Chapter 7

Question 1

Political Party

Answer 1

a group of individuals who organize to win elections, operate the government, and determine policy

Question 2

Realignment

Answer 2

a process in which the popular support for and relative strength of the parties shift and the parties are reestablished with different coalitions of supporters; permanent change from Republican to Democrat or vice versa

Question 3

Dealignment

Answer 3

among voters, a growing detachment from both major political parties

Question 4

Primary

Answer 4

a preliminary election held for the purpose of choosing a party’s final candidate

Question 5

Minority Party

Answer 5

the political party that has fewer members in the legislature than the opposing party

Question 6

Majority Party

Answer 6

the political party that has more members in the legislature than the opposing party

Question 7

coalition

Answer 7

an alliance of individuals or groups with a variety of interests and opinions who join together to support all or part of a political party’s platform

Question 8

Electorate

Answer 8

all of the citizens eligible to vote in a given election

Question 9

Party Indentifier

Answer 9

a person who identifies himself or herself as being a supporter of a particular political party

Question 10

Party Activists

Answer 10

a party member who helps to organize and oversee party functions and planning during and between campaigns and may even become a candidate for office

Question 11

Solidarity

Answer 11

mutual agreement among the members of a particular group

Question 12

Patronage

Answer 12

a system of rewarding the party faithful and workers with government jobs or contracts

Question 13

Ward

Answer 13

a local unit of a political party’s organization, consisting of a division or district withing a city

Question 14

Precinct

Answer 14

a political district within a city, such as a block or a neighborhood, or a rural portion of a country; the smallest voting district at the local level

Question 15

National Convention

Answer 15

the meeting held by each major party every four years to select presidential and vice-presidential candidates, write a party platform, and conduct other party business

Question 16

Party Ticket

Answer 16

a list of a political party’s candidates for various offices; in national elections, the party ticker consists of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates

Question 17

Party Platform

Answer 17

the document drawn up by each party at its national convention that outlines the policies and positions of the party

Question 18

National Party Convention

Answer 18

the political party leaders who direct party business during the four years between the national party conventions, organize the next national convention, and plan how to obtain a party victory in the next presidential election

Question 19

National Party Chairperson

Answer 19

an individual who serves as a political party’s administrative head at the national level and directs the work of the party’s national committee

Question 20

Two-Party System

Answer 20

a political system in which two strong and established parties compete for political office

Question 21

Third Party

Answer 21

In the United States, any party other than one of the two major parties (Republican and Democratic)

Question 22

Political Ideology

Answer 22

a system of political beliefs rooted in beliefs about human nature, society, and government

Question 23

Out Party

Answer 23

a party that does not control Congress or a state legislature, or the presidency or a state governorship