$1.$ What is the difference between a "liberal" and a "conservative"? What is meant by "small c$/$capital C conservative" and "small l$/$capital L liberal"? What is a progressive? What is "the status quo"?

$2.$ How have the policy positions of the Democratic and Republican Parties shifted since the Civil War? Since the Great Depression?

$3.$ What is the primary argument made in this article? Is this article credible? $($This is where a peer$-$reviewed sources could be utilized$).$

$4.$ What is the conclusion reached by the author of this article? Do you agree with it$?$ What, specifically, would a "realignment" of the parties look like? $($This is also where a peer$-$reviewed sources could be utilized.$)$

$5.$ Given what you now know about the two political parties, is there any hope for real change in America? What, if anything, would have to happen to it to happen?