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GOV CH-5 POLITICAL PARTIES

Matching
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms. Some terms may be used more than once.
a.
coalition
b.
political party
c.
major parties
d.
minor party
e.
split-ticket voting
f.
precinct
g.
pluralistic society
 

 1. 

 the smallest unit of election administration
 

 2. 

 a group of people joined together on the basis of common principles, who seek to control government and public policy
 

 3. 

 consisting of several distinct cultures and groups
 

 4. 

 the dominant political parties in the United States
 

 5. 

 casting ballots for candidates from different parties for different offices in the same election
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms. Some terms may be used more than once.
a.
ward
b.
electorate
c.
minor party
d.
plurality
e.
political party
f.
split-ticket voting
g.
splinter parties
h.
major parties
i.
bipartisan
 

 6. 

 a unit into which cities are divided for the election of city council members
 

 7. 

 parties that have broken off from one of the major parties
 

 8. 

 the greatest number of votes cast for a single office
 

 9. 

 the people eligible to vote in any given election
 

 10. 

 a group that seeks to control government by winning elections and holding public office
 

 11. 

 the two major parties acting together and cooperating when making decisions
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms.
a.
economic protest parties
b.
consensus
c.
two-party system
d.
splinter party
e.
one-party system
f.
minor party
 

 12. 

 Because the United States has a ____, the only candidates who have a reasonable chance of winning an election are either Republicans or Democrats.
 

 13. 

 Any party that has less support than one of the major political parties in the United States is a(n) ____.
 

 14. 

 Parties that want to express their discontent with the major parties and current economy are known as ____.
 

 15. 

 In dictatorships, the ____ could more realistically be called a "no-party" system.
 
 
IDENTIFYING KEY TERMS
Match each item with the correct statement below. You will not use all the terms.
a.
precinct
b.
splinter parties
c.
single-issue parties
d.
partisanship
e.
coalition
 

 16. 

 Congress and the State legislatures are often organized on party lines and conduct much of their business based on ____.
 

 17. 

 ____ seek to cause a change on one public policy matter.
 

 18. 

 A ____ is a union of many people of diverse interests who have joined together.
 

Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 
 
MAIN IDEAS
 

 19. 
In the United States, a political party is made up of a group of people who
a.
disagree on how to resolve the basic issues affecting the country.
b.
work to get candidates elected to political offices.
c.
work separately to support one major program or policy.
d.
support split-ticket voting.
 

 20. 
Most single-issue parties have been
a.
short-lived.
b.
long-lived.
c.
rooted in times of economic crisis.
d.
centered around a strong personality.
 

 21. 
A multi-party system
a.
tends to produce a stable government.
b.
helps one party win the support of a majority of voters.
c.
is composed of parties with special interests.
d.
promotes the ideological consensus of the public.
 

 22. 
Which statement does NOT describe one type of minor party?
a.
The members of a minor party are united by a particular group of viewpoints.
b.
A minor party is a party that has broken away from a major party.
c.
The members of a minor party tend to support the platform of a major party.
d.
A minor party expresses discontent over the state of the economy.
 

 23. 
The national chairperson of a major political party
a.
organizes congressional campaigns.
b.
develops the platform upon which a presidential candidate runs.
c.
manages the party's headquarters.
d.
elects all members of the national committee.
 

 24. 
Although United States political parties focus on winning elections, most political parties in other countries also
a.
have certain principles they want adopted by government.
b.
seek to discourage compromise.
c.
support the one-party system of government.
d.
all of the above.
 

 25. 
People belong to a particular political party
a.
according to regulations of State law.
b.
voluntarily, because they made a personal choice.
c.
based on the location of the State in which they live.
d.
according to regulations of federal law.
 

 26. 
Which of the following statements about Federalists is TRUE?
a.
They called for a strict interpretation of the Constitution.
b.
George Washington founded their party.
c.
They were generally supported by farmers.
d.
A strong national government was of great concern to them.
 

 27. 
Which of the following is NOT a major function of either of the two major parties in the United States?
a.
To keep the general public informed about key issues.
b.
To monitor the conduct of its candidates in office.
c.
To assure the qualifications of candidates for office.
d.
To unite people and concentrate solely on one public policy matter.
 

 28. 
Over time, the ideas first developed by minor parties are often ____ by major parties.
a.
ignored
b.
borrowed
c.
suppressed
d.
attacked
 

 29. 
The State party organizations
a.
are generally loosely tied to the national committee.
b.
face tight control by the national committee.
c.
are well-disciplined groups.
d.
always cooperate with one another.
 

 30. 
Which of the following is NOT one of the three main elements of the major parties in terms of the roles of their members?
a.
the party organization
b.
the party in the electorate
c.
the party media consultants
d.
the party in government
 

 31. 
Parties that hold a particular set of beliefs and have often supported Marxist thinking are known as
a.
ideological parties.
b.
single-issue parties.
c.
splinter parties.
d.
economic protest parties.
 

 32. 
Membership in either of the two major parties is
a.
closely regulated by federal law.
b.
closely regulated by State law.
c.
based on economic status.
d.
based on personal choice.
 

 33. 
The two-party system developed in the United States mainly because
a.
the Constitution established a democratic government.
b.
conflicts about the Constitution created opposing viewpoints.
c.
leaders and voters agreed on the existence of two parties.
d.
it was voted on and approved by both houses of Congress.
 

 34. 
The era of one-party domination that began in 1968 was different from past eras of one-party domination because
a.
the Republican party gained no new members in Congress.
b.
the Democratic party gained no new members in Congress.
c.
one party controlled Congress while the other controlled the presidency.
d.
minor parties interfered with the power of the Republican party.
 

 35. 
Minor parties have contributed MOST to United States politics by
a.
causing major parties to adopt their ideas.
b.
providing more candidates from which voters can choose.
c.
placing their presidential candidates on the ballot.
d.
establishing political precedents.
 

 36. 
Which factor does NOT add to the decentralization of both major parties?
a.
Neither party has a chain of command at national, State, and local levels.
b.
The government of the United States is a federal system.
c.
The process of nominating candidates creates party conflict.
d.
The President heads one of the major parties.
 

 37. 
Which of the following is a sign of weakened political parties?
a.
split-ticket voting
b.
straight-ticket voting
c.
newly registered voters
d.
campaigning for party candidates
 

 38. 
The functions of the major parties in United States politics include
a.
nominating candidates for office.
b.
insuring the good performance of their elected candidates.
c.
providing a mechanism for the conduct of government.
d.
all of the above.
 

 39. 
A one-party system
a.
is what the United States has today.
b.
creates an unstable government.
c.
exists in nearly all dictatorships today.
d.
results in democracy.
 

 40. 
Which of the following groups has tended to support the Democratic party in recent decades?
a.
the business community
b.
Protestants
c.
union members
d.
white males
 

 41. 
The two major parties have members who take all of the following roles EXCEPT
a.
party leaders.
b.
loyal party members and voters.
c.
party independents.
d.
party officeholders.
 

 42. 
An increasing number of Americans today
a.
hold political parties in high regard.
b.
vote a straight party line.
c.
favor mandatory party membership.
d.
identify with neither political party.
 
 
INTERPRETING CHARTS
Use the chart to answer the following questions.

nar002-1.jpg
 

 43. 
Which party was in power during the period 1969–1977?
a.
Progressive
b.
Republican
c.
Southern Democrat
d.
Democratic
 

 44. 
Which year began the shortest period of control by a major party?
a.
1913
b.
1933
c.
1977
d.
1981
 

 45. 
How many times between 1901 and 1997 did power transfer from Republicans to Democrats?
a.
four
b.
six
c.
five
d.
nine
 

 46. 
Which party was in power during the period of 1961–1969?
a.
Progressive
b.
Democratic
c.
Southern Democratic
d.
Republican
 

 47. 
If the main term associated with the Supreme Court is “Constitution,” then the main term associated with political parties is
a.
“Congress.”
b.
“federalism.”
c.
“elections.”
d.
“Constitution.”
 

 48. 
Which of the following do political parties and the news media have in common?
a.
Both try to inform, inspire, and activate the people with regard to public affairs.
b.
Both play a major role in deciding the constitutionality of acts of Congress.
c.
Neither play a role in nominating candidates for public office.
d.
Neither serve to foster democratic ideals.
 

 49. 
Which of the following is NOT a reason why the United States has a two-party system?
a.
Because that is the way it has always been.
b.
Because the two-party system is established in the Constitution.
c.
Because American election law is written to discourage minor parties.
d.
Because Americans share many of the same ideals and principles.
 

 50. 
The major difference between a one-party system in a dictatorship and the modified one-party system found in many States is that
a.
Political parties in a dictatorship offer voters more choices than do those in the States.
b.
Choice is non-existent in the former, but alive and well in the latter.
c.
Unlike the States, a dictatorship usually starts with a multiparty system then narrows the choices to one party.
d.
None of the above.
 

 51. 
Both major parties try to
a.
form a coalition with high-ranking members of Congress.
b.
encourage minor party candidates.
c.
distance themselves from public policy issues.
d.
appeal to as many voters as possible.
 

 52. 
When trying to predict how an individual will vote, the one factor that is an accurate indicator more often than any other is
a.
religion.
b.
major events.
c.
family.
d.
economic status.
 

 53. 
During the era of the Democrats that lasted from 1800 to 1860, it can be assumed that most Americans favored
a.
a government dominated by the President.
b.
a government that favored the “common people.”
c.
a liberal interpretation of the Constitution.
d.
tax breaks for big businesses.
 

 54. 
Beginning with the Civil War, _____ shifted their support to the Republican Party.
a.
bankers
b.
southerners
c.
farmers
d.
industrialists
 

 55. 
Had Theodore Roosevelt not run for President in the election of 1912, it is likely that
a.
the Democrats would have won the election.
b.
the incumbent would have been defeated.
c.
Woodrow Wilson would not have captured the White House.
d.
Woodrow Wilson would not have lost the election.
 

 56. 
Which of the following did NOT contribute to a shift in power from the Democrats to the Republicans over the course of the nation’s history?
a.
a war
b.
an economic depression
c.
divided government
d.
a constitutional amendment
 

 57. 
If inflation is low, jobs are plentiful, and the Republicans and Democrats each enjoy strong support, which type of minor party would be LEAST likely to attract voters?
a.
economic protest parties
b.
ideological parties
c.
single-issue parties
d.
splinter parties
 

 58. 
A major party might support a minor party candidate for President if
a.
the major party holds a narrow lead in the polls.
b.
the minor party candidate is likely to draw votes from the opposition.
c.
the election is too close to call.
d.
they can borrow from the minor party’s platform.
 

 59. 
The only time both parties have a strong leader at the same time is
a.
between national conventions.
b.
during the nominating process.
c.
when the party’s presidential candidate has been chosen but before the election takes place.
d.
after the election but before the new President takes office.
 

 60. 
It can be argued that political parties are at their weakest
a.
when they cannot agree on who to nominate as their candidate.
b.
during the national convention.
c.
when their candidate is elected President.
d.
all of the above
 

 61. 
Recent laws regulating how political parties fund campaigns have contributed to
a.
a modified one-party system.
b.
the weakening of the party system.
c.
the growth of minor parties.
d.
the increased importance of the national committee.
 



 
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