Deck 9: Political Parties

Question 1

Prior to 1824, presidential candidates were nominated by

A) regional party conventions.
B) delegates selected by state legislatures.
C) popular vote from a slate of candidates drawn up by the two national parties.
D) caucuses comprising members of Congress.
E) delegates selected by members of the state judiciary.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The federal system goes a long way toward explaining why U.S. parties are ________ than their European counterparts.

A) more ideological
B) less ideological
C) more aggressive
D) more centralized
E) more decentralized

Answer 2

E

Question 3

During the founding period of U.S. history, political parties could best be characterized as

A) national coalitions in which large, raucous party conventions played a major role.
B) small coalitions based more on geography and class than on common economic interests.
C) instruments through which debate over the legitimacy of the new government could take place.
D) bureaucratized, well organized, and well financed.
E) national coalitions that were well organized by impersonal bureaucracies.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

In most states, candidates for office are chosen by

A) the people.
B) party leaders.
C) primary elections.
D) conventions.
E) delegations.

Question 5

The first organized political party in American history was

A) made up of the followers of Jefferson.
B) organized by Alexander Hamilton.
C) organized by the Federalists.
D) ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.
E) formed under the Articles of Confederation.

Question 6

The first convention in American history was that of the ________ Party.

A) Bull Moose
B) Democratic
C) Republican
D) Anti-Masonic
E) Labor

Question 7

Some were so distraught at the election of Thomas Jefferson that they

A) prepared constitutional amendments that would radically alter our system of government.
B) argued for even greater restrictions on suffrage.
C) challenged the results of the election in Washington.
D) refused to certify votes in dozens of counties.
E) organized to have New England secede from the union.

Question 8

The distinctive feature of the Jacksonian (or second) party system was

A) mass political participation.
B) strict registration laws.
C) the popularity of the caucus system.
D) the Australian ballot.
E) direct election of senators.

Question 9

The acceptance of political parties was probably dependent upon

A) establishing the legitimacy of the new government itself.
B) ratification of the Bill of Rights.
C) George Washington.
D) the policies of Alexander Hamilton.
E) Fries's Rebellion.

Question 10

Who attempted to smooth over the animosity of an early presidential election by saying, "We are all Republicans; we are all Federalists"?

A) Washington
B) Adams
C) Jefferson
D) Madison
E) Hamilton

Question 11

Jefferson and Madison thought of the Republican party as

A) a device to discourage Washington from running for a third term.
B) a temporary arrangement.
C) an illegal organization.
D) a way to strengthen the policies of the Federalists.
E) a way to support the reelection of John Adams.

Question 12

Party identification among voters is one way of gauging the strength of a party. Another cited by the text is the

A) number of parties that appear on the ballot in a national election.
B) use of a party label or symbol on ballots in municipal elections.
C) strength of the organization that recruits and campaigns for candidates.
D) protection offered to individual parties by the U.S. Constitution.
E) amount of attention given to parties by the media.

Question 13

In the Jacksonian era, for the first time a party system was built

A) from the bottom up.
B) on economic interests.
C) from the top down.
D) on ideological concerns.
E) without reference to the interests of voters.

Question 14

The Founders-and George Washington in particular-thought of political parties as

A) the primary means of communication between voters and representatives.
B) "factions" motivated by ambition and self-interest.
C) a necessary element of democratic political processes.
D) a useful device for purposes of recruitment.
E) the logical result of republican principles.

Question 15

In Europe, almost the only way a person can become a candidate is by

A) winning a constituency referendum.
B) being nominated by a member of the executive branch.
C) winning in the primary election.
D) hiring his or her own campaign organization.
E) being nominated by party leaders.

Question 16

One reason that political parties in the United States today are weaker than those in Europe is that in the United States,

A) party leaders do not typically select people to run for office.
B) local party leaders rarely have as much power as national ones.
C) political party organizations are highly centralized.
D) Congress reserves the right to select the chief executive of the government.
E) party leaders have become less ideological.

Question 17

One obvious feature of data on trends in party identification is the

A) increase in Democrats.
B) increase in Republicans.
C) decrease in Democrats and increase in Republicans.
D) decrease in Republicans and increase in Democrats.
E) increase in independents.

Question 18

National party conventions were developed as a reform of

A) the Electoral College.
B) party caucuses.
C) primary elections.
D) direct elections.
E) recall elections.

Question 19

Which of the following countries has even fewer political parties than the United States?

A) Canada
B) Germany
C) Mexico
D) China
E) France

Question 20

In America, the political party has lost strength as

A) a label in the minds of voters.
B) a set of leaders who try to organize and control government.
C) an organization that recruits and campaigns for candidates.
D) All of the above.
E) None of the above.

Question 21

Which of the following statements about the modern Republican Party is correct?

A) It was founded by Thomas Jefferson to oppose the policies of Alexander Hamilton.
B) It was originally called the Antifederalist party.
C) It emerged as a major party only after the Civil War.
D) It emerged around 1824 with Andrew Jackson's first run for the presidency.
E) None of the above.

Question 22

Which of the following were major issues in the three clearest cases of critical or realigning periods?

A) Slavery and economics
B) Crime and war
C) Suffrage and states' rights
D) The Electoral College and war debt
E) The federal income tax and immigration

Question 23

Which of the following statements concerning slavery and the election of 1860 is incorrect?

A) The Republicans categorically opposed slavery.
B) One part of the Democratic Party tried to waffle on the issue.
C) One part of the Democratic Party opposed governmental regulation of slavery.
D) The remnants of the Whig Party took no position on slavery in the platform.
E) Party loyalties remained fluid after 1860.

Question 24

The progressives favored all of the following except

A) nonpartisan elections.
B) strict voter-registration requirements.
C) civil service reform.
D) better relations with business.
E) primary elections.

Question 25

In recent elections, ticket splitting has been most common in the

A) Northeast.
B) South.
C) Midwest.
D) Midwest and Northeast.
E) Far West.

Question 26

Which of the following statements about the critical election of 1896 is correct?

A) The Republicans carried most of the South.
B) The Democrats carried most of the North.
C) The Republicans won the support of those in cities.
D) The Democrats represented business interests.
E) The Democrats wanted higher tariffs.

Question 27

The ________, a faction of the Republican Party, were opposed to the patronage system and favored non-partisan elections at the city level.

A) stalwarts
B) Whigs
C) Old Guards
D) Folemen
E) progressives

Question 28

One effect of the geographic split in parties that occurred as a consequence of the Civil War was the

A) end of the Democratic-Republican Party of Thomas Jefferson.
B) emergence of strong party factions such as the mugwumps.
C) rise to power of Democratic progressives and others who supported free trade.
D) establishment of national conventions to nominate presidential candidates.
E) equal distribution of party power among the states.

Question 29

The three clearest cases of critical or realigning elections seem to be

A) 1800, 1828, and 1865.
B) 1828, 1865, and 1896.
C) 1860, 1896, and 1932.
D) 1896, 1932, and 1984.
E) 1932, 1984, and 1992.

Question 30

Ticket splitting creates

A) separation of powers.
B) checks and balances.
C) divided government.
D) political efficacy.
E) liberal politics.

Question 31

The text suggests that the political reforms of the progressives

A) reduced the worst forms of political corruption.
B) made boss-rule politics difficult.
C) made political parties weaker.
D) did all of the above.
E) did none of the above.

Question 32

The presidential campaign of William Jennings Bryan had the effect of

A) solidifying Democratic and Republican dominance of the South and the North respectively.
B) strengthening the Democratic Party nationally.
C) strengthening the Democratic Party in populous northeastern states.
D) creating greater two-party competition in the states.
E) None of the above.

Question 33

The elections of Ronald Reagan could not have marked realignment because

A) they featured low voter turnout.
B) they left control of Congress in the hands of the Democratic Party.
C) they did not involve salient economic issues.
D) the vote of the Electoral College was actually quite close.
E) hardly any Republican governors were reelected.

Question 34

Procedures such as the initiative and the referendum arose as efforts to give

A) Congress a way of controlling the president.
B) citizens a direct say in making laws.
C) courts a system for prosecuting election fraud.
D) governors more power in relation to legislatures.
E) party regulars a say in nominating candidates.

Question 35

In 1896, the realignment was driven by issues related to

A) economics.
B) slavery.
C) federalism.
D) civil liberties.
E) both B and D.

Question 36

The realignment of 1932 was somewhat different because

A) it was not related to economics.
B) it was not preceded by any third-party movement.
C) the Republicans drew the support of southern whites and Jewish voters.
D) urban workers were not part of the new majority coalition.
E) Both A and D

Question 37

Scholars have identified ____ critical, or realigning, periods in American politics.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) five
E) six

Question 38

Ticket splitting was almost unheard of in the nineteenth century because

A) political parties provided voters with ballots.
B) party platforms were rarely consistent.
C) incumbents used the perks of office to sway voters.
D) government-printed ballots listed candidates in columns.
E) Both A and D

Question 39

The progressive movement reduced the level of political corruption but ultimately failed to

A) solve the problem of divided government.
B) weaken the power of political parties.
C) decentralize political power.
D) end the destructive effect of primary elections.
E) solve the problem of how to recruit and support candidates.

Question 40

Dramatic realignments, such as the one that occurred in 1932, may not occur again because

A) voter turnout has consistently decreased over the last forty years.
B) presidential candidates are rarely as popular with the voters as they used to be.
C) the Electoral College is malapportioned.
D) party labels have lost their meaning for a growing number of voters.
E) economic issues rarely dominate presidential campaigns.

Question 41

Between the national conventions, party affairs are managed by a ______________ made up of delegates from each state and territory.

A) congressional campaign committee
B) national caucus
C) troika
D) national committee
E) rules committee

Question 42

According to the text, the role of national conventions has been transformed by party rules so that the conventions are now

A) media showcases where newscasters influence the outcome.
B) places where delegates ratify decisions made by voters.
C) gatherings where party leaders make important decisions.
D) gatherings of representatives from interest groups.
E) places where delegates vote their conscience, regardless of the party's platform.

Question 43

The _____ manages the day-to-day work of the party.

A) precinct captain
B) national chairman
C) national selectman
D) national alderman
E) organizational deputy

Question 44

The three areas of rule changes approved by the 1992 Democratic National Committee were

A) winner-reward systems, proportional representation, and delegate selection.
B) proportional representation, rules-violation penalty, and delegate selection.
C) rules-violation penalty, winner-reward systems, and proportional representation.
D) delegate selection, rules-violation penalty, and winner-reward systems.
E) delegate selection, delegate voting penalty, and plurality representation.

Question 45

The formula for the selection of delegates to the Republican national convention generally stresses the importance of

A) independence.
B) diversity.
C) balance.
D) equality.
E) loyalty.

Question 46

In Congress each party has a _______________ that helps members of Congress who are running for reelection and would-be members seeking election.

A) legislative caucus
B) national party committee
C) national party caucus
D) political action committee
E) congressional campaign committee

Question 47

_____ select(s) the time and place of the national convention and issues a call for the convention.

A) The president
B) A select committee on convention affairs
C) Leaders in the House and Senate
D) The state caucus national committee
E) A party's national committee

Question 48

Within both major parties, it is the ________ level that has most obviously declined.

A) national
B) regional
C) state
D) district
E) grassroots

Question 49

The term superdelegate refers to

A) elected officials and party leaders who are not required to pledge themselves in advance to a presidential candidate.
B) delegates representing special-interest caucuses, such as those organized to represent blacks or homosexuals.
C) delegates at large who are chosen by a vote of the national party leadership.
D) delegates chosen by primary elections and grassroots caucuses.
E) delegates who received more than 80 percent of the vote necessary to achieve their status.

Question 50

Which candidate distinguished himself by raising an extraordinary amount of money via the Internet?

A) Al Gore
B) John Kerry
C) Howard Dean
D) Al Sharpton
E) Bill Bradley

Question 51

Throughout the 1970s, the general thrust of the Democratic rules commissions considering delegate selection was to

A) create a more unified national organization.
B) weaken the influence of party leaders and enlarge the role of the rank and file.
C) decrease intraparty competition for the delegate seats.
D) increase the size of the delegations to accommodate all interest groups.
E) centralize power within the party and make it less ideological.

Question 52

The national party conventions meet every _____ years to nominate a presidential candidate.

A) two
B) three
C) four
D) six
E) eight

Question 53

One would generally expect split-ticket voting to occur more often when

A) states adopt the office ballot.
B) political parties provide voters with ballots.
C) states adopt the party-column ballot.
D) states adopt the Indiana ballot.
E) voters can vote for more than one candidate with a single mark.

Question 54

The number of convention delegates from each state, along with the rules under which they are chosen, is determined by

A) the party's national committee.
B) Congress.
C) the party's congressional campaign committee.
D) state party committees.
E) leaders in the House and Senate.

Question 55

The 1992 Democratic National Committee penalized states that violated the rules with what percentage loss of their national delegates?

A) 0 percent
B) 5 percent
C) 10 percent
D) 25 percent
E) 45 percent

Question 56

Beginning in the 1960s, the ________ became more bureaucratized, whereas the ________ became more factionalized.

A) Republican Party; Democratic Party
B) major parties; minor parties
C) Democratic Party; Republican Party
D) minor parties; major parties
E) Republican Party; minor parties

Question 57

Party machines

A) are characterized by a high degree of leadership control over member activity.
B) do not use tangible incentives to recruit members.
C) help to solve the problem of voting fraud.
D) cut down the number of patronage jobs in government.
E) enforce electoral reform and encourage competition.

Question 58

Democratic rule changes were drafted in 1972 by a commission headed by

A) Edward Kennedy.
B) Barbara Mikulski.
C) Jacob Javits.
D) George McGovern.
E) Hubert Humphrey.

Question 59

Which of the following statements about the formula by which delegates to the nominating conventions are apportioned is correct?

A) Both Democrats and Republicans give extra delegates to large states.
B) Both Democrats and Republicans give extra delegates to loyal states.
C) The Democrats and Republicans use different formulas.
D) The formula reflects a movement to the center by both Democrats and Republicans.
E) Formulas have had no noticeable impact on the selection of delegates to the conventions.

Question 60

After a decade of reforms, the Democrats and Republicans have come to represent two ideologically different sets of

A) independent voters.
B) lower-income voters.
C) traditional, religious Americans.
D) first-time voters.
E) upper-middle-class voters

Question 61

One arguably positive impact of machine politics was

A) a reduction in voter fraud.
B) an increase in voter turnout.
C) an increase in third-party candidates.
D) greater responsiveness in government.
E) less controversy in matters related to schools and parks.

Question 62

The primary goal of the political machine is

A) winning.
B) equality.
C) representation.
D) flexibility.
E) inclusiveness.

Question 63

Which of the following statements regarding the Tammany Hall political machine is incorrect?

A) It was located in New York City.
B) It began as a caucus of local Democratic leaders.
C) It was organized on the basis of political clubs in districts.
D) Its power was enhanced by the Hatch Act.
E) None of the above.

Question 64

In order to form a personal following, the text suggests one could use

A) an appealing personality.
B) a lot of friends.
C) a big bank account.
D) presidential assistance.
E) A, B, and C

Question 65

The text compares political machines to vast

A) welfare organizations.
B) legislative bureaucracies.
C) executive offices.
D) criminal gangs.
E) bipartisan conglomerates.

Question 66

Unlike political machines, ideological parties tend to be

A) unified.
B) hierarchical.
C) disciplined.
D) committed to winning.
E) factionalized.

Question 67

The classical machine-type party was developed and perfected

A) in the nineteenth century, before the large-scale Irish and Italian immigrations.
B) in the nineteenth century, after the large-scale Irish and Italian immigrations.
C) at the time of the New Deal, when thousands of civil servants were jobless.
D) after World War II, when thousands of soldiers returned from Europe and the Pacific.
E) during the implementation of Great Society programs in the Deep South.

Question 68

Today, a person wanting to win an election will most often seek the support of

A) a political machine.
B) issue-oriented clubs.
C) sponsored parties.
D) party-based societies.
E) a personal following.

Question 69

Which of the following statements about traditional party organization in the United States is correct?

A) It exists, but only in a few states.
B) It remains as strong a force as ever in most states.
C) It is strongest in western states such as California.
D) It is strongest in states with term limits.
E) It no longer exists.

Question 70

The ______ made it illegal for federal civil service employees to take an active part in political campaigns.

A) Tredway Act
B) Mann Act
C) Sherman Act
D) Progressive Act
E) Hatch Act

Question 71

An example of an organization that sponsors a local party is

A) a southern textile firm.
B) the American Petroleum Institute in Texas.
C) the United Auto Workers (UAW) in Detroit.
D) a government employees' union in the Washington, D.C., suburbs.
E) a northern glee club.

Question 72

Party organizations based on their members' enjoyment of the sociability of politics are referred to as

A) solidary parties.
B) ideological parties.
C) sponsored parties.
D) party machines.
E) reciprocal parties.

Question 73

The texts suggests that the decline of political machines was in part related to

A) the Supreme Court's interpretation of the commerce clause.
B) the general decline in vote turnout.
C) the increasing education and sophistication of voters.
D) economic depression in major metropolitan areas.
E) trends in immigration.

Question 74

Political machines were critical to the election of all of the following except

A) Abraham Lincoln.
B) Richard Nixon.
C) Warren G. Harding.
D) Franklin Roosevelt.
E) John F. Kennedy.

Question 75

The political involvement of the United Auto Workers (UAW) in Detroit is an example of a(n)

A) sponsored party.
B) political machine.
C) ideological party.
D) solidary group.
E) reciprocal party.

Question 76

According to Barbara Mikulski, the training grounds for national political activists today are

A) state and local parties.
B) social movements.
C) sponsored parties.
D) solidary groups.
E) fluid interest groups.

Question 77

The ideological groups, or reform clubs, of the 1950s and 1960s gave rise to ideological parties composed of

A) political machines.
B) solidary associations.
C) single-issue activists.
D) rank-and-file voters.
E) fluid interest groups.

Question 78

The Hatch Act would allow federal civil service employees to

A) count ballots.
B) vote.
C) take voters to the polls.
D) make campaign contributions.
E) Both B and D

Question 79

Which of the following statements about the two-party system is correct?

A) Most European countries have such a system.
B) The United States is one of the few countries with such a system.
C) It exists in the United States because of the absence of local party organizations.
D) It has existed in the United States only since the early 1900s.
E) It has always been on the verge of collapse.

Question 80

Political machines were the supreme expression of the value of

A) freedom.
B) equality.
C) participation.
D) ideology.
E) organization.