Focus Question:  What factors influence differing political beliefs of citizens?

• Socioeconomic status
• Upper class tends to be conservative
• Conservative platforms include lowering taxes for the rich and minimizing social programs
• Middle and lower class tends to be liberal
• Liberal platforms include raising taxes for the wealthy, expanding social programs, and distributing the wealth
• Age
• Conservatives tend to be older
• This could be because older citizens generally do not support radical changes
• Also, in a progressing country, today's liberal beliefs could become conservative
• Many liberals are younger
• Race
• Conservatives tend to be white
• Liberals tend to be minority groups
• Liberal platforms tend to be more supporting of issues like affirmative action
• In the past, these issues have been abolition, civil rights, etc...
• Gender
• Males tend to be conservative
• Conservative platforms tend to include pro-life stances
• Females tend to be liberal
• Feminism and women's rights are usually included in liberal platforms
• Religion
• Conservatives tend to be more religious
• Liberals tend to be less religious or not religious

Click here for a lesson plan on public opinion. In this lesson, students will examine public opinion at various point through history and then analyze factors that lead to these beliefs

Sources:
1. Kevin Jordan. Prezi