Political History and Events

The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature where representation in both houses was based on population, favoring larger states.

The U.S. Constitution requires that the President be a natural born citizen. A naturalized citizen is ineligible for the office regardless of how long they have held citizenship.

In the United States, the right to vote is extended to all citizens who are 18 years of age or older, regardless of property ownership or background.

The President and Vice President are officially elected by the Electoral College, a body of electors established by the Constitution, rather than by a direct popular vote.

Not every state holds both a primary and a caucus. States choose one or the other to determine their delegates for the national nominating conventions.

Party nominees are officially selected by delegates at the national nominating conventions. These delegates are pledged based on the results of state primaries and caucuses.

Delegates are the individuals selected at the state level to represent the voters at the national party conventions. They are the ones who cast the votes to officially nominate the party's candidate.

Iowa traditionally holds the first caucus, and New Hampshire traditionally holds the first primary election of the presidential nominating season.

Primary elections are internal party contests. Candidates from the same political party compete against each other to win the party's nomination for the general election.

Primaries are state-run elections funded by taxpayers, while caucuses are private meetings organized and managed by the political parties themselves.

While the United States has a two-party system that dominates politics, there are many other minor or third parties that exist and occasionally run candidates.

Supreme Court Justices are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate; they are not elected by the public.

The Republican Party (GOP) is traditionally represented by the color red and the elephant mascot.

National conventions for the major political parties in the United States are traditionally held during the summer of the election year. This timing allows the party to launch its general election campaign.

The two major political parties in the United States are the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, and their respective national conventions are named accordingly.