Chapter 8
The second party system lasted from ______ until 1860.
1828
The first party system in the United States lasted from 1789 until
1828.
The fifth party system lasted from 1932 to
1968
The fifth party system lasted from 1932 to
1968.
Which of the following is a main argument for scholars who argue that the two main U.S. political parties are once again rebounding?
A lack of viable alternatives to the two-party system
What does a third party provide for disgruntled voters?
A release valve
Which of the following did the Republican Party have to overcome to remain competitive in American politics at different times during the party's history?
Assassination of party leaders New Deal Watergate scandal
Where do many people first identify with one of the two major parties?
At home
What is the current status of political parties in the United States?
Both political parties are struggling to win the approval of the American people.
Which of the following are ways in which third parties have had an impact on the U.S. political system?
By getting enough votes to change the outcome of an election By focusing attention on issues that may not have otherwise been addressed
Which of the following are responsibilities of the political party at the national level?
Conducting national party conventions Selecting a chair of the national party committee Determining the party's nominee for president Adopting a party platform
Which of the following are examples of the grassroots organizing that political parties engage in?
Contributing to party-run campaigns Volunteering to work for political candidates Running for office
What political party was dominant during the fifth party system?
Democratic Party
Which political party has been known more for its advancement of civil liberties issues and expansion of social welfare programs?
Democratic Party
What are the characteristics of what may be the emergence a new party system in the United States since 1968? (Choose every correct answer.)
Divided government Intense party competition
Who are the players in the three faces of party operation?
Elected officials Party identifiers Party workers
Who are the players in the three faces of party operation?
Elected officials Party workers Party identifiers
Which of the following is an accurate description of the relation between election law and third-party success in the United States?
Election laws are written to benefit the major parties and make it difficult for third-party candidates to run for election.
Which of the following factors have contributed to the weakening of party organizations?
Elimination of political patronage Primary elections
The Democratic Party's agenda in the past several decades has centered on which of the following items?
Expansion of social welfare programs More civil rights protections
True or false: Global events have little effect on the ideology of political parties during the twenty-first century.
False
True or false: The Internet has limited party activism to individuals who can attend party meetings.
False
True or false: Third parties only form because of ideological differences with the major parties.
False
Political scientists studying American political parties have theorized that which of the following factors have contributed to party decline?
Government replacing parties in providing social welfare benefits The elimination of political patronage The utilization of primary elections
Some of today's party differences in ideology and in core constituencies can be traced back to which of the following events?
Great Depression
Which of the following aspects of Donald Trump's ascent in the Republican Party has helped to breathe new life into the party?
His appeal to working-class white voters
Which of the following are evidence that a new party system emerged with the election of Richard Nixon in 1968?
Increased Republican support by southern whites Increased activism by conservative Christians in the Republican Party Support of Donald Trump by rural white voters Republican dominance of the presidency
Which of the following are challenging moderate Republicans?
Increased Tea Party conservatism Donald Trump's rhetoric and policy positions
Which of the following is not considered a category or type of third party?
Interest group parties
Which of the following did the Democratic Party have to overcome to remain competitive in American politics during the party's history?
Internal divisions on civil rights issues Republicans winning more presidential elections since 1968 Assassination of party leaders
Why was the establishment of the Jacksonian Democratic Party significant?
It was the first time average people were mobilized into a base of support for a political party.
Why did Thomas Jefferson remain with George Washington's cabinet during Washington's first term of office despite his opposition to Hamilton's Federalists?
Jefferson wanted the new U.S. government to succeed.
Which of the following issues is a key issue within U.S. electoral politics today?
Job creation in the industrial economy
During the 2020 presidential election, which of the following divides were evident in the Democratic Party?
Moderately liberal versus Democratic Socialist Young versus old
What makes the United States different from many other democratic countries?
Other countries often have more than two competitive parties.
Match the "face" or sphere of operation of political parties with their defining characteristics.
Party in the electorate---All the individuals who identify with or tend to support a particular party Party organization---The formal party apparatus, including committees, party leaders, conventions, and workers Party in government---The partisans serving as elected leaders in local, county, state, and federal government
What arguments have political scientists made about the two-party system in the United States?
Party leaders no longer control the process of nominating candidates. The two-party system is facing a historic decline in its overall influence in American politics.
The large turnout in recent elections suggests what about the overall health of political parties in a changing environment?
Political parties are adapting to the changes and will remain viable in the future.
Which of the following factors have contributed to the weakening of party organizations?
Primary elections Elimination of political patronage
Which of the following, at one time, have been considered third parties in the United States?
Progressive Party Green Party
Between 1968 and 2008, which political party was more likely to win the presidency?
Republican Party
What political party called for the abolition of slavery during the third party system?
Republican Party
Which party benefited from the 1896 realignment?
Republican Party
What were the two major parties during the third party system?
Republican Party Democratic Party
Which of the following are responsibilities of the political party at the national level?
Selecting a chair of the national party committee Determining the party's nominee for president Adopting a party platform Conducting national party conventions
Who is most likely to be motivated to join a third party?
Someone who is unhappy with the two major parties
Which of the following refers to the practice of rewarding political supporters with jobs in government?
Spoils system
Which of the following is the most recent example of the Democratic Party's belief in expanding the role of government to provide a social safety net?
The Affordable Care Act
Under which of the following presidential administrations was there divided government at least part of the time?(Choose every correct answer.)
The Bill Clinton administration The George W. Bush administration
Under which of the following presidential administrations was there divided government at least part of the time?(Choose every correct answer.)
The George W. Bush administration The Bill Clinton administration
Which of the following is an example of the recent difficulties the Democratic Party has had in defining itself?
The dissatisfaction of younger, more progressive House members with Speaker Nancy Pelosi's leadership
What are the three different spheres or "faces" of the political parties?
The party in the electorate The party in government The party organization
Which of the following describe a party's platform?
The party's stance on a wide variety of issues The party's political objectives
Which best describes how the majority of Americans feel about the existence of viable third parties?
They favor viable third parties because they are dissatisfied with the current major parties.
In which of the following ways can third parties have an impact on the American political process?
They give voters who are dissatisfied with the candidates from the two major parties a third option to vote for. They draw attention to issues that are not getting much attention from the two major parties. They can influence the electoral outcome in a closely contested election between the two major party candidates
Which of the following are four characteristics of political parties.
They have a special relationship with the government. They seek to govern. They are focused on many issues. They run candidates for office under their label.
Which of these are among the key characteristics of political parties?
They seek to run candidates for office. They are focused on many issues.
How did many of the founders of American democracy view the possible existence of political parties?
They viewed political parties with suspicion.
True or false: An emphasis on reflecting the present diversity of the American electorate contributes to a political party's health.
True
Which electoral result indicates that the American party system remains vibrant?
Turnout in recent elections
How many major political parties are there in the United States today?
Two
Which of the following is true of the formation of successful third parties in the United States?
U.S. election laws place seemingly insurmountable structural hurdles in the way of third parties.
Who was the populist Democratic nominee for the 1896 presidential election?
William Jennings Bryan
Match each type of electoral system with its description.
Winner-take-all system---The victor in an election must receive at least one vote more than the competing candidate. Proportional representation system---The party wins a number of seats in parliament equivalent to the percentage of the votes the party received in an election.
What key Democratic constituency strongly backed the candidacy of Bernie Sanders in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries?
Young Americans
In hindsight, political scientists are seeking to determine whether
a new party system arose with the election of Richard Nixon.
Political parties are excellent vehicles for civic engagement because they are
accessible to almost everyone.
President Trump's disparaging remarks about various groups was viewed as a rejection of the
big tent principle.
According to the responsible party model, political parties will
can readily anticipate how a candidate will vote on a given set of issues if elected.
Since 1968, there has been an increase in the number of committees, in which organizations form to support the individual candidate rather than the party's slate of candidates.
candidate or candidate
The tendency of more voters to identify as independents rather than with a political party is known as
dealignment.
The prevalence of candidate committees tends to ______ the role of political parties.
decrease
Third parties have trouble garnering much support from dissatisfied voters because the ideologies of the dissatisfied voters are so
diverse.
The situation in which one party controls both chambers of Congress while the presidency is controlled by the other party is known as ______ government.
divided
In a winner-take-all electoral system, the winning candidate
does not necessarily need to win a majority of the popular vote.
Political or policy conflicts in the United States are most likely considered to be _____ in nature.
dualist.
Some of the founders distrusted political parties because they believed that parties (Choose every correct answer.)
exacerbated conflict instead of building consensus. discouraged independence in thought and action. encouraged the pursuit of self-serving interests.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt sought to ______ the role of government to help the most vulnerable in society.
expand
A volunteer activity that involves direct contact with voters or potential voters is called
grassroots organizing.
Political parties began to emerge in the United States
in spite of the mistrust many founders had of them.
Opportunities to volunteer in a political campaign have ______ with the advent of the Internet.
increased
If your parents frequently criticized both the Democrats and the Republicans, you would be ______ to support the two-party system.
less likely
Political party activists determine their party's nominee for the presidency at a(n) ______ convention.
national
Third parties have existed since the
nineteenth century.
George Washington generally ______ the idea of political parties in government.
opposed
Delegates at the convention develop a party that describes the party's policy priorities and positions on issues.
platform
Formal statements of a party's principles and policy objectives are known as the party's .
platform
An election in which voters choose the party's nominees for public office is called a ______ election.
primary
Political parties partake in activities that are primarily intended to
promote democracy.
The theory that parties try to give voters a clear choice by establishing priorities or policy stances different from those of the rival party is called the
responsible party model.
Acceptance of the two-party system in the United States can be partially attributed to
socialization.
Third parties will most likely influence an electoral outcome when
the race between the two major-party candidates is close.
Today, Democrats have most unified over
their opposition to President Trump.
oday, Democrats have most unified over
their opposition to President Trump.
In the United States, a party organized as opposition or an alternative to the existing parties in a two-party system is known as a party.
third or 3rd
A(n) government is one in which one chamber of Congress is controlled by the same party that controls the White House.
truncated
U.S. politics has historically been dominated by ______ parties.
two
The U.S. government functions as a ______ system.
two-party
Many political conflicts in the United States are considered
two-sided.
During the 2016 election, President Trump attracted a new base of support for the Republican Party among
working-class white voters in union-industrial areas.