ap gov 5

Flashcard 1
Q: What is suffrage?
A: Suffrage is the right to vote. In U.S. history, voting was initially restricted, but today the federal government sets basic standards (like the voting age) while states oversee the process.

Flashcard 2
Q: What did the 15th Amendment accomplish, and what challenges persisted?
A: It granted black men the right to vote, yet barriers such as literacy tests, poll taxes, and white primaries continued to limit their participation.

Flashcard 3
Q: What measures improved voting rights for African Americans?
A: Legislation prohibiting voter interference, federal efforts to register voters in the South, and 1960s Civil Rights laws expanded African American voting access.

Flashcard 4
Q: What is gerrymandering, and how did it affect black representation?
A: Gerrymandering is the manipulation of electoral district boundaries to dilute minority influence using tactics like cracking, stacking, and packing; later court rulings helped limit its impact.

Flashcard 5
Q: How did the women’s suffrage movement evolve before the 19th Amendment?
A: Initially, only select women (such as property owners) could vote; leaders like Susan Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul campaigned for full rights, leading to the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Flashcard 6
Q: Which amendments expanded voting rights, and who is still often excluded?
A: The 15th (black men), 19th (women), and 26th (citizens aged 18+) Amendments expanded suffrage, while many states still bar felons, some mentally ill individuals, and non-citizens.

Flashcard 7
Q: How has voter turnout changed from the 19th century to today?
A: In 1840, turnout among eligible voters was around 80%, whereas modern turnout is roughly 50%.

Flashcard 8
Q: What are the two main types of political participation?
A: Conventional participation (voting, contacting officials, donating) and unconventional participation (protests, boycotts).

Flashcard 9
Q: Which demographic factors influence voter turnout?
A: Education, income, occupation, and age play roles—with older voters generally showing higher participation.

Flashcard 10
Q: Why is voter turnout often low in the U.S.?
A: Many voters are content with the status quo, become disillusioned by campaigns, or face obstacles such as self-registration requirements.

Flashcard 11
Q: What is the Motor Voter Law?
A: Enacted in 1993, it expanded voter registration by allowing individuals to register when renewing their driver’s license or by mail.

Flashcard 12
Q: Who are political delegates, and how do their roles differ by party?
A: Delegates are party representatives at national conventions. Republicans typically use unpledged delegates, while Democrats combine pledged delegates (tied to primary outcomes) with superdelegates.

Flashcard 13
Q: What is the purpose of primaries and caucuses?
A: They select delegates and narrow the field of candidates, ultimately helping determine the party’s nominee.

Flashcard 14
Q: How do primaries differ from caucuses?
A: Primaries are statewide elections using secret ballots, whereas caucuses are local meetings where party members discuss and vote openly.

Flashcard 15
Q: Why is an early primary win important?
A: Early victories build momentum, attract media attention, and boost campaign funds.

Flashcard 16
Q: What roles do key committees play at a party convention?
A: The Credentials Committee verifies delegate eligibility; the Platform Committee drafts the party’s positions; and the Rules Committee sets procedural guidelines.

Flashcard 17
Q: What does “war chest” mean in a campaign?
A: It refers to the pool of funds a candidate raises to cover campaign expenses such as advertising and travel.

Flashcard 18
Q: What are common strategies used in political campaigns?
A: Strategies include engaging in debates, targeting battleground states, mobilizing grassroots support, and hosting public events.

Flashcard 19
Q: What are the primary objectives of a presidential campaign?
A: A campaign aims to mobilize supporters, persuade undecided voters, and secure enough delegates to win the nomination.

Flashcard 20
Q: Why was the Electoral College created?
A: It was established as a compromise to balance power between the people and Congress while reinforcing the federal system in presidential elections.

Flashcard 21
Q: How does the Electoral College operate?
A: Voters choose electors based on each state’s congressional representation. A candidate needs at least 270 out of 538 electoral votes to win.

Flashcard 22
Q: What occurs if no candidate wins a majority in the Electoral College?
A: The House of Representatives selects the president from the top candidates, with each state delegation casting one vote.

Flashcard 23
Q: What is the role of the 12th Amendment in presidential elections?
A: It requires separate electoral votes for president and vice president, preventing tie issues and clarifying the process.

Flashcard 24
Q: Who are faithless electors?
A: Faithless electors are those who vote contrary to their pledge, though their actions have not altered an election outcome.

Flashcard 25
Q: What are initiatives and referendums?
A: They are tools of direct democracy—initiatives are citizen-driven ballot measures, while referendums are proposals submitted by legislatures for voter approval.

Flashcard 26
Q: What is meant by “incumbency advantage”?
A: It refers to the benefits held by current officeholders, such as name recognition and established support, which help them win re-election.

Flashcard 27
Q: Why might Senate elections be more competitive than House elections?
A: Senate races are statewide, often have higher stakes, and attract formidable challengers that can sometimes unseat incumbents.

Flashcard 28
Q: What does the “6-year itch” refer to?
A: It describes the tendency for members of the president’s party to lose seats during the sixth year of a two-term presidency.

Flashcard 29
Q: How does party identification affect voting behavior?
A: It is a strong predictor of voting patterns, often leading to consistent party support or even ticket splitting.

Flashcard 30
Q: How do race, ethnicity, and gender influence voting trends?
A: Demographic trends show African Americans and Hispanics tend to favor Democrats, while men often lean Republican and women lean Democratic.

Flashcard 31
Q: In what ways does religion shape voter preferences?
A: Religious affiliations can guide voting: Jewish voters typically favor Democrats, Catholics may lean Republican on issues like abortion, and Evangelicals are a strong Republican base.

Flashcard 32
Q: Beyond party loyalty, what factors shape a voter’s candidate choice?
A: Voters consider a candidate’s personality, policy positions, appearance, and whether they evaluate past performance or future promises.

Section 2: Political Parties (24 Flashcards)

Flashcard 33
Q: Does the U.S. Constitution mention political parties?
A: No, political parties are not mentioned in the Constitution; they are discussed in sources like Federalist #10, and early leaders like Washington warned of their dangers.

Flashcard 34
Q: How did some Founders view political parties?
A: Many saw them as threats to stable government, fearing that parties could devolve into factions representing only narrow interests.

Flashcard 35
Q: What is the main function of political parties?
A: Their goal is to control government by recruiting, nominating, and electing public officials to secure and exercise power.

Flashcard 36
Q: What event led to the Democratic Party adopting the donkey as its symbol?
A: In the 1828 election, opponents of Andrew Jackson called him a “jackass,” and later political cartoonist Thomas Nast popularized the image.

Flashcard 37
Q: How did the Republican Party come to be associated with the elephant?
A: A Thomas Nast cartoon depicted an elephant labeled “The Republican vote,” which eventually became the party’s enduring symbol.

Flashcard 38
Q: What are the three components that make up a political party?
A: A party is composed of its voters (the electorate), its elected officials (the party in government), and its organization (activists and workers).

Flashcard 39
Q: When and where did the first official Republican meeting occur?
A: The first meeting was held in 1854 in Jackson, Michigan, marking the early formation of the GOP.

Flashcard 40
Q: What issues sparked the emergence of the First Party System?
A: Debates over the Constitution’s ratification and the balance between national and state power were central to its development.

Flashcard 41
Q: What change marked the 1800 election in the First Party System?
A: Thomas Jefferson’s victory as a Democratic-Republican—following a split with the Federalists—was the first time a party-nominated candidate won the presidency.

Flashcard 42
Q: How did the Second Party System develop?
A: The division of the Democratic-Republicans led to the formation of the Democrats and the Whig Party, while the Federalists faded away.

Flashcard 43
Q: What event helped shape today’s two-party system?
A: The collapse of the Whig Party over issues like slavery paved the way for the formation of the Republican Party and solidified the two-party framework.

Flashcard 44
Q: What characterized the “Golden Age” of political parties (1874–1912)?
A: This period featured strong party organizations, intense voter loyalty, and powerful political machines that mobilized immigrant votes.

Flashcard 45
Q: Who were the political machines, and what role did they play?
A: Political machines were local power structures that secured votes through patronage and social services, leading to consistently high voter turnouts.

Flashcard 46
Q: What was the goal of the Progressive (“Bull Moose”) Party?
A: Progressives aimed to reduce party control over government by promoting reforms—such as direct primaries—that increased direct voter participation.

Flashcard 47
Q: What led to the emergence of the Fifth Party System?
A: A new coalition of immigrants and women helped elect FDR in 1932, forming the New Deal Coalition that reshaped American politics.

Flashcard 48
Q: What is party realignment?
A: Party realignment refers to significant shifts in voter loyalty between parties, such as the Southern realignment favoring Republicans.

Flashcard 49
Q: What does secular realignment involve?
A: It is a gradual shift in party coalitions driven by long-term demographic and generational changes.

Flashcard 50
Q: What is dealignment, and what contributes to it?
A: Dealignment occurs when voters lose strong party loyalties, often due to ticket splitting, an increase in independent voters, and general political apathy.

Flashcard 51
Q: How can critical elections affect the party system?
A: Critical elections can trigger realignments by shifting the balance of party support when new issues emerge or old issues resurface.

Flashcard 52
Q: Why does the U.S. maintain a two-party system?
A: The winner-take-all electoral system in single-member districts discourages third-party competition, thereby favoring two dominant parties.

Flashcard 53
Q: What types of minor parties exist in the U.S.?
A: Minor parties can be ideological, one-issue, economic-protest, or factional splits from major parties.

Flashcard 54
Q: What challenges do minor parties face in elections?
A: They often struggle with perceptions of a “wasted vote,” difficulties in ballot access, limited media coverage, and the constraints of a winner-take-all system.

Flashcard 55
Q: Have third-party presidential candidates ever made a significant impact?
A: Yes—candidates like Ross Perot in 1992 captured a notable share of the vote, although no third party has won an electoral vote since Wallace in 1968.

Flashcard 56
Q: What must third parties do to become influential in U.S. politics?
A: They must build broad coalitions, nominate strong candidates, and overcome structural barriers imposed by the winner-take-all system.