Deck 7: Political Parties,Participation,and Elections

Question 1

The first party system was characterized by conflict between the ______ and the ______.

A) Federalists; Jeffersonian Republicans
B) Democrats; Republicans
C) Whigs; Democrats
D) Whigs; Jeffersonian Republicans
E) Whigs; Federalists

Answer 1

A

Question 2

State and local party organizations do all of the following except:

A) raise funds for candidates
B) conduct voter registration drives
C) litigate against unfavorable policies
D) recruit candidates for office
E) conduct get-out-the-vote drives

Answer 2

C

Question 3

How many party systems has the United States had since 1789?

A) two
B) six
C) twelve
D) twenty-four
E) forty-three

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following statements accurately describes the percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections since 1960?

A) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped significantly after 1960 but has been increasing in recent years.
B) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 but has been declining in recent years.
C) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections rose dramatically after 1960 and has continued growing exponentially in recent years.
D) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections dropped dramatically after 1960 and has continued dropping in recent years.
E) The percentage of Americans voting in presidential elections has remained level since 1960.

Question 5

The Federalist Party disappeared forever as a result of:

A) Jefferson's election in 1800
B) the War of 1812
C) the Louisiana Purchase
D) Alexander Hamilton being killed by Aaron Burr
E) the Civil War

Question 6

The United States began its tradition of the ______ during the early eighteenth century.

A) single-party mandate
B) two-party system
C) multiparty system
D) proportional representation
E) 527 committees

Question 7

What were the two major parties in the United States during the 1830s and 1840s?

A) the Federalists and the Jeffersonians
B) the Federalists and the Whigs
C) the Democrats and the Whigs
D) the Democrats and the Republicans
E) the Federalists and the Democrats

Question 8

Which of the following statements about parties in Congress is FALSE?

A) The committee system in both houses of Congress is a result of the two-party system.
B) Assignment of individual members of Congress to committees is a party decision.
C) Only members of the majority party are allowed to take part in the election of the Speaker of the House.
D) Granting permission to transfer to another committee is a party decision.
E) Advancement up the committee ladder toward chair is a party decision.

Question 9

Throughout its history,American politics has been dominated by:

A) one major political party
B) two major political parties
C) three major political parties
D) four major political parties
E) five major political parties

Question 10

Who is the incumbent?

A) the current officeholder, running for re-election
B) the candidate who raises the most money during the campaign
C) the official candidate for a political party, running in the general elections
D) the label for whoever is leading in the polls on the day of the election
E) the name given to a candidate who is running against a current officeholder in an election

Question 11

The Constitution:

A) clearly spells out a number rules regarding how political parties must go about selecting a candidate to run for each elective office at the federal level, but not at the state level
B) clearly spells out a number of rules regarding how political parties must go about selecting a candidate to run for each elective office at the state level but not at the federal level
C) is almost completely silent on the rules regarding how political parties must go about selecting a candidate to run for any elective office
D) outlaws political parties from nominating specific candidates to run for elective office in order to make sure all citizens have an equal opportunity to serve in government
E) gives the authority to nominate candidates for all elective offices to 527 committees

Question 12

Which of the following statements about youth participation in the 2008 presidential election is true?

A) Youth turnout rose in 2008 and most young people voted for Barack Obama.
B) Youth turnout rose in 2008 and most young people voted for John McCain.
C) Youth turnout declined in 2008 but most young voted for Barack Obama.
D) Youth turnout declined in 2008 but most young people voted for John McCain.
E) Youth turnout was the same in 2008 as it was in 2004, 2000, and 1996.

Question 13

A political party is:

A) an organization that influences the government through fund-raising
B) an organization established by the Constitution to nominate candidates
C) an organization that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office
D) an organization that was considered seditious until the twentieth century
E) an organization that collects fees from its members in order to pay the salaries of government officials

Question 14

Which of the following is not part of a country's party system?

A) the number of political parties in the country
B) the balance of power between and within party coalitions
C) the issues and policies around which party competition is organized
D) the laws that govern how much money parties can raise and spend in election campaigns
E) the parties' social and institutional bases within the country

Question 15

Which of the following statements about Organizing for America (OFA)is FALSE?

A) OFA took an active part in lobbying members of Congress to support health care reform.
B) OFA is an independent project of the Democratic National Committee.
C) OFA began as a mobilizing organization for the Obama campaign.
D) OFA provides training for volunteers to learn how to become organizers.
E) OFA has established offices in only three states : California, New York, and Massachusetts.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about party building is true?

A) Since the Eisenhower presidency, Republicans have paid much more attention to party building than Democrats.
B) Since the Eisenhower presidency, Democrats have paid much more attention to party building than Republicans.
C) Since the Eisenhower presidency, both major political parties have completely abandoned party building.
D) Since the Eisenhower presidency, both major political parties have devoted equal effort to party building.
E) The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act outlawed party-building activities.

Question 17

What percentage of eligible voters participated in the 2008 presidential election?

A) 38 percent
B) 43 percent
C) 51 percent
D) 62 percent
E) 74 percent

Question 18

The "Era of Good Feelings" was:

A) the period of one-party politics from the collapse of the Federalist Party until the 1830s
B) the period immediately following the end of the Civil War
C) the period of rapid economic growth in the early twentieth century
D) the period immediately following the end of World War II
E) the period of two-party cooperation between 1896 and 1932

Question 19

Which famous American,in his farewell address,encouraged his fellow citizens to shun partisan politics?

A) Alexander Hamilton
B) Thomas Jefferson
C) George Washington
D) George Mason
E) Benjamin Franklin

Question 20

During the early nineteenth century,the Jeffersonian Party's main base of strength was in:

A) the South
B) the West
C) New England
D) Washington, DC
E) the western territories

Question 21

From the end of the Civil War to the 1890s,the ______ Party was the party of the North,while the ______ Party was the party of the South.

A) Democratic; Republican
B) Republican; Democratic
C) Federalist; Whig
D) Whig; Federalist
E) Socialist; Republican

Question 22

In 1964,the Republican Party presidential nominee,______,espoused a number of ideas,such as less taxation and less government regulation of the economy,that became major themes for the modern Republican Party.

A) Richard Nixon
B) Barry Goldwater
C) Ronald Reagan
D) Franklin Delano Roosevelt
E) Dwight Eisenhower

Question 23

"Me too" Republicanism refers to:

A) the tendency of Republican politicians during the New Deal to support popular programs such as Social Security rather than advocate alternative policies
B) the tendency of southern Republican politicians after the Civil War to demand all federal laws apply equally to the northern and southern states
C) the tendency of Northern Republican politicians after the Civil War to demand all federal laws favor the northern states over the southern states
D) an ideology that argues for more representative government and less direct democracy
E) an ideology that argues a strong federal government should promote economic equality

Question 24

The Populist Party appealed to which of the following groups?

A) western mining interests, small farmers, and urban workers
B) eastern bankers, southern planters, and wealthy merchants
C) northern bankers, land owners, and factory workers
D) southern bankers, northern mining interests, and factory owners
E) eastern mining interests, southern merchants, and small farmers

Question 25

Historically,realignments occur:

A) when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties
B) approximately every ten years
C) when Congress approves of them
D) after midterm congressional elections, but not after presidential elections
E) only when the Constitution is amended

Question 26

As a third-party candidate,Ross Perot captured approximately ______ percent of the popular vote in the 1992 presidential election.

A) 5
B) 10
C) 20
D) 30
E) 40

Question 27

Throughout American history,which of the following was NOT a common restriction the government placed on voting rights?

A) racial restrictions
B) property requirements
C) occupational requirements
D) residency requirements of long duration
E) gender restrictions

Question 28

From 1896 to 1932,the ______ Party was the nation's majority party.

A) Republican
B) Democratic
C) Populist
D) Whig
E) Federalist

Question 29

During the 1980s,under the leadership of Ronald Reagan,which two groups did the Republican Party add to their coalition?

A) religious conservatives and working-class whites
B) African Americans and upper-class intellectuals
C) Latinos and the business community
D) Jews and unionized workers
E) gays and lesbians and southern farmers

Question 30

Between the Civil War and the 1960s,the ______ was a Democratic stronghold.

A) Midwest
B) West
C) South
D) Southwest
E) Northeast

Question 31

Which of the following transpires when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress?

A) an electoral realignment
B) a divided government
C) a seditious government
D) internal mobilization
E) external mobilization

Question 32

The program of Reconstruction after the Civil War was led by the ______ Party.

A) Democratic
B) Republican
C) Whig
D) Populist
E) Free Soil

Question 33

What issue led to the demise of the Whig Party?

A) slavery
B) economic regulations and tariffs
C) the admission of California into the Union
D) the death of Andrew Jackson
E) industrialization

Question 34

Which group was NOT a part of the New Deal coalition?

A) Catholics
B) farmers
C) business leaders
D) organized labor
E) upper-middle-class intellectuals

Question 35

During the late 1840s and early 1850s,both the Democratic and Whig parties were divided by:

A) conflicts over slavery
B) fiscal policies imposed during the tariff crisis
C) lingering conflict concerning the War of 1812
D) the westward expansion of the United States
E) the appropriate amount of government regulation of the economy

Question 36

When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he:

A) used the FBI to help collect secrets and blackmail southern Democratic leaders
B) ignored the southern states in favor of voters in the Midwest and Northeast
C) appealed to disaffected white voters in the South
D) referred to the break-in at the Watergate apartments
E) appealed to black southerners who had recently mobilized for civil rights

Question 37

The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by:

A) the popularity of Dwight Eisenhower
B) the end of the Great Depression
C) the end of the Cold War
D) the "triangulated" positions of Bill Clinton
E) the Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights

Question 38

Which of the following was NOT a date of an electoral realignment?

A) 1800
B) 1828
C) 1896
D) 1932
E) 1994

Question 39

Which of the following occurs when one party becomes dominant after replacing another party that has dominated national politics for a lengthy period of time?

A) an electoral realignment
B) a proportional representation
C) a divided government
D) external mobilization
E) internal mobilization

Question 40

Which of the following best indicated the downfall of the New Deal coalition?

A) John Kennedy's election in 1960
B) Lyndon Johnson's election in 1964
C) Richard Nixon's election in 1968
D) Jimmy Carter's election in 1976
E) Bill Clinton's election in 1992

Question 41

Nonelectoral forms of participation usually require more ______ than voting.

A) time, money, and effort
B) knowledge, passion, and cynicism
C) information, trust, and strategic thinking
D) economic security, perseverance, and alienation
E) intelligence, pessimism, and mobilization

Question 42

Compared with Western Europe,the United States has a(n)______ turnout in elections.

A) higher
B) lower
C) roughly equivalent
D) noncomparable
E) unstudied

Question 43

An example of the "gender gap" would be that:

A) more women than men vote for Democrats
B) more women than men vote for Republicans
C) more men than women turn out to vote
D) in families, it is usually women who determine how the family votes
E) more men than women have had their ballots invalidated

Question 44

Since the 1930s,African Americans have identified as:

A) Republicans
B) Democrats
C) nonpartisan
D) Independents
E) Greens

Question 45

Smaller and weaker parties are most likely to have electoral success under which system of elections?

A) proportional representation system
B) majority system
C) plurality system
D) unitary system
E) referendum system

Question 46

Third-party candidates are better off under what system of election?

A) the majority system
B) the plurality system
C) proportional representation
D) the winner-take-all system
E) the spoils system

Question 47

Which of the following statements concerning third parties is FALSE?

A) Third parties are often short-lived.
B) Successful third parties often have their programs adopted by one of the two major parties.
C) The earliest third parties in the United States arose as a result of the Great Depression.
D) Third parties almost always lose at the national level.
E) Under federal election law, any minor party receiving more than 5 percent of the national presidential vote is entitled to federal funds.

Question 48

An individual's psychological attachment to one party or another is called a party:

A) ideology
B) opinion
C) identification
D) tradition
E) value system

Question 49

Which of the following characteristics constitutes one's socioeconomic status?

A) level of income, level of education, and prestige of occupation
B) level of income, level of political participation, and number of friends
C) level of income, level of political participation, and level of intelligence
D) level of education, number of friends, and age
E) level of education, level of political participation, and age

Question 50

The term turnout describes the number of people that:

A) register to vote
B) actually vote
C) vote for the incumbent
D) volunteer for an election campaign
E) make a monetary contribution to a political candidate

Question 51

State ballot access laws,such as registration fees and petition requirements,have the effect of:

A) increasing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates
B) reducing the number of people who are willing to vote for third-party candidates
C) reducing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office
D) increasing the number of third-party and independent candidates who can run for office
E) decreasing the importance of soft money in election campaigns

Question 52

Since 1960,blacks have:

A) overwhelmingly voted for candidates from the Republican Party
B) overwhelmingly voted for candidates from the Democratic Party
C) overwhelmingly voted for third-party and independent party candidates
D) not displayed any consistent pattern in their voting behavior
E) split their vote evenly between candidates from the Democratic Party and candidates from Republican Party

Question 53

Approximately ______ of eligible voters turn out for midterm congressional elections.

A) one-tenth
B) one-third
C) half
D) three-fifths
E) three-fourths

Question 54

Third parties in the United States typically represent:

A) women's interests
B) extremist religious groups
C) recent immigrants
D) the political interests of America's allies who attempt to influence the American decision-making process because U.S. policies can affect their futures
E) social and economic interests that are disregarded by the two major parties for certain reasons

Question 55

Which of the following statements about partisan identification in the United States is most accurate?

A) Party identification does not vary significantly by ideology.
B) Party identification varies significantly by gender but not by race.
C) Party identification varies significantly by income but not by ideology.
D) Party identification varies significantly by income, race, and gender.
E) Party identification does not vary by income, race, and gender.

Question 56

The "Tea Party" is:

A) an official third party that challenges both Democrats and Republicans in national elections
B) an organized challenge to incumbents in the Republican Party by the most conservative wing of the Republican Party
C) an organized challenge to incumbents in the Democratic Party by the most liberal wing of the Democratic Party
D) an offspring of the Green Party that runs for state and local office in many Midwestern states
E) the now-defunct party that gave way to the Republican Party at the end of the "Second Party System"

Question 57

The socioeconomic status model explains one's political participation by examining an individual's:

A) level of education, income, and occupational status
B) membership in community organizations
C) legal right to vote
D) membership in political organizations
E) age

Question 58

Which of the following is not a key factor in indicating one's level of participation?

A) age
B) income
C) geographic region
D) education
E) occupation

Question 59

In 2008,volunteering for a political campaign was:

A) a less common activity than contributing money
B) a more common activity than contributing money
C) a more common activity than voting
D) a more common activity than contacting an elected official
E) a more common activity than attending a rally

Question 60

The term suffrage refers to:

A) the misery that results from being unable to vote
B) the right to vote
C) paying poll taxes
D) the right to hold public office
E) the right to assemble

Question 61

Political ______ is the process in which large numbers of people are organized for political action.

A) socialization
B) mobilization
C) saliency
D) citizenship
E) efficacy

Question 62

In order for a political party to select a candidate to run in the general election,it holds a:

A) primary election
B) referendum
C) midterm election
D) franchise vote
E) exploratory committee

Question 63

Partisan loyalty is likely to be highest in the election of:

A) the president
B) a state legislator
C) a U.S. senator
D) members of the House of Representatives
E) a governor

Question 64

A runoff election is likely to occur when:

A) there are only two candidates running in the election
B) there are more than two candidates running in the election
C) there is only one candidate running in the election
D) turnout in the election is very high
E) turnout in the election is very low

Question 65

Which of the following is true about political participation?

A) African Americans and Latinos are less likely to participate in politics than whites.
B) African Americans and Latinos participate in politics at the same levels as whites.
C) African Americans hardly participate in politics at all, while Latinos participate at extraordinarily high levels.
D) Latinos barely participate in politics, while African Americans participate at extraordinarily high levels.
E) Whites hardly participate in politics at all, while African Americans and Latinos participate at extraordinarily high levels.

Question 66

Strong parties may provide an important link between government and:

A) interest groups
B) money
C) churches
D) democratic participation
E) the media

Question 67

Politicians attempt to "balance the ticket" with members of many important groups because:

A) interest groups frequently engage in direct lobbying to enhance diversity in campaigns
B) affirmative action legislation from the 1960s requires proportional representation in all elections
C) federal campaign finance laws provide higher spending limits for more "balanced" tickets
D) voters tend to prefer candidates who are closer to themselves in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, gender, geography, and social background
E) the Constitution requires at least minimal levels of representativeness in election campaigns

Question 68

Competition between political parties ______ voter turnout.

A) depresses
B) promotes
C) subverts
D) corrupts
E) has no effect on

Question 69

Which of the following is true about political participation?

A) Young people are far less likely to participate in politics than older people.
B) Older people are far less likely to participate in politics than younger people.
C) Young people are equally as likely to participate in politics as older people.
D) Neither young people nor older people participate much in politics.
E) Both old people and young people participate in politics at a very high level.

Question 70

Which of the following is the best example of direct democracy in practice in the United States?

A) gerrymandering
B) retrospective voting
C) prospective voting
D) referendum
E) issue advocacy

Question 71

Dealignment refers to:

A) the decline of partisan attachment within the electorate, the growth in the number of voters identifying themselves as independents, and the rise of "split-ticket" voting
B) the condition in American government wherein the presidency is controlled by one party while the opposing party controls one or both houses of Congress
C) the point in history where a new party becomes the dominant political force by supplanting the ruling party
D) conflicts within the government that create divided factions, each of whom try to mobilize popular support
E) attempts by politicians outside of government to mobilize popular support in order to win governmental power

Question 72

When a voter must be registered with a party prior to voting in that party's election,it is called:

A) an open primary
B) a closed primary
C) a majority system
D) an Australian ballot
E) a referendum

Question 73

Three types of factors ______ influence the decisions of voters at the polls:

A) wealth, education, and issues
B) advertising, partisan loyalty, and personality
C) partisan loyalty, issues, and the characteristics of candidates
D) advertising, debates, and issues
E) honesty, partisan loyalty, and wealth

Question 74

The primary responsibility for conducting public elections rests with:

A) the federal government
B) state and local governments
C) political parties
D) the candidates running for office
E) privately owned and operated election companies

Question 75

The explanation for political participation that points to the characteristics of individuals focuses on:

A) socioeconomic status
B) membership in social organizations
C) formal obstacles like the poll tax or white primary
D) mobilization by political institutions
E) the regions of the country that people reside in

Question 76

Primary elections were introduced by the ______ in order to weaken the power of party leaders.

A) Democrats
B) Republicans
C) Whigs
D) Progressives
E) Federalists

Question 77

Which of the following statements about voting rights is correct?

A) Some states have laws restricting the voting rights of persons convicted of felonies.
B) Laws passed by Congress prevent the abridgement of a felon's voting rights.
C) According to the Supreme Court, the Constitution prevents felons from having their right to vote limited due to their criminal status.
D) According to the Supreme Court, the Constitution requires that felons have their right to vote limited due to their criminal status.
E) Even though prison inmates cannot vote, federal law states that an ex-con's voting rights cannot be restricted.

Question 78

How are election days in the United States different from those in other countries?

A) European elections are usually held on weekends instead of working days.
B) European elections typically use only mail-in ballots.
C) Most Europeans vote at their place of employment.
D) Most European nations hold elections on January 1.
E) Most European elections last three days.

Question 79

It is likely that eliminating state-level voter registration laws will:

A) decrease voter turnout among younger people
B) decrease voter turnout among older people
C) decrease voter turnout among all voters
D) increase voter turnout among younger people
E) have no effect on voter turnout among any group

Question 80

What is a referendum?

A) It is the congressional election held between presidential elections.
B) It is the right and power to vote.
C) It is the practice of voting directly for proposed laws.
D) It is the process by which a party selects its candidates for the general election.
E) It is the process by which voters are allowed to remove state officials from office before their term expires.