Chapter 8

11. Parties provide the political system with A. stability. B. instability. C. unity. D. coalition.

A

16. Historically, the most Democratic region of the country has been the A. South. B. West. C. Midwest. D. Northwest.

A

20. The largest percentage of the popular vote ever won by a third party candidate was __________%. A. 27 B. 18 C. 16 D. 12

A

24. The modern Republican party emerged A. before the Civil War B. after the Civil War C. before World War I D. after World War I

A

25. A political party differs from an interest group in that A. political parties want to operate the government and interest groups do not want to operate the government. B. political parties do not want to operate the government and interest groups want to operate the government. C. individuals must pay dues to belong to a political party.. D. individuals in a political party agree on all major policy issues.

A

29. If the U.S. moved from election districts where only one candidate could win (single member district) to allowing several candidates to be elected from one district (multi-member district) what would be the likely impact? A. third parties would become stronger B. third parties would become weaker C. the two major parties would adopt more extreme positions D. the two major parties would die

A

32. Practically, the vice presidential nominee is selected by A. the presidential nominee B. the credentials committee of the national convention C. in primaries D. in state political caucuses

A

34. PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION allows for A. legislative seats to be allotted in proportion to the total number of votes a party gets B. local electoral districts to choose their own representatives C. election by plurality vote, rather than majority vote D. second election in districts where no candidate gets a majority

A

36. Which of the following expresses best the attitude of the American founding fathers toward political parties? A. Parties are divisive and undesirable. B. Parties are a constitutional right. C. Only two political parties should be allowed. D. A multiparty system is best for a democracy.

A

37. Recently party identification A. has been diminishing. B. has had no impact on the political process. C. has been increasing at the strong partisan level. D. has been made more difficult by both major parties because of their new requirements for membership.

A

41. The state central committee has responsibility for A. carrying out policy decisions of the party's state convention. B. working with other state central committees to select the national chairperson of the party. C. expelling members of the party in the state legislature who do not support the party platform 60% of the time. D. both B and C.

A

45. The national committee of each party A. selects the site of the nominating conventions. B. helps select candidates for Congress. C. has near dictatorial control over the party. D. writes the party platform.

A

51. In the states and in many local communities, one party may dominate, as the Democrats did for decades in a. the South b. the Midwest c. Kansas and Vermont d upper New England

A

59. During the 1820s through 1840s, the number of eligible voters increased due to A. the abolition of property requirements for males. B. immigration. C. suffrage for women. D. all of the above.

A

64. The selection of party candidates through the ballots of qualified voters is called a A. direct primary. B. nominating convention. C. party caucus. D. party conference.

A

66. Those who supported the new Constitution were called A. Federalists. B. Whigs. C. Democrats. D. Republicans.

A

68. How many parties existed at the time the Constitution was written in 1787? A. None B. Two C. Three D. Five

A

83. Third parties tend to appear and disappear quickly due to A. ballot access restrictions in many states. B. proportional representation. C. inflexibility on the part of the two major parties. D. all of the above.

A

88. Parties often have institutionalized sources of policy ideas called think tanks. Among those with predominantly Republican influence are the A. Heritage Foundation. B. Center for National Policy. C. American Enterprise Institute. D. Brookings Institution.

A

9. Of the twenty-nine presidential elections between 1884 and 1996, the Democrats won A. 14. B. 16. C. 18. D. 20.

A

97. In 2000, the gender gap was a margin of __________% in favor of Al Gore in the last two months of the campaign. A. 7 B. 10 C. 15 D. 21

A

14. At the state level, party competition often has been4 A. quite heated. B. severely limited. C. stable. D. unchallenged.

B

17. One of the most significant trends in party politics in recent times has been the A. rise of one-party dominant states. B. spread of two party competition at the state level. C. regional dominance of one-partyism. D. decline in competition between the two parties at state and local levels.

B

21. To be elected, Senators need of the votes in his/her state. A. a majority B. a plurality C. two-thirds D. three-quarters

B

27. A major cause for the persistence of the 2-party system in the U.S. today is that A. the major parties have become disciplined and issue oriented B. election districts are single member so that only one candidate can win C. third parties have failed to point up issues D. major party ideas and platforms are too much like religious dogma

B

35. In their political party loyalty, black Americans have been A. strongly Republican. B. strongly Democratic. C. strongly independent. D. split evenly between the parties.

B

39. American political parties tend to concentrate on A. signing up large numbers of deeply committed members. B. winning elections. C. collecting dues from party members. D. developing ideas that are ideologically correct for the party, regardless of electoral outcome.

B

40. Which of the following is a true statement about third-party involvement in American elections? A. Third parties cannot legally run candidates for the presidency. B. Many legal barriers make it hard for third parties to get on the ballot. C. Third parties have won a number of presidential elections. D. None of the above.

B

48. Most delegates to the national nominating conventions are chosen by A. popular votes B. primary elections C. nomination procedures D. None of the above.

B

5. Which of the following characterizes people with relatively high education? A. They tend to identify with the Democratic Party. B. They tend to be more politically tolerant. C. They tend to be nonparticipant in politics. D. They tend to vote more often for victorious candidates.

B

50. During the 1850s, the Democratic Party was badly divided over the issue of a. women's rights b. slavery c. the right of industrial workers to unionize d. protecting the environment

B

52. The partisan patterns of a Republican North and a Democratic South were set by the A. Spanish-American War. B. Civil War. C. Revolutionary War. D. War of 1812.

B

58. Party politics was nearly suspended during the A. Roaring Twenties. B. Era of Good Feelings. C. Progressive Era. D. Populist Era.

B

6. Issue oriented politics became more prevalent due to A. civil service reform and the demise of political machines. B. broad based education and social change. C. changes in suffrage rules. D. all of the above.

B

63. A party organization that recruits its members with tangible incentives, such as jobs, and is characterized by a high degree of control over member activity, is called a A. mob. B. machine. C. patron. D. boss.

B

73. An example of a party of ideological protest is the A. Democratic party. B. Libertarian party. C. Free Soil party. D. Anti-Masonic party.

B

78. Though the Constitution does not mention political parties, certain provisions of the Constitution such as the following gave impetus to organization of parties: A. Article II B. the First Amendment freedoms C. Article VI D. the Twelfth Amendment

B

80. Which of the following positions is most likely to be supported by the Republican party? A. Less government funding for military aid programs. B. Less government funding for minority aid programs. C. More government support for social welfare programs. D. More government regulation of business activities.

B

82. In 2000, the Green Party ran an anti-establishment campaign and nominated A. Harry Browne. B. Ralph Nader. C. Jesse Ventura. D. Ross Perot.

B

85. Every four years the parties nominate a presidential candidate through a A. platform. B. convention. C. conference. D. national committee.

B

89. Among the think tanks with predominantly Democratic influence are the A. Brookings Institution. B. Center for National Policy. C. Ford Foundation. D. Carnegie Endowment.

B

93. In recent years, the Republicans have thoroughly outclassed the Democrats in terms of raising money. Most of the Republican war chest is raised through A. large donations by wealthy patrons. B. mail solicitation from average citizens. C. phone calls to party supporters. D. donations of over $250.

B

13. The instrument through which parties formulate, convey, and promote public policy is called A. policy formulation. B. legislation. C. the national party platform. D. the party banner.

C

18. The third party candidate who won the most popular votes in a presidential race was A. Ross Perot. B. George Wallace. C. Theodore Roosevelt. D. John Anderson.

C

2. To what does the nickname "Solid South" refer? A. The South's solid Republican voting record for offices below the presidential level B. The strength of the Confederacy C. The South's solid Democratic voting record for most of the twentieth century D. The South's solid Republican voting record for most of the eighteenth century

C

23. The Democratic party came into existence with the 1828 election of A. John Adams B. John Quincy Adams C. Andrew Jackson D. James Monroe

C

26. One reason for the selection of Geraldine Ferraro as a vice-presidential candidate was A. her vast experience in foreign policy. B. her husband's economic position. C. her representation of females on the ticket. D. her conservative philosophy which would help to balance the ticket.

C

28. The supreme legal authority of the national party is A. the national chair B. the national committee C. the national convention D. the president

C

3. How many parties were provided for in the Constitution? A. Three B. Five C. None D. Two

C

30. Political patronage is concerned with A. the interface of government and religion B. bribes and graft C. government employment for loyal election workers D. government contracts for campaign supporters

C

31. Delegates to the national convention are selected A. by the state committee and state chairperson. B. by the state legislature and governor. C. in either a caucus or primary election. D. in the general election by the electoral college.

C

38. If American political parties had a pyramid-shaped organization chart, the National Chairperson would A. serve as the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court if their party was the dominant party. B. have to be subservient to the state chairperson. C. dictate how the party would be run. D. have no power to make important party decisions.

C

4. In the United States, MOST party candidates are nominated A. through the party machine. B. by the national committee. C. though primary elections. D. at the national convention.

C

44. The major responsibility of a national chairperson is A. the development of a list of members of congress who can work with the President to enact the party's platform. B. to select state chairperson in each of the 50 states. C. the management of the national election campaign. D. to review candidates of the party for all elected positions.

C

46. American political parties perform important functions, such as: A. running the government. B. providing opposition if they finish second. C. unification of various groups. D. all of the above.

C

47. The major characteristics of Americans political parties are: A. pragmatism, one partyism, idealism. B. decentralization, democracy, idealism. C. two-partyism, decentralizations, pragmatism. D. idealism, pluralism, monotheism.

C

54. The office holders and candidates who run under the banner of a political party are called the A. organizational party. B. campaign party. C. governmental party. D. political party.

C

57. Among the national parties that have existed in the United States are/were the A. National Democrats and States Alliance Party. B. Christian Democrats and National Socialists. C. Bull Moose and Dixiecrat parties. D. all of the above.

C

60. The first major national presidential nominating convention was held in A. 1788. B. 1800. C. 1832. D. 1860

C

67. When was today's Republican party founded? A. 1796 B. 1808 C. 1854 D. 1912

C

69. The Whig party developed in reaction to the A. Democratic Republicans. B. Federalists. C. Jacksonian Democrats. D. Progressives.

C

70. The Federalists had ceased to exist by A. 1896. B. 1860. C. 1796. D. 1820.

C

72. The Republicans' majority status ended in A. the maintaining election of 1900. B. the maintaining election of 1944. C. the critical election of 1932. D. the critical election of 1896.

C

75. A system of proportional representation, as in Italy, a. outlaws all minor parties b. is based on the principle of winner-take-all c. encourages the existence of many parties by allotting seats to competing candidates according to the percentage of votes they win d. allows a party to be represented in the legislature only if it has won at least 25 percent of the national vote

C

76. Since the present two-party system was established, how many minor-party candidates have been elected to the presidency? A. Two C. None B. Four D. One

C

79. The two factions during the era from the beginning of the Republic to around 1824 were: A. Democratic and Republican B. Patriots and Loyalists C. Federalist and Democratic-Republican D. National and States' Rights

C

8. Of the twenty-nine presidential elections between 1884 and 1996, the Republicans won A. 21. B. 18. C. 15. D. 11

C

87. In 2000, Ralph Nader was nominated for president by the A. Reform Party. B. Independent Party. C. Green Party. D. National Law Party.

C

91. Party discipline in the United States is A. quite strong. B. cohesive. C. limited. D. nonexistent.

C

95. Almost __________ of Americans consider themselves to be independent as opposed to Democrat or Republican. A. one-fifth B. one-fourth C. one-third D. one-half

C

1. For what did the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution provide? A. Direct election of senators B. Limitation of the presidency to two terms C. Voting rights for women D. Separate ballots for president and vice president in the electoral college

D

10. Party affiliation is helpful to elected leaders because A. partisans are very supportive in crisis. B. office holders know whom to cultivate and mobilize. C. party members share mutual interests. D. all of the above.

D

12. One of the main functions of a party is electioneering. Under this rubric, parties A. recruit candidates. B. provide cues to voters. C. promote a platform of issues. D. all of the above.

D

15. Historically, several states have tended to vote overwhelmingly Republican including A. California. B. Texas. C. Massachusetts. D. Maine.

D

19. The third party candidate who won the most electoral votes in a presidential race was A. Robert LaFollette. B. Ross Perot. C. George Wallace. D. Theodore Roosevelt.

D

22. Election by PLURALITY refers to which of the following? A. 50 percent of the votes plus one vote B. two-thirds of the votes C. three quarters of the votes D. the largest number of votes

D

33. The Republican party A. is older than the Democratic party B. is the first modern political party C. is the oldest existing modern political party D. is the second oldest party after the Democratic party

D

42. A major function of the national convention is: A. the enactment of legislation that will prevent the development of third parties. B. the selection of all candidates for office running on the party label. C. to purge members of the party in Congress who have failed to support the party on a minimum of 60% of the issues. D. to nominate the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

D

43. Which of the following terms best describes the organization of political parties in the U.S.? A. decentralized. B. unitary. C. undisciplined. D. both A and C.

D

49.The elements that make up a major political party include a. party activists b. the voters who consider themselves members of that party c. party leaders outside the government d. all of the above

D

53. At a basic level, a party is A. expected to contest elections. B. an organization to promote policy changes. C. a group of office holders, candidates, activists and voters who identify with a group label. D. all of the above.

D

55. All political parties are defined by the groups of individuals who make it up, including the A. party in the electorate. B. governmental party. C. organizational party. D. all of the above

D

56. In his farewell address, __________ warned the nation against the evil of political parties. A. John Adams. B. Thomas Jefferson. C. John Quincy Adams. D. George Washington.

D

61. The Republican Party was established in A. 1820. B. 1832. C. 1840. D. 1854.

D

62. Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal Democratic coalition included A. the South and farmers. B. racial and ethnic groups. C. organized labor and big city machines. D. all of the above.

D

65. Jobs, favors, or grants that are given as rewards to friends and supporters in return for political support are called A. primary rewards. B. civil service. C. partisan. D. patronage.

D

7. Parties have been affected, and in general weakened, by A. the movement of people to the suburbs. B. television. C. the advent of political consultants. D. all of the above.

D

71. The Federalists were led by A. Thomas Jefferson. B. Aaron Burr. C. Charles Pinckey. D. Alexander Hamilton.

D

74. What year marks the beginning of today's Democratic party? A. 1864 C. 1804 B. 1896 D. 1828

D

77. The Democratic party is more likely to have the support of A. a Protestant than a Catholic. B. a fundamentalist Christian than a Jew. C. a White than a Hispanic American. D. a Black than a White person.

D

81. Third parties generally have their roots in A. sectionalism. B. economic protest. C. issues and personalities. D. all of the above.

D

84. In general, third parties serve as A. precursors to partisan realignments. B. vehicles for popular discontent. C. platforms for powerful personalities. D. all of the above.

D

86. The key national party official is the A. highest ranking elected official in the party. B. secretary of the party. C. national convention chair. D. chairperson of the national committee.

D

90. Parties serve a number of functions in Congress including A. the selection of leaders. B. determining committee ratios and assignments. C. organizing and operating Congress. D. all of the above.

D

92. In Congress, party discipline tends to be weak due to A. a largely private system of campaign financing. B. the individualistic and candidate centered nature of campaigning. C. the need for representatives to attract media attention. D. all of the above.

D

94. The average donation to the Republican Party in the 1990s was A. over $250. B. around $100. C. from $50 to $99. D. under $35.

D

96. Many people are reluctant to identify with a party because of A. the growth of issues that cut across traditional party lines. B. a rise in personality politics and candidate centered campaigns. C. splits within the major parties on issues. D. all of the above.

D

98. An observer can often determine a person's party affiliation by knowing their A. marital status. B. race and economic status. C. age. D. all of the above.

D

100. George Washington was the founder of the American political party system. True/False

F

99. In 2000, the Reform Party reached the end of its run. True/False

T