American Government – Chapter 5
Political Parties – Section 1 and 2
Questions
Question 1
Identify the two
major political
parties that
represent the
United States.
Answer 1
Democratic Party
Republican Party
Question 2
What’s the
purpose of a
political party?
Answer 2
To control government
through winning elections
and holding public office.
By controlling government
a party can affect certain
public policies and
programs.
Question 2
What’s the
major function
of a political
party?
Answer 2
To nominate or
name
candidates for
public office.
Question 3
Clearly explain how
political parties try to
inform as well as
inspire voters. Identify
two ways.
Answer 3
A political party informs
voters through:
Pamphlets
Signs
Buttons
Stickers
Speeches
Question 4
What type of
political system
does the United
States have?
Answer 4
two-party
system
Question 5
Did the framers of
the United States
Constitution favor
the two-party
system?
Answer 5
No
Question 6
Who were
America’s first
two political
parties?
Answer 6
Federalists
Anti-Federalists
Question 7
Why do Americans
tend to accept the
idea that we should
have a two party
system?
Answer 7
Most Americans
support the two-party
political system
because there has
always been one.
Question 8
What type of
elections are
held in the
United States?
Answer 8
Single-member district
elections in which only
one candidate is elected
to each office on the ballot
it the most common form
of election.
Question 9
Is it common for 3rd
parties or minor
parties to have their
candidates listed on
an election ballot?

Answer 9
No – Play
Perot clip
Question 10
Is it common for
major political
parties to have their
candidates listed on
an election ballot?
Answer 10
Yes
Question 11
 Identify two
differences
between the
Democratic and
Republic party.
Answer 11
Democratic Beliefs: The
Democratic Party tends to
support government
involvement in your life.
Answer 11
Republican beliefs:
The Republican Party
believes there should
be less government
involvement.
American Government – Chapter 5
Political Parties – Section 3 and 4
Questions
Question 1
Do most
Americans
support third
parties?
Answer 1
No – play
Perot clip.
Question 2
What type of
convention do the
Democrats and
Republicans use to
select their presidential
candidates?
Answer 2
national
conventions
Question 3
Explain how minor
parties or third
parties play the
“spoiler role” in local,
state, and national
elections.
Answer 3 – Play Perot
The third-party
plays the spoiler
role by pulling
voters from one of
the major parties.
Question 4
How do minor
parties or third
parties differ from
major parties on
controversial issues?
Answer 4
Minor parties make
clear-cut stands on
controversial issues
and draw attention to
issues that major
parties prefer to ignore.
Question 5
Who accepted the
nomination for
President of the U.S.
for the Green Party in
2000?
Answer 5
Ralph
Nader
Question 6
Who is the
current leader
of the Green
Party?
Answer 6
Ralph
Nader
Question 7
Is the Green
Party a major
political party or a
third party?
Answer 7
third-party
or minor
party
Question 8
Identify three
items that the
Green Party
supports.
Answer 8
Healthier
environment
An end to poverty
Peace
Question 9
Identify three
items that the
Green Party is
against.
Answer 9
Big business
controlling public
lands
Discrimination
Bigotry
Question 10
 The leader of the Green Party
warns America’s youth that “If
you do not turn on to politics,
politics will turn on you. The
fact that we have so many
inequalities demonstrates this
point.” What does this quote
mean?
Answer 10
If you do not take an
interest in what happening
to our country politically,
laws may be enacted that
could potentially harm
you. For example, Jim
Crow laws.
Question 11
In your opinion,
why don’t third
party candidates
win presidential
elections?
Answer 11
They don’t have the
large sums of money
and their stances on
issues are too
controversial.
Question 12
Define the term minor
party. Based on your
definition of minor
party, what do you think
a major party is?
Answer 12
Minor party: A political
party without wide
support.
Major party: A political
party with wide-spread
support.
Question 13
Define the
terms
bipartisan and
incumbent.
Answer 13
Bipartisan: When the two
major parties find common
ground and work together.
Incumbent: Current
officeholder.
Question 14
Identify the symbol that
represents the
Republican Party?
What symbol
represents the
Democratic Party?
Answer 14
Democratic Party:
Donkey
Republican Party:
Elephant
Why the donkey?
 When Andrew Jackson ran for president
in 1828, his opponents tried to label him
a "jackass" for his populist views and
his slogan, "Let the people rule.“
Jackson, however, picked up on their
name calling and turned it to his own
advantage by using the donkey on his
campaign posters
Why the elephant?
 The Elephant— Political cartoonist Thomas
Nast was also responsible for the Republican
Party elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in
Harper's Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey
clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the
animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the
elephant, was labeled "The Republican Vote."
That's all it took for the elephant to become
associated with the Republican Party.