Gerrymander

AP US Government and Politics

Prediction

1. What do you think gerrymander means?

2. Use gerrymander in a sentence:

3. Think of an example of gerrymander in current events:

Definition

Gerrymandering is the manipulation of district lines to benefit parties and politicians, rather than people. It’s named for an 1812 redistricting plan backed by Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry. In that plan, one district was so convoluted to benefit Governor Gerry’s party, it looked like a salamander. The name Gerrymander has been with us ever since. It’s fundamentally antidemocratic because it’s designed to circumvent or at least dampen the will of voters. For the same reason, it’s very difficult to overcome through democratic means: You can’t exactly vote out the people in power if they’ve drawn districts designed to stop you from doing so. It’s been said about one gerrymandered district in the great state of North Carolina that the district was so gerrymandered that if you drove through it with your car doors open you would kill all the people in the district!

Example

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AP US Government and Politics

Questions

1. What is the definition of gerrymandering, and what is its primary purpose?

2. From what historical event and political figure did the term "gerrymander" originate?

3. Why is gerrymandering considered fundamentally antidemocratic?

4. In what year was the Massachusetts redistricting plan that inspired the term "gerrymander" enacted?

5. What object was the convoluted district compared to, which led to the creation of the name "Gerrymander"?

6. Why is it very difficult to overcome gerrymandering through democratic means?

7. What state was involved in the 1812 redistricting plan that led to the term "Gerrymander"?

8. What effect does gerrymandering have on the will of voters?

9. What emoji best captures the meaning of gerrymander?

10. Use the term gerrymander in a sentence or seven.

Answer Key

1. Gerrymandering is the manipulation of district lines to benefit parties and politicians, rather than people.

2. It originated from an 1812 redistricting plan backed by Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry.

3. It is fundamentally antidemocratic because it’s designed to circumvent or at least dampen the will of voters.

4. The Massachusetts redistricting plan was enacted in 1812.

5. The convoluted district was compared to a salamander.

6. It is very difficult to overcome through democratic means because you can’t exactly vote out the people in power if they’ve drawn districts designed to stop you from doing so.

7. Massachusetts.

8. It is designed to circumvent or at least dampen the will of voters.

9. Answers will vary

10. Answers better vary

Remember!

Now, let’s commit this term to our long-term memory. On a scrap piece of paper, take 10 or 20 seconds to draw gerrymander. Draw with symbols or stick figures if you wish. Nothing fancy. Don’t expect a masterpiece. No one else will see this but you. Look at your drawing. That’s all - now it’s downloaded into your memory. Destroy the piece of paper in a most delightful way.

FUNDERMANDER!

Create a name from a US House Representative and an animal that their district looks like from images of some of the most gerrymandered districts in America below:

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