Unit 3: Linkage Institutions
Study Guide- you will be able to use these on quizzes
AP Curriculum Standards to be understood
Topic 3: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (10–20%)
- Political parties and
elections
o Functions
o Organization
o Development
o Effects on the
political process
o Electoral laws and
systems
- Interest groups, including
political action committees
(PACs)
o The range of
interests represented
o The activities of
interest groups
o The effects of
interest groups on
the political process
o The unique
characteristics and
roles of PACs in the
political process
- The mass media
o The functions and
structures of the
news media
o The impacts of the
news media on
politics
o The news media
industry and its
consequences
Chapter 6: Media
Terms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
“Fox Effect”
Mass Media
Newsworthiness
Market-driven journalism
Infotainment
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC)
7. Gatekeepers
8. Horse race journalism
9. Media event
10.TV hypothesis
11.Political Agenda
Questions:
1. What role (s) do the media play in American politics?
2. Why are there so few restrictions on media coverage of politics and politicians in the
United States?
3. How much power/influence does the media have?
4. How has technology changed interactions between public officials (government) and the
media with communicating to citizens?
5. Can we trust the media to be fair?
Chapter 8: Political Parties
Terms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Political Party
Nomination
Political System
Electoral College
Caucus
National Convention
Party platform
Critical election
Electoral realignment
10.Two-Party System
11.Electoral de-alignment
12. Majority representation
13.Proportional representation
14.Party identification
15.National committee
16.Party machine
17. Responsible party government
Questions:
1. What is a political party, and why were the Framers of the Constitution concerned about
the influence of political parties?
2. Why does the US have a two-party system?
3. What are the prospects of a viable 3rd party in the US?
4. How has America’s two-party system changed, and how does it differ from the party
systems of other representative democracies?
5. How much do parties affect how American’s vote?
6. Did the Founding Fathers think political parties were a good idea?
7. How, if at all, should America’s two party system be reformed?
Chapter 9: Nominations, Elections and Campaigns
Terms:
1. Election campaign
2. Primary election
3. Closed primary
4. Open primary
5. Modified open and closed primaries
6. Presidential primary
7. Caucus/convention
8. Front-loading
9. “Invisible primary”
10.General election
11.Faithless electors
12.“Superdelegates”
13.Electoral college
14.Straight ticket
15. Split-ticket
16.First-past-the- post elections
17.Open election
18.Federal Election Commission (FEC)
19.Hard money
20. Bipartisan Campaign Finance
Reform Act (BCRA)
21.Soft money
22.527 committees
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What is the difference between a primary and general election?
Does the federal government provide funding for political campaigns?
How do voters typically decide on a candidate?
How do American elections determine the kind of people who govern us?
What matters most in deciding who wins?
Do elections make a real difference in what laws get passed?
Chapter 10: Interest Groups
Terms:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Interest Group
Lobbyist
Agenda building
Program monitoring
Interest group entrepreneur
Free-rider problem
Trade association
Political action committee (PAC)
9. Super political action committee
(Super PAC)
10.Direct lobbying
11.Grassroots lobbying
12.Information campaigns
13.Coalition building
14.Membership bias
15.Citizen group
Questions:
1. What are interest groups and how did they arise in America?
2. What are the different kinds of interest groups and which types have been proliferating of
late?
3. Why do people join interest groups?
4. How do interest groups attempt to influence public policy, and how does government
regulate interest groups activities?
5. Is the proliferation of political action committees (PACs) and other groups good or bad
for America’s representative democracy?
6. Should interest groups’ political activities be restricted by law?
Court Cases/Legislation/Documents of Importance (do not have
define more than once if listed above):
Terms:
1. Federal Communications Act of 1934
2. Telecommunications Act of 1996
3. Near v. Minnesota (1931)
4. New York Times v. Sullivan (1971)
5. Federalist Paper #10 (again)
6. Buckley v Valeo (1976)
7. Bush v. Gore (2000)
8. McConnell v. FEC (2002)
9. FEC v. Wisconsin Right to Life (2007)
10.Citizens United v. FEC (2010)
11.United States v. Harriss (1954)