Year 8 - Citizenship
Why does voting matter?
Why was the struggle for the vote important today?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
Pupils analyse how political rights have changed over time considering important campaigns such as the fight for female suffrage. They examine why voting matters and consider what role they can have in democracy prior to being eligible to vote.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain why voting is an important part of the democratic process and how political decisions are made.
Key Notes
- Politics impacts all the activities we take part in.
- In a general election we vote for MPs who represent us in Parliament.
- Exercising our right to vote is a good way of taking part in the politics and influencing the decisions made by MPs.
Vocabulary To Learn
- general election: when the citizens of a country (the electorate) vote to elect a new government; a general election in the UK happens at least every five years
- Member of Parliament (MP): a person elected by voters to represent them in Parliament; MPs participate in making laws, debating policies and addressing issues that affect the public
- voting: the activity of choosing someone or something in an election
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- All people who are eligible will vote in general elections.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Politics impacts all the activities we take part in. In a general election we vote for MPs who represent us in Parliament.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'general election'
when the citizens of a country (the electorate) vote to elect a new government; a general election in the UK happens at least every five years.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: All people who are eligible will vote in general elections. Correction: Just because someone is eligible, it doesn't mean they will vote. In the UK 2024 general election, voter turnout was 59.7%. This was the lowest turnout at a general election since 2001.
More Lessons In This Unit
- How can we exercise democratic rights without a vote? Study Guide
- How did the Chartists affect the political rights we have today? Study Guide
- How have our political rights changed over time? Study Guide
- Should 16- and 17-year-olds be allowed to vote in elections? Study Guide
- Which methods were most successful in the fight for female suffrage? Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 8 Citizenship guide library.