increased interdependence of American society.
Chapter Outline
I. Federalism: National and State Sovereignty
A. The Argument for Federalism
1.
1.
1. Protecting Liberty
2. Moderating the Power of Government
B. The Powers of the Nation and States
1.
1.
1. Enumerated Powers and the Supremacy Clause
2. Implied Powers: The Necessary and Proper Clause
3. Reserved Powers: The States’ Authority
II. Federalism in Historical Perspective
A. An Indestructible Union (1789-1865)
1.
1.
1. The Nationalist View: McCulloch v. Maryland
2. The States’ Rights View: The Dred Scott Decision
B. Dual Federalism and Laissez-Faire Capitalism (1865-1937)

10. 1.
1.
1. The Fourteenth Amendment and State Discretion
2. Judicial Protection of Business
3. National Authority Prevails
III. Contemporary Federalism (Since 1937)
A. Interdependency and Intergovernmental Relations
B. Government Revenues and Intergovernmental Relations
1.
1.
1. Fiscal Federalism
2. Categorical and Block Grants
C. Devolution
1.
1.
1. The Republican Revolution
2. The Supreme Court’s Contribution to Devolution
3. Nationalization, the More Powerful Force
IV. The Public’s Influence: Setting the Boundaries of Federal-
State Power
Chapter Summary
A foremost characteristic of the American political system is its
division of authority between a national government and state
governments. The first U.S. government, established by the
Articles of Confederation, was essentially a union of the states.
In establishing the basis for a stronger national government, the
U.S. Constitution also made provision for safeguarding state
interests. The result was the creation of a federal system in
which sovereignty was vested in both national and state
governments. The Constitution enumerates the general powers
of the national government and grants it implied powers through
the “necessary and proper” clause. Other powers are reserved to
the states by the Tenth Amendment.
From 1789 to 1865, the nation’s survival was at issue. The
states found it convenient at times to argue that their
sovereignty took precedence over national authority. In the end,

11. it took the Civil War to cement the idea that the United States
was a union of people, not of states. From 1865 to 1937,
federalism reflected the doctrine that certain policy areas were
the exclusive responsibility of the national government, whereas
responsibility in other policy areas belonged exclusively to the
states. This constitutional position validated the laissez-faire
doctrine that big business was largely beyond governmental
control. It also allowed the states to discriminate against
African Americans in their public policies.
Federalism in a form recognizable today began to emerge in the
1930s. In the areas of commerce, taxation, spending, civil
rights, and civil liberties, among others, the federal government
now plays an important role, one that is the inevitable
consequence of the increasing complexity of American society
and the interdependence of its people. National, state, and local
officials now work closely together to solve the nation’s
problems, a situation known as cooperative federalism. Grants-
in-aid from Washington to the states and localities have been
the chief instrument of national influence. States and localities
have received billions in federal assistance; in accepting federal
money, they also have accepted both federal restrictions on its
use and the national policy priorities that underlie the granting
of the money.
Throughout the nation’s history, the public through its demands
on government has influenced the boundaries between federal
and state power. The devolutionary trend of the 1990s, for
example, was sparked by Americans’ sense that a rollback in
federal power was desirable, whereas the subsequent expansion
of federal power has been a response to Americans’ concerns
about terrorism and economic recovery.
Overview: Chapter 4
Civil Liberties: Protecting Individual Rights

12. Chapter Goals
The chapter addresses the following goals:
· Explain why issues of constitutional individual rights or civil
liberties have become more complex in contemporary times.
· Detail the development of selective incorporation as it relates
to the Fourteenth Amendment and what it means for individual
rights in the states.
· Trace the evolution of the Supreme Court’s interpretation of
the right of free expression through both the early and modern
periods. Important concepts such as prior restraint, libel, and
slander should also be understood. Discuss the extension of its
guarantees to state governments through the Fourteenth
Amendment.
· Outline the historical development of the federal judiciary’s
application of due process protections.
· Review key Supreme Court decisions relating to the right of
privacy.
· Discuss the significance of the establishment and free exercise
clauses in relation to freedom of religion.
· Explain how the rights of the accused have been protected
through Supreme Court rulings. Detail the protections
encountered at various stages of the criminal justice system,
from the suspicion phase through appeal.
· Describe the changes that the war on terrorism has brought to
the protection of individual rights.
· Summarize the role of the courts in a free society.
Focus and Main Points
The author focuses on civil liberties issues in this chapter. He
examines a range of specific individual rights and their
evolution over time. These rights include freedom of speech,
religion, and privacy. However, these rights are constantly
being balanced against competing individual rights and
society’s collective interests, making these increasingly
complex and important in contemporary American politics.
The main points of this chapter are as follows:
· Freedom of expression is the most basic of democratic rights,

13. but like all rights, it is not unlimited.
· “Due process of law” refers to legal protections (primarily
procedural safeguards) designed to ensure that individual rights
are respected by government.
· Over the course of the nation’s history, Americans’ civil
liberties have been broadened in law and more fully protected
by the courts. Of special significance has been the Supreme
Court’s use of the Fourteenth Amendment to protect individual
rights from action by state and local governments.
· Individual rights are constantly being weighed against the
demands of majorities and the collective needs of society. All
political institutions are involved in this process, as is public
opinion, but the judiciary plays a central role and is the
institution that is typically most protective of civil liberties.
Chapter Outline
I. The Bill of Rights, the Fourteenth Amendment, and
Selective Incorporation
II. Freedom of Expression
A. Free Speech
B. Free Assembly
C. Press Freedom and Libel Law
III. Freedom of Religion
A. The Establishment Clause
B. The Free-Exercise Clause
IV. The Right to Bear Arms
V. The Right of Privacy
A. Abortion
B. Consensual Sexual Relations among Same-Sex Adults
VI. Rights of Persons Accused of Crimes
A. Suspicion Phase: Unreasonable Search and Seizure
B. Arrest Phase: Protection against Self-Incrimination
C. Trial Phase: The Right to a Fair Trial
1.
1.
1. Legal Counsel and Impartial Jury
2. The Exclusionary Rule

14. D. Sentencing Phase: Cruel and Unusual Punishment
E. Appeal: One Chance, Usually
F. Crime, Punishment, and Police Practices
VII. Rights and the War on Terrorism
A. Detention of Enemy Combatants
B. Surveillance of Suspected Terrorists
VIII. The Courts and a Free Society
Chapter Summary
The Bill of Rights was added to the Constitution shortly after
its ratification. These amendments guarantee certain political,
procedural, and property rights against infringement by the
national government.
The guarantees embodied in the Bill of Rights originally applied
only to the national government. Under the principle of
selective incorporation of these guarantees using the Fourteenth
Amendment, the courts extended them to state governments,
though the process was slow and uneven. In the 1920s and
1930s, First Amendment guarantees of freedom of expression
were given protection from infringement by the states. The
states continued to have wide discretion in criminal proceedings
until the early 1960s, when most of the fair-trial rights in the
Bill of Rights were given federal protection.
Freedom of expression is the most basic of democratic rights.
People are not free unless they can freely express their views.
Nevertheless, free expression may conflict with the nation’s
security needs during times of war and insurrection. The courts
at times have allowed government to limit expression
substantially for purposes of national security. In recent
decades, however, the courts have protected a wide range of
free expression in the areas of speech, press, and religion. They
have also established a right of privacy, which in some areas,
such as abortion, remains a source of controversy and judicial
action.
Due process of law refers to legal protections that have been
established to preserve individual rights. The most significant
form of these protections consists of procedures designed to

15. ensure that an individual’s rights are upheld (for example, the
right of an accused person to have an attorney present during
police interrogation). A major controversy in this area is the
breadth of the exclusionary rule, which bars the use in trials of
illegally obtained evidence.
The war on terrorism that began after the attacks on September
11, 2001, has raised new issues of civil liberties, including the
detention of enemy combatants, the use of harsh interrogation
techniques, and warrantless surveillance. The Supreme Court
has not ruled on all such issues but has generally held that the
president’s war-making power does not include the authority to
disregard provisions of statutory law, treaties (the Geneva
Conventions), and the Constitution.
Civil liberties are not absolute but must be judged in the context
of other considerations (such as national security or public
safety) and against one another when different rights conflict.
The judicial branch of government, particularly the Supreme
Court, has taken on much of the responsibility for protecting
and interpreting individual rights. The Court’s positions have
changed with time and conditions, but the Court is usually more
protective of civil liberties than are elected officials or popular
majorities.
Overview: Chapter 5
Equal Rights: Struggling Toward Fairness
Chapter Goals
The chapter addresses the following goals:
· Distinguish between civil liberties and civil rights, and
determine whether constitutional devices intended to provide
equality under the law have been successful.
· Describe the impact and evolving interpretation of the
Fourteenth Amendment on individual equality.
· Detail the provisions of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and
1968, and the Voting Rights Act of 1964, and describe the
debate over and current state of affirmative action.

16. · Distinguish among reasonable basis, strict scrutiny, and
intermediate (or almost suspect) scrutiny, and comment on the
implicit assumptions about appropriate means and ends that
underlie each.
· Trace the development of measures to promote racial equality
in America, concentrating on the most significant milestones
and analyzing the actions that proved necessary in order to
achieve them.
· Discuss the similarities and differences among the dilemmas
faced, strategies implemented, and rewards gained by the
respective struggles for African Americans, women, and other
historically disadvantaged groups in the United States.
Focus and Main Points
The focus of this chapter is on civil rights and equality. All
individuals have the right of equal protection of the laws and
equal access to society’s opportunities and public facilities.
This chapter examines the major laws relating to equality, and
the conditions that led to their adoption. The chapter concludes
with a brief look at some of the continuing challenges facing
America’s historically disadvantaged groups.
The chapter emphasizes these points:
· Americans have attained substantial equality under the law. In
purely legal terms, although not always in practice, they have
equal protection under the laws, equal access to
accommodations and housing, and an equal right to vote.
· Legal equality for all Americans has not resulted in de facto
equality. African Americans, women, Hispanic Americans, and
other traditionally disadvantaged groups have a
disproportionately small share of America’s opportunities and
benefits. However, the issue of what, if anything, government
should do to deal with this problem is a major source of
contention.
· Disadvantaged groups have had to struggle for equal rights.
African Americans, women, Native Americans, Hispanic
Americans, Asian Americans, and a number of other groups
have had to fight for their rights in order to achieve a fuller

17. measure of equality.
Chapter Outline
I. Equality through Law
A. The Fourteenth Amendment: Equal Protection
1.
1.
1. Segregation in the Schools
2. Judicial Tests of Equal Protection
B. The Civil Rights Act of 1964
1.
1.
1. The Black Civil Rights Movement
2. The Movement for Women’s Rights
3. Hispanic Americans and the Farm Workers’ Strikes
4. Native Americans and Their Long-Delayed Rights
5. Asian Americans and Immigration
C. The Voting Rights Act of 1965
D. The Civil Rights Act of 1968
E. Affirmative Action
II. The Continuing Struggle for Equality
A. African Americans
B. Women
C. Native Americans
D. Hispanic Americans
E. Asian Americans
F. Gays and Lesbians
G. Other Disadvantaged Groups
III. Discrimination: Surface Differences, Deep Divisions
Chapter Summary
During the past half-century, the United States has undergone a
revolution in the legal status of its traditionally disadvantaged
groups, including African Americans, women, Native
Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Asian Americans. Such
groups are now provided equal protection under the law in areas
such as education, employment, and voting. Discrimination by
race, sex, and ethnicity has not been eliminated from American

18. life, but it is no longer substantially backed by the force of law.
This advance was achieved against strong resistance from
established interests, which only begrudgingly and slowly
responded to demands for equality in law.
Traditionally disadvantaged Americans have achieved fuller
equality primarily as a result of their struggle for greater rights.
The Supreme Court has been an instrument of change for
disadvantaged groups. Its ruling in Brown v. Board of
Education (1954), in which racial segregation in public schools
was declared a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment’s equal-
protection clause, was a major breakthrough in equal rights.
Through its affirmative action and other rulings, such as those
providing equal access to the vote, the Court has also mandated
the active promotion of social, political, and economic equality.
However, because civil rights policy involves large issues
concerned with social values and the distribution of society’s
opportunities and benefits, questions of civil rights are
inherently contentious. For this reason, legislatures and
executives have been deeply involved in such issues. The
history of civil rights includes landmark legislation, such as the
1964 Civil Rights Act and 1965 Voting Rights Act.
In more recent decades, civil rights issues have receded from
the prominence they enjoyed during the 1960s. The scope of
affirmative action programs has narrowed, and the use of forced
busing to achieve racial integration in America’s public schools
has been nearly eliminated. At the same time, new issues have
emerged, including the question of whether same-sex couples
will have the same rights as opposite-sex couples.
The legal gains of disadvantaged groups over the past half-
century have not been matched by material gains. Although
progress in areas such as education, income, and health care
have been made, it has been slow. Tradition, prejudice, and the
sheer difficulty of social, economic, and political progress stand
as formidable obstacles to achieving a more equal America.

19. Overview: Chapter 6
Public Opinion and Political Socialization: Shaping the People’s
Voice
Chapter Goals
The chapter addresses the following goals:
· Describe the process of socialization and the types of agents
that contribute to the political socialization of Americans.
· Describe the frames of reference that influence how
Americans think politically, and their relative contribution to
political opinion.
· Explain how partisan thinking influences opinions about
issues and candidates.
· Detail some of the major types of groups and discuss how
those groups can influence an individual’s political views.
· Describe the different methods used to measure public opinion
and discuss why some are more accurate than others.
· Assess the degree to which American policymakers are
responsive to public opinion, and comment on how this question
relates to the issue of representation in American politics.
Focus and Main Points
The focus of this chapter is on public opinion and its influences
on the American political system. A major theme of the chapter
is that public opinion is a powerful yet inexact force. The
policies of the U.S. government cannot be understood apart
from public opinion; at the same time, public opinion is not a
precise determinant of public policies.
The main points made in this chapter are these:
· Public opinion consists of those views held by ordinary
citizens that are openly expressed. Public officials have various
means of gauging public opinion but increasingly use public
opinion polls for this purpose.
· The process by which individuals acquire their political
opinions is called political socialization. This process begins
during childhood, when, through family and school, Americans
acquire many of their basic political values and beliefs.

20. Socialization continues into adulthood, during which peers,
political leaders, and the news media are among the major
influences.
· Americans’ political opinions are shaped by several frames of
reference, including ideology, group attachments, and
partisanship.
· Public opinion has an important influence on government but
ordinarily does not directly determine exactly what officials
will do.
Chapter Outline
I. Political Socialization: The Origins of Americans’ Opinions
A. Primary Socializing Agents: Family, School, and Church
B. Secondary Socializing Agents: Peers, Media, Leaders, and
Events
II. Frames of Reference: How Americans Think Politically
A. Party Identification
B. Political Ideology
C. Group Orientations
1.
1.
1. Religion
2. Economic Class
3. Region
4. Race and Ethnicity
5. Gender
6. Generations and Age
7. Crosscutting Groups
III. The Measurement of Public Opinion
A. Public Opinion Polls
B. Problems with Polls
IV. The Influence of Public Opinion on Policy
A. Limits on the Public’s Influence
B. Public Opinion and the Boundaries of Action
C. Leaders and Public Opinion
Chapter Summary
The process by which individuals acquire their political

21. opinions is called political socialization. During childhood, the
family, schools, and church are important sources of basic
political attitudes, such as beliefs about the parties and the
nature of the U.S. political and economic systems. Many of the
basic orientations that Americans acquire during childhood
remain with them in adulthood, but socialization is a continuing
process. Adults’ opinions are affected mostly by peers, the news
media, and political leaders. Events themselves also have a
significant short-term influence on opinions.
The frames of reference that guide Americans’ opinions include
political ideology, although most citizens do not have a strong
and consistent ideological attachment. In addition, individuals
develop opinions as a result of group orientations—notably,
religion, economic class, occupation, region, race and ethnicity,
gender, and age. Partisanship is a major source of political
opinions; Republicans and Democrats differ in their voting
behavior and views on many policy issues
Public opinion can be defined as those opinions held by
ordinary citizens that they openly express. Public officials have
many ways of assessing public opinion, such as the outcomes of
elections, but they have increasingly come to rely on public
opinion polls. There are many possible sources of error in polls,
and surveys sometimes present a misleading portrayal of the
public’s views. However, a properly conducted poll can be an
accurate indication of what the public is thinking.
Public opinion has a significant influence on government but
seldom determines exactly what government will do in a
particular instance. Public opinion serves to constrain the policy
choices of officials but also is subject to their efforts to mold
and channel what the public is thinking. Evidence indicates that
officials are particularly attentive to public opinion on highly
visible and controversial issues of public policy.
Research and Discussion
Analyze the benefits of using neural networks, fuzzy logic, and

22. intelligent agents in a business setting.
Introduction: Most of today’s business organizations have
implemented some type of automated system that acts as human.
However, the key differentiating factor is this system operates
24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
This automated system is capable of answering questions like
where do I mail my payment? What is the balance of my
account? What is my pay off amount? When is my payment due?
This system is not only common in speech language, but it is
also capable of reading the body of an e-mail message and using
key words to search the database and automatically send the
appropriate answers to the customers. Siebel, a premier
customer relationship management (CRM) provider, is an
example an organization that has this type of product.
Assignment: Prepare a response to the following discussion
topic: Analyze the benefits of using neural networks, fuzzy
logic, and intelligent agents in a business setting.
Cite examples from your own reading and research to support
your position. Format your response according to APA
guidelines.
By Saturday, October 3, 2015, submit your response to the M6:
Assignment 1 Discussion Area. Through Wednesday, September
30, 2015, review responses submitted by at least two classmates
and provide comments.
All written assignments and responses should follow APA rules
for attributing sources.
Research Application Project
Analyze how computer systems facilitate communication and
collaboration in business.
Introduction: How would data, text, and Web mining have been
possible without telecommunication and networks?
Telecommunication and networks bring everything together and
they help to address organizational requirements that include
performing business via the Internet.

23. For example, on a home network, you can make long distance
telephone calls for free; this would not have been possible
without the invention of voice over IP (VOIP). How about
sending e-mail to friends and family? How would this have been
possible without networks?
Assignment: Analyze how computer systems facilitate
communication and collaboration in business.
Write a 2–4 page paper analyzing how computer systems
facilitate communication and collaboration in business. Cite
examples including links, references, and sources from your
own reading and research to support your position. Format your
response according to APA guidelines.
Case Study Analysis
Oracle Corporation and Others: Dashboards for Executives and
Business Professionals: The Power and the Challenge.
Introduction: Upper management always seems to be too busy to
read detailed reports on how to help them make business
decisions. This idea of decision making in a relative short time
gave birth to the dashboard system, enabling business
executives to view the upswing and down swing of their
business from a single view. The power of dashboards is evident
in the case of study of Oracle corporation and others, titled
“Dashboards for Executives and Business Professionals: The
Power and the Challenge.”
Assignment: After reviewing the case study in “O'Brien: Real
World Case 1 Oracle Corporation and Others: Dashboards for
Executives and Business Professionals: The Power and the
Challenge,” write a 2–4 page paper evaluating why executives
and small business owners are attracted to dashboards and
discuss the value each places on dashboards. Include links,
references, sources you have used and follow the proper APA
guidelines.
Present your work in Microsoft Word document format. Name
your file M6_A2_LastName_CSA.doc and submit it to the M6:

24. Assignment 2 Dropbox byMonday, October 5, 2015.