Gov Chapter 9: Political Parties Test Answers

Which supporter of federalism warned people about the dangers of political parties? a. John Adams b. Alexander Hamilton c. James Madison d. George Washington

ANSWER : d. George Washington

Which of the following was not a third-party challenger? a. Whig Party b. Progressive Party c. Dixiecrats d. Green Party

ANSWER : a. Whig Party

Why were the early U.S. political parties formed?

ANSWER : Early parties were electoral coalitions of elites, mostly in the U.S. Congress. They were mostly designed to help win House elections and the presidency, but they quickly expanded activities to the state level.

In which type of electoral system do voters select the party of their choice rather than an individual candidate? a. proportional representation b. first-past-the-post c. plurality voting d. majoritarian voting

ANSWER : a. proportional representation

Which of the following does not represent a major contributing factor in party realignment? a. demographic shifts b. changes in key issues c. changes in party strategies d. third parties

ANSWER : d. third parties

What impact, if any, do third parties typically have on U.S. elections?

ANSWER : Third parties bring important issues to the attention of the major parties. They also often 

serve as spoilers in the elections they enter.

Which level of party organization is most responsible for helping the party’s nominee win the presidency? a. precinct b. county c. state d. national

ANSWER : d. national

What techniques led the Democratic Party to national prominence in the 1830s through 1850s?

ANSWER : The democratic party worked hard to build grassroots organizations and maximize the turnout of voters. They also use patronage to grow in popularity.

In what ways do political parties collude with state and local government to prevent the rise of new parties?

ANSWER : Election laws make it harder to get on the ballot and the Electoral College makes it harder for third parties to earn votes.

How do members of the party organization differ from party identifiers? What role does each play in the party as a whole?

ANSWER : The party organization are active members in supporting party behavior and candidates, party identifiers are mostly citizens and voters who identify with the party.

What are the positives and negatives of partisan polarization?

ANSWER : Positive: Provides voters with distinct choices Negative: Moderates aren’t voting or participating in government and it amplifies inter-party conflict.

Why is winning votes so important to political parties? How does the need to win elections affect party structures?

ANSWER : Parties can’t influence and enact policy without winning. They must organize at each level at which elections take place in order to contest elections and develop candidates.

What is the sorting thesis, and what does it suggest as the cause of party polarization?

ANSWER : The sorting thesis says that voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position. It suggests that polarization is a function of voters’ paying more attention to national politics and voting more consistently

How have the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street Movement affected partisan politics?

ANSWER : They have pulled their respective parties further to the ideological poles and have changed the issues parties consider. They may also have made compromise more difficult.

bipatisanship

ANSWER : a process of cooperation through compromise

critical election

ANSWER : an election that represents a sudden, clear, and long-term shift in voter allegiances

divided government

ANSWER : a condition in which one or more houses of the legislature is controlled by the party in 

opposition to the executive

first-past-the-post

ANSWER : a system in which the winner of an election is the candidate who wins the greatest number of 

votes cast, also known as plurality voting

gerrymandering

ANSWER : the manipulation of legislative districts in an attempt to favor a particular candidate

majoritarian voting

ANSWER : a type of election in which the winning candidate must receive at least 50 percent of the 

votes, even if a run-off election is required

majority party

ANSWER : the legislative party with over half the seats in a legislative body, and thus significant power to 

control the agenda

minority party

ANSWER : the legislative party with less than half the seats in a legislative body

moderate

ANSWER : an individual who falls in the middle of the ideological spectrum

party identifiers

ANSWER : individuals who represent themselves in public as being part of a party

party organization

ANSWER : the formal structure of the political party and the active members responsible for 

coordinating party behavior and supporting party candidates

party platform

ANSWER : the collection of a party’s positions on issues it considers politically important

party polarization

ANSWER : the shift of party positions from moderate towards ideological extremes

party realignment

ANSWER : a shifting of party alliances within the electorate

party-in-government

ANSWER : party identifiers who have been elected to office and are responsible for fulfilling the party’s 

promises

party-in-the-electorate

ANSWER : members of the voting public who consider themselves part of a political party or who 

consistently prefer the candidates of one party over the other

personal politics

ANSWER : a political style that focuses on building direct relationships with voters rather than on 

promoting specific issues

plurality voting

ANSWER : the election rule by which the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of vote share

political machine

ANSWER : an organization that secures votes for a party’s candidates or supports the party in other 

ways, usually in exchange for political favors such as a job in government

political parties

ANSWER : organizations made up of groups of people with similar interests that try to directly influence public policy through their members who seek and hold public office

precinct

ANSWER : the lowest level of party organization, usually organized around neighborhoods

proportional representation

ANSWER : a party-based election rule in which the number of seats a party receives is a function of the 

share of votes it receives in an election

reapportionment

ANSWER : the reallocation of House seats between the states to account for population changes

redistricting

ANSWER : the redrawing of electoral maps

safe seat

ANSWER : a district drawn so members of a party can be assured of winning by a comfortable margin

sorting

ANSWER : the process in which voters change party allegiances in response to shifts in party position

third parties

ANSWER : political parties formed as an alternative to the Republican and Democratic parties, also 

known as minor parties

two-party system

ANSWER : a system in which two major parties win all or almost all elections

Which supporter of federalism warned people about the dangers of political parties? a.John Adams 

b.Alexander Hamilton c.James Madison d.George Washington

ANSWER : d.George Washington

Which of the following was not a third-party challenger? a.Whig Party b.Progressive Party c.Dixiecrats 

d.Green Party

ANSWER : a.Whig Party

In which type of electoral system do voters select the party of their choice rather than an individual 

candidate? A.proportional representation B.first-past-the-post C.plurality voting D.majoritarian voting

ANSWER : A.proportional representation

Which of the following does not represent a major contributing factor in party realignment? 

A.demographic shifts B.changes in key issues C.changes in party strategies D.third parties

ANSWER : B.changes in key issues

Which level of party organization is most responsible for helping the party’s nominee win the 

presidency? A.precinct B.county C.state D.national

ANSWER : D.national