POSC 1010 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS
Modern Political Parties - Answers - the 2 party system- Democrats and Republicans
advantages of 2 party system - Answers - -ability to form clear majorities
-some degree of additional stability in government
disadvantages of 2 party system - Answers - lack of options
History of U.S. Political Parties - Answers - -first few elections: no political parties; just
federalists and antifederalists
Federalist Party - Answers - federalists became a political party in 1796 (John Adams)
antifederalist party to democratic Republican Party - Answers - Anti federalists (led by
Thomas Jefferson) form the democratic republican party
The Jeffersonian "Revolution of 1800" - Answers - the first peaceful transition of political
power
Andrew Jackson - Answers - populist who sought to empower the common man;
replaced democratic Republican Party with Democratic Party
National Republican Party (whig party) - Answers - formed in opposition to "king
Jackson"
republican party - Answers - in 1852, whig party splits over issue of expanding slavery;
anti-slavery faction joins the free-soil party to form the republican party
Abraham Lincoln - Answers - first Republican Party president
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) - Answers - first democratic president since the civil war;
temporary break in republican dominance
FDR (1932) - Answers - new deal coalition (democratic) : labor unions, blue collar
workers, southern whites, racial minorities, farmers, etc.
Ronald Reagan (1980) - Answers - marked the beginning of the end of democrat
dominance in the south
, historical nomination process - Answers - -candidates for office elected by legislative
caucus; all legislators of each party met to select candidates, who were then put to
popular vote
Convention Process - Answers - nominees were selected by delegates at a convention,
NOT by primaries; intended to be a democratic reform of the nomination process
issues with convention process - Answers - -susceptible to manipulation by party
bosses
-nominees frequently were not popular with electorate
Modern Primary System, Presidential - Answers - voters go to polls to vote for their
preferred candidate, which determines who delegates of the state will vote for
open primary - Answers - A primary election in which voters may choose in which party
to vote as they enter the polling place
closed primary - Answers - A primary in which only registered members of a particular
political party can vote for that party
general election - Answers - -election in which voters decide which candidates will
actually fill elective public offices
-electoral college: number of electors determined by state population
-electors are not necessarily constrained to vote for candidate that won their state
congressional districting - Answers - divides the state up by population into the
geographic areas that are served by one member in the House of Representatives;
drawn by state legislature
Gerrymandering - Answers - Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the
purpose of benefiting the party in power.
hard money - Answers - money used to explicitly endorse candidate; personal
contribution limit: $2000 per candidate per election
soft money - Answers - money spent on issue advocacy ads; do not specifically endorse
candidate, but issues favorable to him
Political Action Committee (PAC) - Answers - a private group that raises and distributes
funds for use in election campaigns; higher contribution limits than individuals
Bundling - Answers - the candidate that wins the majority view their victory as a
mandate for all positions
ANSWERS
Modern Political Parties - Answers - the 2 party system- Democrats and Republicans
advantages of 2 party system - Answers - -ability to form clear majorities
-some degree of additional stability in government
disadvantages of 2 party system - Answers - lack of options
History of U.S. Political Parties - Answers - -first few elections: no political parties; just
federalists and antifederalists
Federalist Party - Answers - federalists became a political party in 1796 (John Adams)
antifederalist party to democratic Republican Party - Answers - Anti federalists (led by
Thomas Jefferson) form the democratic republican party
The Jeffersonian "Revolution of 1800" - Answers - the first peaceful transition of political
power
Andrew Jackson - Answers - populist who sought to empower the common man;
replaced democratic Republican Party with Democratic Party
National Republican Party (whig party) - Answers - formed in opposition to "king
Jackson"
republican party - Answers - in 1852, whig party splits over issue of expanding slavery;
anti-slavery faction joins the free-soil party to form the republican party
Abraham Lincoln - Answers - first Republican Party president
Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921) - Answers - first democratic president since the civil war;
temporary break in republican dominance
FDR (1932) - Answers - new deal coalition (democratic) : labor unions, blue collar
workers, southern whites, racial minorities, farmers, etc.
Ronald Reagan (1980) - Answers - marked the beginning of the end of democrat
dominance in the south
, historical nomination process - Answers - -candidates for office elected by legislative
caucus; all legislators of each party met to select candidates, who were then put to
popular vote
Convention Process - Answers - nominees were selected by delegates at a convention,
NOT by primaries; intended to be a democratic reform of the nomination process
issues with convention process - Answers - -susceptible to manipulation by party
bosses
-nominees frequently were not popular with electorate
Modern Primary System, Presidential - Answers - voters go to polls to vote for their
preferred candidate, which determines who delegates of the state will vote for
open primary - Answers - A primary election in which voters may choose in which party
to vote as they enter the polling place
closed primary - Answers - A primary in which only registered members of a particular
political party can vote for that party
general election - Answers - -election in which voters decide which candidates will
actually fill elective public offices
-electoral college: number of electors determined by state population
-electors are not necessarily constrained to vote for candidate that won their state
congressional districting - Answers - divides the state up by population into the
geographic areas that are served by one member in the House of Representatives;
drawn by state legislature
Gerrymandering - Answers - Process of redrawing legislative boundaries for the
purpose of benefiting the party in power.
hard money - Answers - money used to explicitly endorse candidate; personal
contribution limit: $2000 per candidate per election
soft money - Answers - money spent on issue advocacy ads; do not specifically endorse
candidate, but issues favorable to him
Political Action Committee (PAC) - Answers - a private group that raises and distributes
funds for use in election campaigns; higher contribution limits than individuals
Bundling - Answers - the candidate that wins the majority view their victory as a
mandate for all positions
