Question 1

Who was the first African American elected to the House of Representatives from a southern state, who also gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 1976?

Accepted Answer

Barbara Jordan was the first African American elected to the House of Representatives from a southern state (Texas) and gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention in 1976.

Question 2

A statement a political party produces at its national convention that summarizes the basic policy principles of the party is known as a

Accepted Answer

A party platform is a formal set of principal goals supported by a political party or individual candidate, in order to appeal to the general public, for the ultimate purpose of garnering the general public's support and votes about complicated topics or issues.

Question 3

The organization responsible for making rules and regulations for a party when the conventions are not in season, raising money for the party, and directing the party's electoral strategy is known as a

Accepted Answer

The national committee is responsible for the ongoing operations of a political party, including rule-making, fundraising, and electoral strategy, especially when the national convention is not in session.

Question 4

In terms of representation in the parties' national committees, which is most accurate?

Accepted Answer

The Republican Party tends to favor state sovereignty, allowing states more control over their representation. The Democratic Party often emphasizes proportional diversity, aiming for representation that reflects the diversity of the population.

Question 5

The term "hard money" refers to

Accepted Answer

Hard money refers to political donations that are regulated by law through the Federal Election Commission and are given directly to a candidate's campaign.

Question 6

The term "soft money" refers to

Accepted Answer

Soft money refers to funds raised by political parties that are not subject to the same regulations as money raised directly by candidates, often used for party-building activities.

Question 7

The Federal Election Campaign Act placed limits on hard money, but not on soft money, in

Accepted Answer

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 was amended in 1974 to place limits on hard money contributions to candidates, but it did not place limits on soft money, which are contributions to political parties for party-building activities.

Question 8

Prior to 2002, a political advertisement from a national committee was likely to be funded by

Accepted Answer

Prior to 2002, political advertisements from national committees were often funded by "soft money," which was money raised by political parties in a way that was not regulated by federal campaign finance laws.

Question 9

The head of each party's national committee, who is most responsible for directing the party's electoral strategies, is referred to as the national committee

Accepted Answer

The head of each party's national committee is referred to as the chair, who is responsible for directing the party's electoral strategies.

Question 10

Who is in charge of the primary operations of a party?

Accepted Answer

The national committee chair is responsible for the primary operations of a political party, including organizing party activities and managing party affairs.

Question 11

The "Fifty State Strategy" was a successful electoral approach put into practice after the 2004 election by the

Accepted Answer

The "Fifty State Strategy" was implemented by Howard Dean, who was the Democratic National Committee Chair after the 2004 election, aiming to build the Democratic Party's presence in all 50 states.

Question 12

Who was the first Latino to chair the Democratic National Committee?

Accepted Answer

Tom Perez was the first Latino to chair the Democratic National Committee, serving from 2017 to 2021.

Question 13

In both 1976 and 1990, the Supreme Court ruled that

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court ruled that party patronage is unconstitutional for state and local governments in both 1976 (Elrod v. Burns) and 1990 (Rutan v. Republican Party of Illinois), as it violates the First Amendment rights of public employees.

Question 14

A practice by southern state Democratic parties in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries intended to disenfranchise Blacks by preventing them from voting in the crucial Democratic Party primary elections was known as the

Accepted Answer

The "white primary" was a practice where only white voters were allowed to participate in Democratic primary elections, effectively disenfranchising Black voters in the South.

Question 15

The Supreme Court effectively deemed white primaries unconstitutional in

Accepted Answer

In 1944, the Supreme Court case Smith v. Allwright ruled that white primaries were unconstitutional, as they violated the 15th Amendment by denying African Americans the right to vote in primary elections.

Question 16

How is a voter's psychological attachment to a political party determined and measured?

Accepted Answer

Party identification is a voter's psychological attachment to a political party, often measured through surveys asking individuals which party they feel closest to.

Question 17

How is party identification generally measured?

Accepted Answer

Party identification is generally measured using a seven-point scale, which ranges from strong identification with one party to strong identification with the opposing party, including options for leaning towards a party or identifying as independent.

Question 18

Which of the following groups might influence one's party affiliation?

Accepted Answer

All of the mentioned factors—gender, race, and income—can influence an individual's party affiliation, as they often correlate with differing political priorities and values.

Question 19

Younger generations are more likely to identify as _______ than older generations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Younger generations are more likely to identify...

Question 20

Wealthier individuals tend to identify as _______ more than poorer individuals.

Accepted Answer

Wealthier individuals in the United States have historically tended to identify more with the Republican Party, which is often associated with policies favoring lower taxes and less regulation.

Quiz 14: Political Parties