Political Parties Gov. quiz

what is a political party

a group of people who try to control the government by winning elections and holding public office

what do parties do

1. express the will of the people

2. encourage unity and compromise

3. find qualified candidates

4. inform the public and try to shape public opinion using all forms of media

the roles of parties

1. shape electoral process

2. encourage accountability among their candidates and office holders

3. partisanship guides many legislative votes

4. channels of communication between the branches of gov

why were parties opposed

The Framers saw parties as “factions” that caused disunity and conflict, George Washington warned against the dangers of parties

single-member district 

only the one candidate who wins the largest number of votes gets elected to office

radical

favors extreme change to create an altered or entirely new social system 

liberal

believes the government should take action to change economic, political, and ideological polices thought to be unfair

moderate

holds beliefs that fall between liberal and conservative views 

conservative

wants to keep in place the economic, political, and social structures of society

reactionary

wants extreme change to restore society to an earlier, more conservative state 

multiparty systems

1. Has several major and many smaller parties

2. each party is based on a particular interest (economic class, religion, political ideology)

3. tends to represent a more diverse group of citizens 

multiparty systems good and bad why

representing a more diverse group of citizens makes it less stable, the power to govern usually is shared by several parties who join a coalition 

one-party systems 

only one political exists, offering no real choice

what led to the first major parties?

the battle over ratification of the constitution 

the federalist party

1. formed by supporters of the constitution

2. wanted a stronger national gov. and polices that helped financial, commercial, and manufacturing interests 

3. alexander hamilton and john adams were leaders 

democratic- republican party

1. opposed the federalists 

2. wanted a more limited national gov. with policies that aimed at helping farmers, planters, labor, and small business 

3. thomas jefferson and james madison were key leaders 

when was the 1st time two parties fought for the presidency? Who won?

the election of 1796, the federalists

alien act

you cannot criticize the government, against freedom of speech 

the era of democrats

1. wins: 13/15, 1800-1860

2. Jacksonian democracy made in the1830s, made by andrew jackson

3. major political changes included all white males had voting rights, the spread of the spoils system 

what split the whigs and the democrats apart in the 1850s?

the debate over slavery

era of republicans

1. wins: 14/18, 1860-1932

2. all their powers was concentrated in the south

3. dominated nationally; had support of farmers, laborers, business and financial interests, and freed african americans 

4. benefited from years of economic prosperity 

return of the democrats

1. wins: 7/9,1932-1968

2. the great depression sparks the comeback of the democrats

3. the destroyed economy helped them gain support of southerners, small farmers, big-city political organizations, labor unions, minority groups 

what are the minor parties in american politics?

ideological, single-issued, economic protest, and splinter parties 

ideological parties 

1. based on a particular set of beliefs that involve society, politics, and economy 

2. the libertarian party promotes the opposite view, calling for the elimination of most government functions and programs 

single issue parties

1. one public policy issue

2. Free Soil party opposed the spread of slavery to the west 

3. fade away once their issue is solved or no longer attracts public interest 

economic issue parties 

1. arise during periods of economic trouble, call for economic reforms 

2. the populist party of the 1890s demanded public ownership of railroads, telephone, and telegraph companies along with political reforms 

3. disappear when the hard economic times end 

splinter parties

1. split away from one of the major parties, centered on a particular candidate who fails to win his or her major party nomination, or arise from a strong disagreement with a major party 

2. the Dixiecrats and American Independent parties split from the democratic party over states’ rights and civil issues 

3. break up when their leaders step aside

minor party influence

by winning electoral votes or even enough popular votes to affect the outcome in a key state, a minor party can affect the outcome of the elections 

why are minor parties important?

1. they raise public awareness of controversial issues (women’s suffrage)

2. challenge the major parties to take action on issues often accusing them of being part of the problem

3. the more successful they are, its more likely that major parties will put the idea in their own campaigns

how are political parties organized at the federal, state, and local levels?

1. parties are decentralized 

2. national committees represent each party’s interest at the national level

3. most states have a central party committee

4. local parties vary

what does a decentralized structure mean?

1. neither party has an unbroken chain of command running through all levels of gov. 

What does it mean when the president is the nominal leader of his or her party?

1. the party of the president is typically better organized than the rival party

2. the president’s media exposure and power to make appointments is valuable

3. this does not give him or her complete authority over all party activities 

federalism

1. the central government divides power to local governments 

2. there are half a million elective offices that spread across federal, state, and local gov.

3. the parties must satisfy a wide range of voters, which makes it hard to have a unified party message 

How are nominations made?

within the party, can divide party members if there is a dispute over nominees 

the national convention

1. held every presidential election year (four)

2. names the party’s presidential and vp candidates 

3. does not name candidates for other offices, has no control over the actual policies supported by candidates 

national committee

1. handles party issues in between conventions 

2. each party’s national committee includes a committee member from each state 

the RNC (Republican national committee)

seats

1. the party chairperson from each state

2. representatives from various republican groups 

the DNC (democratic national committee)

is even larger, includes

1. the party chair and vice chairperson from each state

2. additional party members from the larger states

3. up to 75 large members chosen by the DNC 

national chairperson

1. leads the national committee

2. the chairperson is chosen by the presidential nominee after the national convention 

3. directs the work of the party headquarters and professional staff in Washington DC 

4. involves the presidential campaign