Deck 8: Political Parties

Question 1

The Democratic Party is an example of a 527 organization.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Few Americans identify with minor parties, and most minor parties typically exist for only a short period of time.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The most visible party platform is typically the one created during a midterm election.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Political parties serve as an accountability mechanism in American politics.

Question 5

The Democratic Party began in the early nineteenth century.

Question 6

Ideological differences between the two major parties have decreased over the last 60 years.

Question 7

Duverger's Law works against minor political parties.

Question 8

The major political parties in America are ideologically diverse.

Question 9

The national Democratic Party, under the leadership of Andrew Jackson, is credited for creating the spoils system.

Question 10

American political parties are highly centralized.

Question 11

Party leaders in America can control what their members do if they are elected into office.

Question 12

What does a political party do?

A) satisfies all political interests and factions
B) lobbies elected politicians with the goal of influencing policy
C) raises campaign funds for elected politicians
D) runs candidates for political office and coordinates the actions of officials elected under the party banner

Question 13

The fifth party system was created as a result of the Great Depression.

Question 14

Generally speaking, the Republicans today favor a more active federal government than do the Democrats.

Question 15

Who is in charge of an American political party?

A) the national party chairperson
B) the Speaker of the House
C) the chief justice of the Supreme Court
D) no single person is in charge of the party

Question 16

During the period of the first party system, the two major American political parties operated primarily as parties in government.

Question 17

The Republicans have a brand name but the Democrats do not.

Question 18

The principal body in each party organization is the Congressional Caucus.

Question 19

Most Independents in America have a weak attachment to one of the major political parties.

Question 20

In the 1850s, the issue of slavery ended the second party system involving the Whigs and Democrats.

Question 21

To be a part of the party in the electorate, one must

A) be a citizen who identifies with a political party.
B) be a dues-paying member of a political party.
C) be an election volunteer for a political party.
D) be a citizen who votes for the same party in every election.

Question 22

Andrew Jackson was important to the development of American political parties because

A) he was the innovator of conditional party government.
B) he was the first man to run for president under a party label.
C) he pioneered the use of registering voters with a political party.
D) he helped build Democratic Party organizations at the state and local levels, which helped to mobilize citizens and bind them to the Democratic Party.

Question 23

Which party most strongly supported a national bank?

A) Federalist Party
C) Republican Party
B) Democratic-Republican Party
D) Democratic Party

Question 24

During the third and fourth party systems the Republican Party had significant strength in the ________, while the Democratic Party had significant strength in the ________.

A) Northeast; Midwest
C) Northeast; South
B) South; Northeast
D) Midwest; Northeast

Question 25

What is a party system?

A) the organization of the party in the electorate, party in government, and party organization
B) term used to describe different periods of time in which parties and issues are stable
C) the method of selecting nominees for offices through political parties
D) a set of objectives outlining the party's issue positions and priorities

Question 26

Rewarding party supporters with benefits, such as government jobs, is known as ________.

A) the civil service system
C) the party in government
B) the spoils system
D) political horse trading

Question 27

Which parties were part of the first party system?

A) Democratic-Republicans and Federalists
B) Republicans and Whigs
C) Democrats and Republicans
D) Federalists and Whigs

Question 28

The Democrats and the Whigs competed in the ________ party system.

A) first
C) third
B) second
D) fourth

Question 29

In the 1990s, the Republican Party primarily drew support from evangelical voters, white southerners, and the wealthy. This is an example of a party ________.

A) electorate
C) coalition
B) caucus
D) conference

Question 30

The leaders and workers of a party at the national, state, and local levels are known as

A) the party caucus.
C) the party organization.
B) the party in government.
D) the parties in service.

Question 31

If a woman spends a year working on a candidate's presidential campaign, and her candidate subsequently wins and she is appointed to a federal job, this is an example of ________.

A) the spoils system
C) the civil service system
B) the party principle
D) party coalitions

Question 32

The Republican Party formed when the ________ Party dissolved.

A) Democratic
C) Whig
B) Federalist
D) Prohibition

Question 33

The party organization, the party in government, and the party in the electorate are considered

A) three connected components that make up a realignment.
B) three separate and largely independent pieces that compose American political parties.
C) three necessary components to form a party system.
D) three necessary conditions for conditional party government.

Question 34

What was significant about the disintegration of the Federalist Party?

A) It demonstrated that southern parties could not last in the United States.
B) It was the last "responsible" party in the nation's history.
C) It led to the Era of Good Feelings and eventually to the second party system.
D) It led to the rise of the modern-day Republican Party.

Question 35

What is the party principle?

A) the identification of elected officials and citizens with different political parties
B) groups or individuals who associate with a political party
C) the idea that parties are organizations distinct from their elected officials
D) those politicians who are elected to office under a common party label

Question 36

The groups that identify with a party are said to make up its ________.

A) coalition
C) national committee
B) electorate
D) conference

Question 37

Which issue split the major parties in the fifth and sixth party systems and still remains relevant today?

A) whether we should encourage industrialization
B) the appropriate tariff rate
C) presidential veto powers
D) the proper size and role of the federal government

Question 38

What was a reason for the rise of the Republican Party?

A) The issue of slavery split the second party system.
B) Southerners were demanding a more conservative party in American politics.
C) Business leaders wanted a party to represent their interests.
D) Some political leaders opposed progressive reforms that had recently become law.

Question 39

The party in government comprises

A) members of the party with the most elected officials in Congress.
B) the heads of the major national party organizations, such as the national committee and the congressional campaign committees.
C) voters who identify with a party.
D) those politicians who have been elected into office under a party label.

Question 40

What marked the Era of Good Feelings?

A) George Washington served as president.
B) There were no political parties.
C) There was only one political party.
D) U.S. senators were elected rather than appointed to the U.S. Senate.

Question 41

A 527 organization

A) typically will coordinate electoral strategy with candidates and party leaders to develop a consistent and unified campaign message.
B) is illegal in the United States.
C) contributes a significant amount of money to campaigns but must limit contributions and spending to comply with federal campaign finance laws.
D) seeks to influence elections through voter mobilization efforts and issue ads.

Question 42

A caucus (or conference) is an organization

A) within government that meets to discuss party positions on issues.
B) that primarily exists to raise money for party candidates.
C) that is designed to represent constituency groups within the party.
D) that consists of representatives from each state party organization.

Question 43

The principal body in each party organization is the ________, which consists of representatives from ________.

A) party in the electorate; the U.S. Congress
B) party in government; the parties' presidential nominating conventions
C) leadership caucus; various interest groups
D) national committee; state party organizations

Question 44

What prompted the creation of the Democratic Party?

A) the election of James Monroe as president
B) the election of John Adams as president
C) the election of Andrew Jackson as president
D) the election of Henry Clay as president

Question 45

Which one of the following terms describes a situation in which the issues that divide the political parties change in a way that cuts across existing political coalitions?

A) polarization
C) party evolution
B) realignment
D) divided government

Question 46

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Republican National Committee (RNC)

A) can both force state and local parties to share their positions on issues.
B) are both unable to force state and local parties to share their positions on issues.
C) operate differently; the DNC can force state and local parties to share its positions on issues, whereas the RNC cannot.
D) operate differently; the RNC can force state and local parties to share its positions on issues, whereas the DNC cannot.

Question 47

A ________ is something that splits political party coalitions.

A) cross-cutting issue
C) a dealigning issue
B) a valence issue
D) a salient issue

Question 48

What factor contributed to the transition from the fifth to the sixth party system?

A) the election of Franklin Roosevelt as president
B) Democratic candidates and party leaders, particularly outside the South, came out against the "separate but equal" system of racial discrimination
C) the end of World War II
D) the election of Ronald Reagan as president

Question 49

Which one of the following statements about party identification is accurate?

A) The Republicans had a big advantage over the Democrats during the Depression.
B) The Democrats have a slight advantage over the Republicans at the present time.
C) The Republicans had a slight advantage over the Democrats during the 1960s.
D) The Democrats had a big advantage over the Republicans in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Question 50

Groups such as the Young Democrats and Young Republicans

A) are 527s that exist to raise funds for elections.
B) are only active at the local level.
C) are made up of politicians elected under the party's label.
D) work to support party candidates in elections.

Question 51

Which important political event led to the New Deal Coalition?

A) World War I
B) the Great Depression
C) the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor
D) the Civil Rights Act

Question 52

Which one of the following statements is true about brand names?

A) Americans believe that the Democrats are the moderate party and that the Republicans are the liberal party.
B) Americans believe that the Democrats are the conservative party and the Republicans are the liberal party.
C) Americans believe that the Democrats are the liberal party and the Republicans are the conservative party.
D) Americans believe that both major parties are conservative.

Question 53

Which one of the following statements best describes American political parties over the last 60 years?

A) Parties today are stronger and less ideological than they were 60 years ago.
B) There are more Democrats and fewer Republicans and Independents than there were 60 years ago.
C) The magnitude of ideological differences between the parties in Congress has increased.
D) Minor-party candidates are waging more competitive campaigns than ever before.

Question 54

The fact that parties have brand names means

A) the only thing distinguishing them is reputation.
B) their names evoke certain positions or issues.
C) that citizens have a long-standing record of support for a party.
D) that citizens are likely to grow tired of their party at some point, as they often do with brand-name products, and will shop for a new party.

Question 55

What is the public face of the political parties?

A) elected officials at all levels of government
B) elected leaders in the U.S. Senate
C) elected state governors
D) elected national party chairs

Question 56

The group of Democratic legislators in the U.S. House is called a ________, while the Republicans call their group a ________.

A) committee; conference
C) conference; caucus
B) conference; committee
D) caucus; conference

Question 57

Most groups that use the "Tea Party" label

A) typically support liberal candidates.
B) typically support Democratic candidates.
C) typically support Republican candidates.
D) typically support Independent candidates.

Question 58

Which one of the following groups was not a part of the New Deal Coalition?

A) African Americans
C) white southerners
B) union members
D) Wall Street bankers

Question 59

How has the political landscape of the South changed in the last 50 years?

A) There has not been much partisan change in the South.
B) The South has gone from being a toss-up to being solidly Democratic.
C) The South has gone from being a toss-up to being solidly Republican.
D) The South has gone from being solidly Democratic to solidly Republican.

Question 60

Which one of the following is an example of an issue or event that caused a realignment?

A) the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865
B) the end of World War I and the rise of fascism in Europe
C) civil rights in the 1960s
D) the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s

Question 61

________ tend to affiliate with the Republican Party.

A) African Americans
C) Union workers
B) White evangelicals
D) The less affluent

Question 62

The loyalty that people have to one party is called ________.

A) party service
C) party identification
B) partisan commitment
D) party polarization

Question 63

When one party controls both the legislature and the presidency, it is called ________.

A) unified government
C) conditional party government
B) responsible party government
D) coordinated government

Question 64

How is the party platform approved?

A) by the national committee
B) through the primary and caucus process
C) by the party's congressional leadership team
D) at the nominating convention, held every four years

Question 65

Minor-party candidates have a difficult time winning office because

A) many people consider a vote for a minor-party candidate to be a wasted one because minor-party candidates almost never win.
B) the framers of the Constitution wanted to make it difficult for minor-party candidates to win office.
C) there are no issues on which minor parties can campaign.
D) most Americans do not trust candidates other than Republicans and Democrats.

Question 66

If a registered Democrat votes in a Republican primary, the voter's state has a(n) ________ primary.

A) open
C) semi-closed
B) nonpartisan
D) realigning

Question 67

Why are American political parties decentralized?

Question 68

________ exists when candidates from a party tend to concentrate their campaigns on issues that are priorities for members of their party.

A) Issue ownership
C) A party realignment
B) A party coalition
D) A party dealignment

Question 69

One of the practical reasons that virtually all prominent candidates for the presidency and Congress run as Democrats or Republicans is that

A) the Constitution was specifically designed with a two-party system in mind.
B) it is easier to get on the general election ballot as a major-party candidate.
C) most Americans want either a genuine liberal or conservative to represent them.
D) most Americans do not trust candidates unaffiliated with a party.

Question 70

When the parties select their nominees for president

A) citizens vote for delegates at a national nominating convention, which then
Selects the candidate.
B) the party primaries and caucuses are purely for show, with the decision being made at the national convention by party leaders.
C) citizen votes do not really matter because of the Electoral College.
D) so-called superdelegates decide the nominee.

Question 71

A primary where only those voters registered with a party can vote is known as a ________ primary.

A) closed
C) semi-closed
B) nonpartisan
D) realigning

Question 72

Which statement is true about Independents?

A) They are better informed about politics than party identifiers.
B) They tend to participate less in political campaigns than Republican or Democratic identifiers.
C) They side more with Democrats than with Republicans.
D) They side more with Republicans than with Democrats.

Question 73

George Wallace and Ross Perot are examples of

A) important Republican leaders.
B) third-party candidates who attracted significant numbers of votes.
C) congressional reformers who pushed for stronger parties.
D) national committee chairpersons.

Question 74

Duverger's Law holds that there will only be two political parties

A) in democratic political systems.
B) when there are single-member districts and plurality voting.
C) when winner-take-all voting rules are not used.
D) when there are deep and polarizing divisions within the electorate.

Question 75

When parties decide on their legislative priorities for the year they are engaged in ________.

A) dealignment
C) agenda setting
B) realignment
D) coalition building

Question 76

A vote to select a party's nominee is known as a ________.

A) primary election
B) nonpartisan election
C) general election
D) special election

Question 77

Which one of the following is true about party identification in the United States?

A) About one-half of Americans identified themselves as Republicans from the late 1930s until the late 1980s.
B) During the 1990s, the percentage of Democratic identifiers decreased significantly.
C) Nearly half of Americans today identify with the Republican Party.
D) The percentage of Americans identifying themselves as Independents has decreased significantly since the 1970s.

Question 78

Although the increase in the number of people who identified as Independents was initially considered evidence of ________, a more recent interpretation is that many of these voters actually have ________.

A) dealignment; an interest in joining one of the major parties later in life
B) dealignment; weak partisan attachments
C) realignment; an interest in politics
D) realignment; weak partisan attachments

Question 79

Party platforms are important documents because

A) they offer detailed and specific solutions to complex problems.
B) they can have a significant influence in swaying public opinion on a controversial policy issue.
C) most Americans read them over carefully to help them make more informed decisions as voters.
D) they provide a general guide for the types of policies winning candidates are likely to vote for if elected.

Question 80

America's electoral rules are most likely to result in how many major parties?

A) one
C) four
B) two
D) more than four