unit 3: political behaviors

Question 1

political party

Answer 1

group who seeks to control government through winning elections & holding public office

Question 2

2 major parties in the u.s.

Answer 2

republican (elephant) and democratic (donkey) parties

Question 3

functions of political parties

Answer 3

1. nominate candidates for office
2. inform people & stimulate their interest
3. grant “seal of approval” to candidates
4. help conduct government business
5. watchdogs of government business

Question 4

two-party system

Answer 4

candidates of only 2 parties have a reasonable chance of winning

Question 5

reasons for a two-party system

Answer 5

1. historical basis (started w/ constitution)
2. force of tradition
3. electoral system
4. american idealogical consensus

Question 6

minor parties

Answer 6

less widely supported parties

Question 7

types of minor parties

Answer 7

ideological (based on a set of beliefs), single-issue (concerned w/ 1 issue), economic protest, and splinter (split away from a major party)

Question 8

importance of minor parties

Answer 8

can act as a spoiler in elections

Question 9

stages of american voting rights

Answer 9

1. white male property owners
2. nearly all white adult males
3. all men 21 & older
4. all men & women 21 & older
5. all men & women 18 & older

Question 10

qualifications to vote

Answer 10

1. citizenship
2. residence of a state
3. age
4. registration (all except for north dakota)

Question 11

eliminated qualifications for voting

Answer 11

literacy test and pay poll tax (prevented certain groups from voting)

Question 12

why don’t people vote?

Answer 12

1. lack of interest
2. believe their vote won’t make a difference
3. lack sense of influence on politics
4. bad weather
5. time zone fallout
6. cannot-voter

Question 13

nomination

Answer 13

naming those who will run for office

Question 14

methods of nomination

Answer 14

self announcement, caucus, convention, direct primary, petition

Question 15

federal election commission (fec)

Answer 15

regulates campaign finance spending

Question 16

influences on public opinion

Answer 16

political socialization, opinion leaders, mass media

Question 17

ballot

Answer 17

the device voters use to register a choice in an election

Question 18

coattail effect

Answer 18

the effect of a strong candidate running for an office at the top of a ballot helping to attract voters to other candidates on the party’s ticket

Question 19

electorate

Answer 19

all of the people entitled to vote in a given election

Question 20

plurality

Answer 20

in an election, the number of votes that the leading candidate obtains over the next highest candidate

Question 21

political efficacy

Answer 21

one’s own influence or effectiveness on politics

Question 22

political socialization

Answer 22

the process by which people gain their political attitudes and opinions

Question 23

public opinion

Answer 23

the complex collection of the opinions of many different people; the sum of all their views

Question 24

precinct

Answer 24

the smallest unit of election administration; a voting district

Question 25

registration

Answer 25

a procedure of voter identification intended to prevent fraudulent voting

Question 26

suffrage

Answer 26

the right to vote

Question 27

goal of political parties

Answer 27

to win the election