Content check — American Government, Chapter 9: Political Parties

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Chapter 9: Political Parties

8 problems · 0 figures

9-1 §9.1 source ↗

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

9-3 §9.1 source ↗

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.

9-5 §9.2 source ↗

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

9-7 §9.2 source ↗

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.

9-9 §9.3 source ↗

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

9-11 §9.3 source ↗

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.

9-13 §9.4 source ↗

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.

9-15 §9.4 source ↗

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.

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Problems and answers are adapted from American Government 4e by Glen Krutz and Sylvie Waskiewicz, OpenStax, and are used under the CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/american-government-4e/pages/1-introduction. Illustrations: Copyright Rice University, OpenStax, under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. This adaptation is released under the same licence, is non-commercial, and is neither affiliated with nor endorsed by OpenStax or Rice University.