chapter 6 vocab

Activist

An individual who actively promotes a political party, philosophy, or issue she or he cares personally about.

Americanism

A belief that Americans consider themselves bound by common values and common hopes.

Blue States

A state with a recent history of voting for the Democratic candidates in presidential races.

Campaigners

Those who both vote in elections and get involved in campaigns.

Census

A systematic process of collecting and recording data about a population, primarily to understand its demographic characteristics and needs.

Civic Competence

A belief that one can affect government policies.

Civic Duty

A belief that one has an obligation to participate in civic and political affairs.

Civil Disobedience

Opposing a law one considers unjust by peacefully disobeying it and accepting the resultant punishment.

Class Consciousness

The tendency to think of oneself as a worker whose interests are in opposition to those of management.

Communalists

Those who join organizations and participate in politics but not in partisan campaigns.

Crosscutting Cleavages

Divisions in a society that split into many potential groups that may conflict on one issue but cooperate on another.

Democrats

The party generally associated with liberal policies that advocate for social justice, environmental reforms, and healthcare access.

Demography

The study of population characteristics and changes, including factors like age, race, gender, religion, income, and education.

Equal Opportunity

An economic value in American culture maintaining that all people should have the same opportunity to get ahead.

Exit Polling

A survey conducted with voters immediately after they have cast their votes on Election Day.

Fifteenth Amendment

Prohibits the federal government and each state from denying or abridging a citizen's right to vote on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Gender Gap

The observed differences in opinions, preferences, and voting behaviors between men and women.

Grandfather Clauses

Requirements that for an individual to automatically qualify to vote, his or her grandparent had to have voted.

Ideological Constraint

How deeply ingrained political ideologies can limit or shape the range of policies or actions a government or political actor can take.

Inactives

Those who avoid all forms of political participation.

Individualism

The habit or principle of being independent and self-reliant.

Liberty

The belief that Americans should be free to do as they please, with some exceptions, as long as they don't hurt others.

Literacy Tests

Requirements that voters be able to read; formerly used in the South to disenfranchise blacks.

Melting Pot

The mixture of cultures, ideas, and peoples that has changed the American nation.

Minority Majority

The emergence of a non-Caucasian majority, as compared with a White majority.

Motor-Voter Law

Requires states to allow voter registration by mail, when applying for a driver's license, and at certain state offices.

Nineteenth Amendment

Gave women the right to vote.

Norm

A standard of right or proper conduct that helps determine the range of acceptable social behavior.

Opposition Party

Comprises political parties or groups opposing the government in political control.

Orthodox (Social)

A belief that morality and religion ought to be of decisive importance.

Parochial Participants

Those who avoid elections and civic organizations but will contact officials regarding specific problems.

Party Identification

The political party for which one usually votes.

Political Culture

A distinctive and patterned way of thinking about how political and economic life ought to be carried out.

Political Elites

People who have a disproportionate amount of political power.

Political Ideology

A comprehensive set of political, economic, and social views or ideas about government.

Political Participation

The ways in which individuals engage in political processes and express their opinions on government.

Political Socialization

The process in which people develop their political values, beliefs, and ideology.

Political Tolerance

A willingness to extend basic constitutional rights to offensive groups and ideas.

Poll

A survey of public opinion.

Poll Tax

Proof of tax payment required for voting; used to disenfranchise blacks.

Progressive (Social)

Believes personal freedom is more important than traditional rules, dependent on modern life circumstances.

Protest

A form of political participation aimed at policy change through unconventional tactics.

Public Opinion

The distribution of the population's beliefs about politics and policy issues.

Random-Digit Dialing

A technique used by pollsters to randomly call both listed and unlisted numbers.

Random Sample

A sample where everyone has an equal probability of being selected.

Reapportionment

The process of reallocating seats in the House of Representatives every 10 years based on census results.

Red States

States that predominantly vote for or support the Republican party.

Registered Voters

Those citizens registered to vote.

Republicans

Promote a belief in limited government intervention in economic affairs.

Sample

A relatively small proportion of people chosen in a survey to represent the whole.

Sampling Error

The level of confidence in the findings of a public opinion poll.

Twenty-Sixth Amendment

Requires individuals to be 18 years old to vote in federal elections.

Un-American

Not in accordance with American characteristics.

V.O. Key

Known for his work on political parties, public opinion, and realignment theory.

Voter Apathy

The lack of interest in participating in elections.

Voting-Age Population

Citizens who are eligible to vote after reaching a minimum age requirement.

Voting-Eligible Population

All U.S. citizens age 18 and over eligible to vote.

Voting Rights Act of 1970

A landmark federal legislation aimed at overcoming barriers preventing African Americans from voting.

Voting Specialists

Those who restrict their political participation to voting in elections.

White Primaries

A southern tactic to keep blacks from participating in primary elections.

Work Ethic

A tradition requiring personal achievement and obedience to secular law, linked to the rise of capitalism.