Should news organizations be free to criticize political leaders?

AP US Government and Politics

What percent of Americans said that news organizations being free to criticize political leaders is very important in maintaining a strong democracy in the United States?

View fullsize

Pew Research Center

AP US Government and Politics

1. How accurate was your prediction?

2. Why do you think less than 2/3 of Americans strongly support a free press?

3. What is a consequence of this level of support?

4. Is this generally good news?

5. How do you think the Trump administration has affected these views?

6. How do you think views on the free press varied between members of the Republican and Democratic Parties?*

7. Why do you think that is?

8. What is a consequence of this variance?

9. Explain whether news organizations being free to criticize political leaders is very important in maintaining a strong democracy in the United States.

10. What most surprised you about this information?

11. Complete the survey above based on your personal opinion on the five institutions listed in the Pew survey above.

12. How different were your answers from the average American?

13. How different do you think these answers would have been 20 years ago?

14. Would you say that there democracy is under threat in the United States today?

---

Learning Extension

Check out the Pew survey results.

---

Action Extension

Ask ten people to complete the five questions from the Pew survey above and compare their results with those of the general American public. Share your results with class or online.

---

Bonus Charts*