Review Questions

1.

Which of the following best describes a multi-party system?

a.

Membership in the party of choice is not generally voluntary.

b.

There is usually a general consensus of agreement as to basic principles of government.

c.

Multi-party systems usually give the voters meaningful choices.

d.

Parties tend to avoid extreme ideologies.

e.

Minor parties have little effect on most elections.

2.

Which of the following is NOT a responsibility of a political party?

a.

organize the government

b.

represent special interests

c.

recruit candidates

d.

educate voters

e.

raise campaign money

3.

The Republican and Democratic parties have dominated the political scene throughout American history. Minor
parties have often surfaced to fill the void left by the major parties. A splinter minor party can best be
characterized by

a.

the single issues supported by the party

b.

the fact that it is usually built around the working-class American

c.

the permanence of its presence on the political scene

d.

its presence during times of economic discontent

e.

the fact that it is the result of a revolt within a major party

4.

The Republicans dominated party politics during which span of years?

a.

18601932

b.

19321968

c.

1968present

d.

18001860

e.

17891800
5.

The national convention serves what major purpose for a political party?

a.

to allow the people to direct the work of the national committee through a system of national participation

b.

to establish the rules of party campaigning

c.

to serve as the party's national voice in the selection of the party's candidate

d.

to manage the political party's business by the vote of party constituents

e.

to allow the political party to meet as a whole in order to raise funds, recruit new members, and encourage unity
within the party
6.

Which of the following best describes state party organizations?

a.

They are independent of the national party.

b.

They are subject to their own jurisdiction according to party doctrines.

c.

They are determined and organized by the national party in accordance with national law.

d.

Their funding has been affected by campaign reform law.

e.

They have the same organizational structures in all states because they are regulated by state law.
7.

Membership in an American political party is voluntary and based on party identification. Which factors influence
party identification?

a.

education

b.

gender

c.

public opinion
I only
II only
III only

I and II only
I and III only
8.

Which of the following best describes the structure and organization of a political party?

a.

They are close-knit and very organized.

b.

They are highly decentralized or fragmented.

c.

After election day they are usually less responsible to the people.

d.

The president plays no role in party leadership after his election.

e.

During the founding of our country, both parties organized in the same manner, along the same lines, and with the
same political ideas in mind.
9.

The shifting of voting patterns and formation of new coalitions of party supporters is known as

a.

alignment

b.

realignment

c.

divided government

d.

dealignment

e.

party positioning
10.

The future of political parties in the United States is uncertain due to

a.

decline of third party challenges

b.

perceived differences between the parties

c.

increase in split-ticket voting

d.

lack of party reform

I only
III only
II and III only
I and III only
I, II, and IV only
Review Questions
11.

How is an interest group different from a political party?

a.

Interest groups often support political candidates for office.

b.

Membership in an interest group is nonrestrictive.

c.

Interest groups have no legal status in the election process.

d.

Interest groups control government.

e.

Only interested people belong to interest groups.

12.

Which of the following is not a function of an interest group?

a.

represent a broad range of interests

b.

raise awareness and stimulate interest in public affairs

c.

serve as a link between its members and government

d.

provide information to the government

e.

provide a channel for public political participation for the achievement of common goals
13.

An example of an interest group that would promote a specific cause is

a.

the National Grange

b.

the Teamsters Union

c.

the American Bar Association

d.

the National Education Association

e.

the National Rifle Association

14.

An example of a public interest group is

a.

the League of Women Voters

b.

the American Association of Retired Persons

c.

the American Bar Association

d.

the National Council of Churches

e.

the American Jewish Congress

15.

A method of lobbying by which interest group members and others outside the organization write letters, send
telegrams, and make telephone calls to influence policymakers is known as

a.

litigation lobbying

b.

grassroots lobbying

c.

direct lobbying

d.

coalition lobbying

e.

influential lobbying
16.

Which of the following is true regarding the regulation of lobbying?

a.

The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act was directed at those who tried to influence members of the executive
branch.

b.

The first major attempt to regulate lobbying came during the Progressive Era in the early years of the twentieth
century.

c.

In the second half of the twentieth century, laws regulating lobbying became more lenient.

d.

The Lobbying Disclosure Act did not apply to lobbyists who attempted to influence congressional staff members.

e.

Both the Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act and the Lobbying Disclosure Act required lobbyists to register.
17.

Which is true of government regulation of the media?

a.

Government regulation of the media affects the print media more than the broadcast media.

b.

Structural regulations deal with issues affecting the organization of broadcasting companies.

c.

The Telecommunications Act (1996) restricted competition among broadcasting companies.

d.

The Federal Communications Commission is restricted to the regulation of interstate commerce.

e.

The First Amendment protects the broadcast media from the regulation of content.
18.

In the history of radio as a mode of mass media, which American president was first to make the medium a regular
feature of his administration as a method of informing the people?

a.

Ronald Reagan

b.

Franklin Roosevelt

c.

Bill Clinton

d.

George H. W. Bush

e.

Harry Truman
19.

Which of the following has been an important function in the role of the mass media?

a.

directing government

b.

agenda setting

c.

informing the public

d.

shaping public opinion

e.

II, III, and IV only

f.

I, II, and III only

g.

I only

h.

II and IV only

i.

II and IV only
20.

Those media executives and news editors who decide which events to present and how to present the news are
called

a.

content regulators

b.

gatekeepers

c.

technical regulators

d.

telecommunication regulators
21.

media representatives
Which of the following would NOT be a form of political participation?

a.

voting in elections

b.

contacting public officials

c.

paying taxes

d.

forming an interest group

e.

protesting government decisions

22.

What is the most common form of political participation in America?

a.

voting

b.

contributing money for candidates

c.

working for a political party

d.

running for office

e.

forming interest groups

23.

Which of the following best defines a recall?

a.

Recall allows voters to petition proposed issues presented before them.

b.

Recall is a form of direct primary.

c.

Recall is a form of indirect primary.

d.

Recall is a special election allowing the voters to remove public officials from office before the end of their term.

e.

Recall allows the voter to vote directly on issues and propositions.

24.

Which of the following factors are most likely to affect voter participation?

a.

age

b.

health status

c.

degree of religious participation

d.

number of children

e.

gender
I and III only
I, III, and V only
II, III, and IV only
II, IV, and V only
I, II, III, IV, and V
25.

Which of the following primaries is used by the fewest number of states?

a.

closed primary

b.

open primary

c.

blanket primary

d.

presidential preference primary

e.

runoff primary
26.

Which of the following is NOT true concerning the expansion of suffrage in the United States?

a.

Religious qualifications and property ownership requirements were abolished after the Civil War.

b.

The Fifteenth Amendment eliminated race disqualifications in voting.

c.

The Nineteenth Amendment eliminated gender disqualifications.

d.

The Twenty-Sixth Amendment lowered the voting age in federal elections to 18.

e.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965 eliminated literacy tests.

27.

Which of the following is a false statement?

a.

The first step in running for president of the United States is to explore the possibility of political and financial
support.

b.

Most candidates running for president of the United States make formal announcements as to the seeking of their
party's nomination.

c.

After the national convention, candidates begin campaigning for the general election.

d.

The purpose of a national nominating convention is to select a party's presidential candidate and write a party
platform.

e.

Presidential primaries provide little help for the American voter in determining a party's political candidate.
28.

The electoral college, along with the popular vote of the people determines the winner of a presidential election.
What majority of the electoral vote is needed in order to be declared the winner?

a.

538

b.

435

c.

100

d.

270

e.

271
29.

The Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971

a.

limited the number of candidates who could run for any one office

b.

restricted the amount of campaign funds that could be spent on a single election

c.

restricted the amount of campaign donations to $1 per person

d.

restricted the amount of campaign contributions to $400 million for the major political parties

e.

allowed for soft money contributions

30.

In 1976, the Supreme Court ruled that spending limits established by the Federal Election Campaign Act were
unconstitutional. Which Supreme Court case validated this ruling?

a.

U.S. v. Nixon

b.

Gibbons v. Ogden

c.

Buckley v. Valeo

d.

McCulloch v. Maryland
Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections