Trivia Quiz: How Well Do You Know About Political Parties?

1. Once in office, elected officials in Europe are expected to vote and act together with other members of their party.

True

False

2. Most Europian democracies have strong two-party systems like the U.S.

True

False

Most europian democracies are a muliparty systems.

Explanation

Most europian democracies are a muliparty systems.

3. For many years the laws of many states made it difficult if not impossible for the third party to get on the ballot.

True

False

4. American political parties are more effective at mobilizing voters than are parties and other democratic nations.

True

False

Parties in other democratic nations are more effective at mobilizing voters.

Explanation

Parties in other democratic nations are more effective at mobilizing voters.

5. The ideological party values winning above all else.

True

False

The ideological party puts principle above all else.

Explanation

The ideological party puts principle above all else.

6. David Mayhew suggests that traditional party organization exists in about half the states.

True

False

It is because Mayhew sees such organization in only about 8 states.

Explanation

It is because Mayhew sees such organization in only about 8 states.

7. In 1992 Bill Clinton won 45% of the popular vote in Missouri but all of the states electoral votes.

True

False

8. Superdelegates are delegates to the national convention who are also public officials.

True

False

9. Political authority in the U.S. has of late, come to be far more centralized.

True

False

10. Primary elections are extremely competitive in Europe.

True

False

They have become weaker and more decentralized.

Explanation

They have become weaker and more decentralized.

11. The modern republican party began as a third party.

True

False

12. Economic issues triggered the alignments of 1869 and 1932.

True

False

13. The hatch act of 1939 made it illegal for federal civil employees to work in partisan campaigns.

True

False

14. The text suggests that the hatch act of 1939 destroyed so-called "political machines".

True

False

The act gradually took federal employment out of political machines, but it did not end the machines.

Explanation

The act gradually took federal employment out of political machines, but it did not end the machines.

15. Most firmly ideological parties have been factions within the democratic party.

True

False

Most have been independant "third parties"

Explanation

Most have been independant "third parties"

16. Our nation began without political parties.

True

False

17. Split ticket voting has been most common in the northeastern U.S.

True

False

Split ticket voting has been most common in the south.

Explanation

Split ticket voting has been most common in the south.

18. In U.S., a third party has never won the presidency.

True

False

The republican won in 1860.

Explanation

The republican won in 1860.

19. The minor parties that have endured in American politics have been ideological ones.

True

False

20. Before 1972 party leaders chose most party delegates.

True

False

21. Only about half as many people vote in the primaries as in general elections

True

False

22. Since 1968 the democratic party has no trouble winning congretional elections

True

False

23. Split ticket voting is on the increase in the U.S.

True

False

24. The reforms of the progressives have the effect of weakening political parties.

True

False

25. Elections where party machines were active commonly featured high voter turnout.

True

False

26. The text suggests that no third party is likely to win the presidency any time soon.

True

False

27. The authors conlcude that it is striking that we have so many minor parties.

True

False

What is striking that we have so few minor parties.

Explanation

What is striking that we have so few minor parties.

28. The founders favored parties because they enhanced communication between the government and its citizens.

True

False

29. The first political party took for a name "Republicans"

True

False

The founders disliked parties because they saw them as factions motivated by ambition and self-interest and worried that their critiques of the new government would be perceived as an attack on the legitimacy of the system itself.

Explanation

The founders disliked parties because they saw them as factions motivated by ambition and self-interest and worried that their critiques of the new government would be perceived as an attack on the legitimacy of the system itself.

30. The followers of Hamilton founded the first political party.

True

False

31. Today, national conventions are places where party leaders meet to bargain over the selection of their presidential candidates.

True

False

They are instead places where delegates come together to ratify choices already made by party activists and primary voters.

Explanation

They are instead places where delegates come together to ratify choices already made by party activists and primary voters.

32. Political machines rarely supported presidential candidates who had the best chance of winning but also held contrary policy viewpoints.

True

False

Machines were usually willing to support the candidate with the best chance of winning regardless of his policy views.

Explanation

Machines were usually willing to support the candidate with the best chance of winning regardless of his policy views.

33. The U.S. has never experimented with proportional representation.

True

False

Proportional representation was used in the municipal election in ney york city at one time and is still used in Cambridge Massachusetts.

Explanation

Proportional representation was used in the municipal election in ney york city at one time and is still used in Cambridge Massachusetts.

34. Republican convention delegates appear to be more seperated from the opinions of most citizens than democraric convention delegates.

True

False

The separation of convention viewpoints and public viewpoints had been somewhat more acute for democrats.

Explanation

The separation of convention viewpoints and public viewpoints had been somewhat more acute for democrats.

35. Popular support for the federalist party was limited to sections of the country and particular classes of Americans.

True

False

The followers of jefferson founded the first party.

Explanation

The followers of jefferson founded the first party.

36. Most Americans would resent partisanship becoming a conspicuous feature of other organizations to which they belong.

True

False

In europe there is no such thing as a primary election.

Explanation

In europe there is no such thing as a primary election.

37. The text concludes the election of Ronald Reagan clearly signaled a new electoral realignment.

True

False

Reagan's election could not have been a traditional realignment because it left congress in the hands of the democrats.

Explanation

Reagan's election could not have been a traditional realignment because it left congress in the hands of the democrats.

38. The "reforms" which followed on the 1960s resulted in a democratic national convention, that more closely affected public opinion than the republican national convention.

True

False

Democratic convention moved further away from public opinion because the traditional middle class is somewhat closer to the opinions of most citizens than is the liberal middle class.

Explanation

Democratic convention moved further away from public opinion because the traditional middle class is somewhat closer to the opinions of most citizens than is the liberal middle class.