A political party is
an organization that tries to influence the government by getting its members elected to office.
One important cause of the United States' two-party system is
single-member electoral districts.
Third-party candidates are better off under what system of election?
proportional representation
Throughout its history, American politics has been dominated by
the period of one-party politics from the collapse of the Federalist Party until the 1830s.
What issue led to the demise of the Whig Party?
slavery
From 1896 to 1932, the ______ Party was the nation's majority party.
Republican
Which group was not a part of the New Deal coalition?
business leaders
The New Deal coalition was severely strained and ultimately broken apart by
the Vietnam War and the issue of civil rights.
When Richard Nixon employed his "southern strategy," he
appealed to disaffected white voters in the South.
Historically, realignments occur
when new issues combine with economic or political crises to mobilize new voters and persuade large numbers of voters to reexamine their traditional partisan loyalties.
Which of the following occurs when one party becomes dominant after replacing another party that has dominated national politics for a lengthy period of time?
an electoral realignment
Which of the following transpires when one party controls the presidency while another party controls one or both houses of Congress?
a divided government
A "safe district" is
a district where a majority of voters identify with their member of Congress's party.
Third parties in the United States typically represent
the political interests of America's allies who attempt to influence the American
Which of the following is not accomplished at a party's national convention?
nomination of Senate and House candidates
A______ is a closed meeting of a political group's members who gather to determine strategy and select candidates.
caucus
A party's ______ contains its philosophy, principles, and policy positions.
platform
Who elects the chairperson for the Republican and Democratic national committees?
the president if the party controls the White House, or the party committee if the party does not control the White House
During the nineteenth century, party machines depended heavily on ______ in order to reward loyal party supporters.
patronage
Strong and often corrupt urban political party organizations during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were called
machines
Which of the following is the best definition of soft money?
money contributed directly to political parties and other organizations for political activities that are not regulated by federal campaign spending laws
Which of the following statements about partisan identification in the United States is most accurate?
Party identification varies significantly by income, race, and gender.
Competition between political parties _______ voter turnout
promotes
Strong parties may provide an important link between government and
democratic participation
The "Era of Good Feelings" was
the period of one-party politics from the collapse of the Federalist Party until the 1830s.