Unit 5 - Political Participation

Question 1

What does the Fifteenth Amendment prohibit?

Answer 1

It prohibits denying the right to vote based on race.

Question 2

What does the Nineteenth Amendment grant?

Answer 2

It grants women the right to vote.

Question 3

What does the Twenty-Fourth Amendment abolish?

Answer 3

It abolishes poll taxes.

Question 4

What does the Twenty-Sixth Amendment lower?

Answer 4

It lowers the voting age to 18.

Question 5

What is the Voting Rights Act of 1965?

Answer 5

It eliminates literacy tests and other discriminatory practices; enforces federal oversight in areas with a history of discrimination.

Question 6

What is Rational Choice Voting?

Answer 6

Voters make decisions based on personal benefit.

Question 7

What is Retrospective Voting?

Answer 7

Voting based on the incumbent’s past performance.

Question 8

What is Prospective Voting?

Answer 8

Voting based on predictions of future performance.

Question 9

What is Party-Line Voting?

Answer 9

Voting for candidates of the same party across all offices.

Question 10

What is Voter Turnout?

Answer 10

The percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot.

Question 11

What is Political Efficacy?

Answer 11

The belief that one’s vote matters and can influence government.

Question 12

What is Voter Registration?

Answer 12

The process by which eligible citizens enroll to vote.

Question 13

What is Compulsory Voting?

Answer 13

Laws requiring citizens to vote.

Question 14

What are Mid-Term Elections?

Answer 14

Elections held midway through a president’s term.

Question 15

What are Presidential Elections?

Answer 15

Elections held every four years to elect the president.

Question 16

What are Linkage Institutions?

Answer 16

Structures that connect citizens to the government (e.g., political parties, elections, media).

Question 17

What are Political Parties?

Answer 17

Organizations that seek to influence government policy by nominating candidates and winning elections.

Question 18

What are Party Platforms?

Answer 18

A formal set of principal goals supported by a party or candidate.

Question 19

What is Party Identification?

Answer 19

An individual’s affiliation with a political party.

Question 20

What are Candidate-Centric Campaigns?

Answer 20

Campaigns focused on individual candidates rather than party platforms.

Question 21

What are Direct Primaries?

Answer 21

Elections in which voters choose party nominees.

Question 22

What are Critical Elections?

Answer 22

Elections that signify a significant change in the political landscape.

Question 23

What are Realignments?

Answer 23

Shifts in party dominance and voter loyalty.

Question 24

What is Proportional Representation?

Answer 24

Electoral system where parties gain seats in proportion to the number of votes cast for them.

Question 25

What is the Winner-Take-All System?

Answer 25

Electoral system where the candidate with the most votes wins all the seats or delegates.

Question 26

What is the Iron Triangle?

Answer 26

The relationship between bureaucratic agencies, congressional committees, and interest groups.

Question 27

What are Issue Networks?

Answer 27

A more complex and fluid network of individuals and groups that influence policy.

Question 28

What is the Free Rider Problem?

Answer 28

When individuals benefit from resources or services without paying for them.

Question 29

What are Single-Issue Groups?

Answer 29

Groups that focus on one specific area of policy.

Question 30

What are Ideological/Social Movements?

Answer 30

Movements that aim to change societal norms and policies.

Question 31

What are Protest Movements?

Answer 31

Organized efforts to bring about social or political change.

Question 32

What are Professional Organizations?

Answer 32

Groups that represent the interests of professionals.

Question 33

What is the Incumbency Advantage?

Answer 33

The electoral edge afforded to those already in office.

Question 34

What are Open and Closed Primaries?

Answer 34

Types of primary elections that determine voter eligibility.

Question 35

What are Caucuses?

Answer 35

Meetings of party members to select delegates. (Run by party not state)

Question 36

What are Party Conventions?

Answer 36

Gatherings where parties officially nominate their candidates.

Question 37

What is the Electoral College?

Answer 37

The body that formally elects the president and vice president.

Question 38

What is Winner-Take-All?

Answer 38

System where the candidate with the most votes wins all the electoral votes in a state.

Question 39

What is the National Popular Vote?

Answer 39

Proposal to elect the president based on the nationwide popular vote.

Question 40

What are Political Consultants?

Answer 40

Professionals who advise on campaign strategy and media.

Question 41

What is Campaign Finance?

Answer 41

The fundraising and spending associated with political campaigns.

Question 42

What is Social Media?

Answer 42

Platforms used for communication and campaigning.

Question 43

What is Hard Money?

Answer 43

Regulated contributions to candidates and campaigns.

Question 44

What is Soft Money?

Answer 44

Unregulated contributions to political parties for party-building activities.

Question 45

What is the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA)?

Answer 45

Law that placed limits on hard and soft money and imposed provisions on issue ads.

Question 46

What are Political Action Committees (PACs)?

Answer 46

Organizations that collect and distribute campaign contributions.

Question 47

What are Super PACs?

Answer 47

Independent expenditure-only committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.