Chapter 8 Questions

Reviewing Facts and Ideas

1. Name the pairs of major parties that have existed in American history.

Republican

Democratic

2. Compare the three types of third parties and name a party of each type.

A Single-Issue Party focuses exclusively on one major social, economic, or moral issue (i.e. the Liberty Party)

A Ideological Party focuses on overall change in society rather than on an issue (i.e. the Libertarian Party)

A Splinter Party is one that splits away from one of the major parties because of some disagreement (i.e. the Bull Moose Party)

3. Cite two reasons why people belong to political parties.

-they support most of its ideas or candidates

-helps increase their influence on the government

4. Name the main function of the two major political parties.

To recruit and offer candidates for public office

5. Contrast open and closed primaries.

In an open primary, all voters may participate, even if they do not belong to the party, but they can vote in only one party’s primary. In a closed primary, only members of a political party can vote.

6. Trace the changing methods used to select presidential candidates.

First, Individuals may seek nomination for public office in one of four ways:

I. Caucuses – private meetings of party leaders who choose the candidates for office

II. Nominating Conventions – official public meetings of a party to choose candidates for office

III. Primary Election – includes several types of election.

a.     direct primary – san election which party members select people to run in the general election. This is the most commonly used method today.

b.     Closed primary – only members of a political party can vote.

c.      Open primary – all voters may participate, even if they do not belong to the party, but they can vote in only one party’s primary.

IV. Petition – under this method, a person announces his or her candidacy and files petitions a specific number of voters have signed to be placed on the ballot.

Applying Themes

1. What relationship exists between the methods of representation in democratic nations and their political-party system?

The parties select government officials. The multi-party system allows diversity and equal representation for many groups of people.

2. How has the presence of minor parties affected American politics?

They challenge the major parties and promote ideas that were at first unpopular or hotly debated. Major parties later adopt many of their issues. They can also draw voters out of a particular major party and make the other one win the election instead.

3. Why have third parties had so little success in the United States?

Because most Americans are convinced a third party cannot win, they are reluctant to contribute to such a campaign.

4. Identify the various ways that a person can support a political party.

By contributing money or doing volunteer work for the party or its candidates