Name:
_______________________________________________________
Hour: _________
Magruder Chapter 5 (p. 116-142)
Political Parties
As you read, please complete the following.
Section One:
1.
2.
Parties and What They Do
Define Political Party.
What sets America’s two major parties apart from
parties throughout the world?
3. What purpose do political parties serve? (i.e. why are
they important?)
4. Describe the following five functions of political
parties. (WINGS)
Acting as WatchdogInforming and Activating SupportersNominating CandidatesGoverningDefine partisanship:
Bonding Agent/Seal of Approval-
Section Two: The Two Party System
1. How has 'history' supported the two-party system?
2. How has tradition reinforced the two-party system?
3. How does America's Electoral Structure support the twoparty system?
4. Define single-member district.
5. Define plurality-
6. Define majority-
7. Define bipartisan-
8. What does it mean that America is 'ideologically
homogeneous'?
9.
Define pluralistic society-
10. Define consensus-
11. Why do you think such similar people
(Americans) have such strong political parties if
members of both groups are so similar?
12.
In multi-party systems, on what grounds are parties
typically divided?
13. Define Coalition:
14.
Why wouldn’t a multi-party system work in the U.S.?
15.
What kind of governmental system often has a oneparty system?
16.
What demographics traditionally define themselves
as “Democrats”?
17.
What demographics traditionally define themselves
as “Republicans”?
18.
Why do you think citizens in lower income brackets
typically identify with the Democratic Party?
19.
Looking at the chart on p. 124, what is the contact
information for the party you most closely identify
with?
Section Three: The Two Party System in American History
1. What were the first two parties to form in the U.S.? Who
were their leaders and how were they different?
2. What was happening during each of the following “eras of
one-party domination”?
The Era of the Democrats (1800-1860)
The Era of the Republicans (1860-1932)
The Return of the Democrats (1932-1968)
The Start of a New Era
What do you think will happen in the next few
elections and why?
3. Define Electorate:
Section Four: The Minor Parties
1. Complete the following chart:
Definition
Ideological
Parties
SingleIssue
Parties
Examples
Economic
Protest
Parties
Splinter
Parties
2. What tends to happen to single-issue parties?
3. Which of these types of minor parties is most successful
in winning votes? Why?
4. What useful functions have been served by minor parties
throughout our nation’s history?
How can a minor party play each of the following roles?
5. Spoiler Role
6. Critic Role
7. Innovator Role
8. What happens to popular ideas/innovations brought up by
minor parties?
Section Five: Party Organization
1
What does it mean that America’s two major parties are
“decentralized”?
2
How is the President’s party different from the party
out of power and why?
3
What is the role of each of the following components
of the National Party Machinery?
National Convention:
National Committee:
National Chairperson:
Congressional Campaign Committee:
4
What is the role of each of the following components
of State and Local Party Machinery?
State Organization:
Local Organization:
Define ward:
Define precinct:
Why have America’s major parties weakened over time?
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.