WorksheetsPolitical Parties and Elections Test
Total questions: 40
Worksheet time: 20mins
Name
Class
Date
1.
What are the two sides of the political spectrum?
a)
Republican & Democrat
b)
Liberal & Conservative
c)
Radicals & Revolutionaries
d)
Federalists and Republicans
2.
The major function of political parties in America is:
a)
Educating the public
b)
Presenting solutions to problems
c)
Keeping the party in power responsible to the people
d)
Nominating candidates for public office and presenting them to voters.
3.
Which of following parties is generally considered to be the MOST liberal:
a)
Democratic
b)
Libertarian
c)
Tea Party
d)
Republican
4.
When someone of a 3rd party pulls decisive votes away from one of the major party candidates it is known as:
a)
Spoiler
b)
Innovator
c)
Watchdog
d)
Federalism
5.
When one major party is not in power, it can act as the _____ on the other party.
a)
Scorekeeper
b)
Gatekeeper
c)
Timekeeper
d)
Watchdog
6.
How has the overall spending trends of presidential campaigns changed since the 1960’s?
a)
Gone down
b)
Stayed the same.
c)
Gone up slightly
d)
Gone up significantly.
7.
Reasons most Third-Party’s in this country struggle are
a)
Lack of Money
b)
The United States has historically been a two-party system
c)
Our electoral system makes it difficult for Third Parties to compete.
d)
All of the above
8.
Which political party dominated American politics from the Civil War to Great Depression?
a)
Republican
b)
Democrat
c)
Green
d)
Constitution
9.
All of the people entitled to vote in a given election is known as the:
a)
electorate
b)
electoral college
c)
popular vote
d)
suffrage
10.
A bias is:
a)
a skewed (slanted one way or another) point of view present in all of us
b)
Another term for “Public Opinion”
c)
A method of nominating a candidate for an election
d)
A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.
11.
True or False: Candidates, by law, must disclose where their funding is coming from
a)
True
b)
False
12.
True or False: Third-Party candidates have significant impact on U.S. elections
a)
True
b)
False
13.
True or False: There are only three political parties in the United States
a)
True
b)
False
14.
True or False: Voter turnout significantly decreases in off year elections.
a)
True
b)
False
15.
True or False. Presidents are elected using a system known as the popular vote.
a)
True
b)
False
16.
“It is not fair that some people live in giant mansions while others are homeless. The government should fix this.”
a)
Liberal
b)
Conservative
17.
“Marriage equality is important. Men and women should be able to marry anyone they choose.”
a)
Liberal
b)
Conservative
18.
“America must crack down on immigration, strengthen its border, and remove anyone who isn’t here legally.”
a)
Liberal
b)
Conservative
19.
“If the government does not step in a take care of the environment, no one else will.”
a)
Liberal
b)
Conservative
20.
Which of these event would come last in the election process?
a)
Nomination
b)
General Election
c)
Caucus
d)
Convention
21.
If a required majority is not met in a Direct Primary, the two people with the most votes participate in a:
a)
Closed Primary
b)
Open Primary
c)
Nonpartisan Primary
d)
Runoff Primary
22.
All of the following have been used in this country to nominate candidates for federal office except:
a)
Caucus
b)
Convention
c)
Survey/Questionnaire
d)
Self Appointment
23.
In closed primary:
a)
Anyone who is a registered voter can participate
b)
Only a small number of party officials have a say in who becomes a candidate.
c)
Only registered members of the party holding the primary can vote
d)
The curtains in the voting booth are shut.
24.
In an open primary:
a)
Anyone who is a registered voter can participate
b)
Only a small number of party officials have a say in who becomes a candidate.
c)
Only registered members of the party holding the primary can vote
d)
The curtains in the voting booth are open.
25.
How many electoral votes does a presidential candidate need to win?
a)
150
b)
200
c)
270
d)
350
26.
A state's electoral vote amount is determined by
a)
subtracting the states' number of House seats from the state's two Senate seats
b)
looking it up in the Constitution
c)
adding the states' number of House seats from the state's two Senate seats
d)
Congress
27.
A common criticism of the Electoral College is that it –
a)
It gives too much power to states with the highest populations
b)
Gives too much power to smaller states
c)
Is not even a real college
d)
Allows a person to win the presidency without a majority of votes
28.
People who don’t vote in elections tend to be –
a)
Urban and upper-class
b)
Rural and male
c)
Married and middle class
d)
Educated and female
29.
“Idiot” comes from the Greek word (ΙΔΙΩΤΕΣ) “Idiotes’, which translates to
a)
those who contribute to politics & the community
b)
an individual with no common sense
c)
those who did not contribute to politics & the community
d)
an individual that consistently has bad luck
30.
Mid-term elections are elections in which –
a)
The president is chosen but no state officers are.
b)
Governors of all states are chosen.
c)
Some members of Congress are elected but not the president
d)
Voters decide only local issues
31.
The summation of all people in society’s views is also known as:
a)
Bias
b)
Public Opinion
c)
The Coattail Effect
d)
Tyranny of the Majority
32.
The 26th Amendment:
a)
Created freedom of the press
b)
Allowed African Americans to vote
c)
Allowed Women to vote
d)
Lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18
33.
The 15th Amendment:
a)
Created freedom of the press
b)
Allowed African Americans to vote
c)
Allowed Women to vote
d)
Lowered the minimum voting age from 21 to 18
34.
Which of the following is NOT a factor in determining if one is eligible to vote?
a)
age
b)
citizenship
c)
education
d)
residency
35.
The process of redrawing electoral districts to benefit political parties is called
a)
gerrymandering
b)
caucusing
c)
open ballot
d)
straight ticketing
36.
________________ involves putting as many members of one party into one district to limit the amount of seats they win.
a)
cracking
b)
splitting
c)
packing
d)
multiplying
37.
_____________ is the splitting voters of the opposing party into two different districts
a)
packing
b)
splitting
c)
multiplying
d)
cracking
38.
When the media checks corruption within the government, it is serving its function of -
a)
Scorekeeper
b)
Gatekeeper
c)
Timekeeper
d)
Watchdog
39.
"Fake News" is:
a)
NOT news you disagree with
b)
outright false or misleading stories by minor sources
c)
NOT the “mainstream” media (ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox, NBC)
d)
all of the above
40.
You can identify news as being "fake" by:
a)
looking at other reputable news sites that carry the same story
b)
asking your mom or dad
c)
seeing if it comes from CNN
d)
seeing if it comes from FOX News
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