American Government
Unit 3 Study Guide
Answers
Questions to Consider
1. What are the major functions of political parties?
- Political Parties are a vital link between people and their
government.
- Nominating candidates, selecting candidates, presenting
them to voters, helping the candidates win elections
2. What are the two major parties in the US today?
- Democratic Party and Republican Party
3. How do parties out of power act as a watchdog? What does
that mean?
- They watch what the other party does and criticize it.
- Watchdog means that the party that is out of power
observes the party that is in power.
Questions to Consider Cont.
4. What are the four types of minor parties in the US? Describe and give and
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5.
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example of each. (pp. 455-456) (Unit 3, Notes 2)
Single-issue party – focuses exclusively on one major social, economic,
or moral issue. Ex. Liberty and Free Soil Party
Ideological party – focuses on overall change in society rather than on
an issue. Ex. Socialist Labor Party and the Communist Party USA
Splinter Party – splits away from one of the major parties because of
some sort of disagreement. Ex. Progressive or Bull Moose Party
Economic Protest Party - tend to form in periods of economic
problems. No clear-cut political ideology, usually angry at present
situation. Ex. Populist Party
Describe the Federalist Party. Who were the Jeffersonians and what did
they believe in?
Federalist – first to appear, formed around Alexander Hamilton,
supported Constitution, wanted stronger national government, liberal
(loose) interpretation of Constitution.
Jeffersonians - (Anti-Feds) led by Thomas Jefferson, wanted very
limited role of gov., congress should dominate gov., favored “common
man”, strict interpretation Constitution.
Questions to Consider Cont.
6. Why are minor parties important? What purpose do
they serve?
- Many times a 3rd party (minor) in elections plays
role of “spoiler”. It pulls votes away from one of the
major parties – Green Party in 2000. Not afraid to
take controversial stands on issues, bring many
important points to light – women’s suffrage
7. What is a splinter party? (p455)
- A party that splits away from one of the major
parties because of some sort of disagreement. Most
notable was the Progressive or Bull Moose Party in
1912.
Questions to Consider Cont.
8. What are the five stages of expanding suffrage to American citizens?
Describe and have examples of each. What amendments were involved in
these changes? (notes 3)
1) Early 1800s ended any religious test to vote
a. Had been in place during colonial days
b. After that, states began eliminating qualifications property ownership, and
tax payment
2) 15th Amendment allowed African American to vote
a. Said no citizen can be denied right to vote because of race or color
b. Still prevented from voting by individual state laws created to get around
this
3) 19th Amendment – can not be prevented from voting because of sex
4) Voting Rights Act of 1965 – African Americans allowed to vote
a. 23rd Amendment – gave D.C. votes in Presidential electorate
b. 24th Amendment – eliminated poll tax
5) 26th Amendment – no state can set minimum voting age at more than
18.
a. States still allowed power to set voter qualifications
Questions to Consider Cont.
9. Why were literacy tests required of some to vote? What was a
grandfather clause?
- Was used to make sure voter could cast informed ballots
- Used unfairly to keep African Americans and Native Americans
from voting
o Many white people asked to “understand” short passages from
constitution
o African Americans given long, highly complex passages
- The grandfather clause stated that a man or his male
descendants who had voted before 15th Amendment could legally
vote without passing literacy test
•
10. What was the Voting Rights Act of 1965? Why did it finally make
the 15th Amendment effective?
- Finally made 15th Amendment actually effective
- Applied to all elections, federal, state, local
o Only for 5 years but congress had extended it each time
o No more use of literacy test or similar device
o Gave federal officers right to oversee voting in some areas
Questions to Consider Cont.
11. What is gerrymandering?
- drawing electoral district line to limit voting
strength of particular party
12. In what election years do most people vote? Why?
- Presidential elections. They believe that their vote
will matter more in these elections rather than in
congressional elections, and the people simply care
more about these elections.
13. What is ballot fatigue?
- As a general rule, the farther down the ballot an
office is, the fewer the number of votes that will be
cast
Questions to Consider Cont.
14. Explain the different type of voters. Non-voting
voters, Can not voters, etc.
- Non-voting voters – Persons who voted in last
presidential election could also have voted for a
congressional candidate but they did not
choose to
- Can not voters – Persons who are regularly
defined as nonvoters.
o They don’t vote, but they actually cannot do so
o Some of these people are resident aliens
o They are barred from the polls in every state
o Others may be sick or disabled
o Other reasons include mental condition, prison or
religious beliefs
Questions to Consider Cont.
15. What characteristics are usually found in voters?
Non-voters?
- Voters – most likely to vote display
characteristics as higher levels of income,
education and occupational status. They tend
to be long-time residents who are active in or
comfortable with their surroundings. They are
also more likely to have strong sense of party
identification and believe that voting is an
important act
- Non-voters - Nonvoters likely to be younger
than 35, unmarried, unskilled. They are more
in the South and rural areas.
Questions to Consider Cont.
16. What characteristics are usually found in Democrats? Republicans?
- Democrats –voters in lower income brackets. Women. Younger
voters. Catholic, Jewish, African Americans, and Latinos.
- Republican – voters in higher income brackets. Professional and
business people. Men, and Protestants.
17. What do most children pick up from their parents regarding
politics?
- Public opinions, political socializations, attitudes toward
government, race, and religion.
18. What are the four major types of mass media? How do they rank in
terms of importance?
1) Television
2) Newspaper
3) Radio
4) Magazines
Questions to Consider Cont.
19. Know characteristics of each type of mass media.
20. Who was that first to use the radio for political purposes?
- FDR – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
21. In what two areas does the media influence politics? How?
1) Sets the public agenda – as they report and talk the media
determines what issues people will think and talk about.
•
- can focus the public attention on certain issues.
2) 2.) Electoral Policies – candidates are less dependent on their
party to get their word out.
•
- with TV, candidates can appeal directly to the people
•
- politicians are very aware of the image the media
presents
• - candidates plan things around TV exposure (Ex: timing,
location, what they wear)