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9.8: Review Questions

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    1. Which supporter of federalism warned people about the dangers of political parties?
      1. John Adams
      2. Alexander Hamilton
      3. James Madison
      4. George Washington
    Answer

    D

    1. Which of the following was not a third-party challenger?
      1. Whig Party
      2. Progressive Party
      3. Dixiecrats
      4. Green Party
    2. 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.

    1. What techniques led the Democratic Party to national prominence in the 1830s through 1850s?
    2. In which type of electoral system do voters select the party of their choice rather than an individual candidate?
      1. proportional representation
      2. first-past-the-post
      3. plurality voting
      4. majoritarian voting
    Answer

    A

    1. Which of the following does not represent a major contributing factor in party realignment?
      1. demographic shifts
      2. changes in key issues
      3. changes in party strategies
      4. third parties
    2. 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.

    1. In what ways do political parties collude with state and local government to prevent the rise of new parties?
    2. Which level of party organization is most responsible for helping the party’s nominee win the presidency?
      1. precinct
      2. county
      3. state
      4. national
    Answer

    D

    1. How do members of the party organization differ from party identifiers? What role does each play in the party as a whole?
    2. 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.

    1. What are the positives and negatives of partisan polarization?
    2. 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.

    1. Does gerrymandering lead to increased polarization?
    2. 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.

    9.8: Review Questions is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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