Divided We Fall

AP US Government and Politics

How close are the political values and beliefs of the median Democrat and Republican voter?

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Pew Research Center

AP US Government and Politics

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. What is one trend you see in the charts?

3. What are two causes for that trend?

4. What are two consequences of that trend?

5. Is this good news or bad news?

6. How did this trend affect the 2016 election?

7. How does this trend affect the ability of the winner of the 2016 election to rule the nation?

8. If these trends continue, what do you think this chart will look like in 20 more years?

9. What does this tell you about the future of America?

10. Explain what impact the media has on this division in political beliefs.

11. How often do you think people on opposite sides of the divide speak to each other?

Learning Extension

Read the entire Pew report on the widening ideology gap.

Action Extension

Find someone with very different political views from your own and ask them to tell you a little bit about what they believe and why? Try very hard to be a good listener. If you are an extreme moderate, find someone of either extreme to talk to. Share the outcome of your discussion with your classmates.