Chapter 5:

Political Parties Review

Chapter Test

Study Guide

Political Parties

• A group of people who work to influence policy agendas and get candidates within their party elected to public office.

What is a political party?

• Democratic Party and Republican Party

What are the 2 major political

parties in the US today?

• By their beliefs, principles and policy agendas.

How do you differentiate one

political party from another?

Political Party Eras 1796-1824

Federalist Party Democratic-Republican Party

Led by Alexander Hamilton.

Weathly/educated.

Strong central government.

Commerce & manufacturing.

Led by Thomas Jefferson.

For the “common” people.

Agrarian (farming) and small business

interests.

Political Party Eras 1828-1856

Democrats Whigs

Previously known as

Democratic-Republicans.

Led by Andrew Jackson.

Opposed strong central government

and a national bank.

Policies for the “common” man and eliminate elitism.

Led by Daniel Webster and Henry Clay.

Supported bankers,

merchants, industrialists and planters.

Wanted to defend federal authority and

a high protective

tariff.

Political Party Eras:

Republican Party Monopoly 1860 - 1928

Gained support when the Kansas-

Nebraska Act (1854) re-

opened the issue of slavery

in the US.

Initially a 3rd party

consisting of many former

Whigs.

Strong anti-slavery

platform.

Supported by farmers, laborers, business

owners, and newly-freed

African-Americans.

Elected Abraham Lincoln as

president in 1860.

Political Party Eras:

New Deal Democrats 1932 - 1968

The Progressive Party helped bring focus back to the Democratic Party after the stock market

crash of 1929/Depression.

President Franklin D Roosevelt passed “New

Deal” legislation uniting laborers, minorities,

southerners, an urban voters.

Government became more involved in

economic and social conditions of the nation.

Functions of Political Parties

• Individuals who share concerns can work together to build coalitions and help elect candidates with similar concerns.

They create rally points for groups that share concerns.

• They limit the number of candidates in elections by nominating the ones with the best fit.

They simplify the

voting process for

the electorate.

• They organize rallies, conventions & speeches so voters can get to know the candidates & their platforms.

They generate

excitement about an election.

• Strong party affiliation has led to partisanship.

• Officeholders align their decisions with the party’s interests.

They organize the government.

• People that have supported candidates of specific political parties make sure that campaign promises are fulfilled. If they, they may vote for a different party in the future.

They help people to

hold politicians

accountable for fulfilling

platforms and

campaign promises.

Third Parties • 3rd parties are political parties than

gain influence even though they are not 1 of the 2 major parties.

• They often begin as single-issue parties, ideological philosophy, economic issues or offshoots of one of the 2 major parties.

What are 3rd parties? Why do they form?

• Influence elections. • Some Congressional seats. • Bring new platform issues to US

politics. • Force major parties to accept specific

issues

What role do they play in government?

• The Electoral College system limits election opportunities for 3rd party candidates.

• They are not eligible for Federal funding for campaigning if they do not meet certain requirements.

How do political institutions limit the power of 3rd parties in America?

• Spoiler Effect (pull votes from a major party candidate causing the party to lose the election).

How can 3rd parties affect major parties in close election races?

Organization of Parties

What are the functions of a

political party’s National Committee?

Provides guidance to the party between

election, and promotes the party.

Organizes the National Convention where the presidential candidate

for the party is formally nominted.

What are the function of a

political party’s State committees?

They host fundraisers, promote key issues and help organize primary

elections.

Act as special interest groups and lobbyists

between elections.

What are the function of a

political party’s local committees?

They work to register voters, recruit new

party members, and find local candidates.

Roles & Participation Among Members

Rank-and-File

Members

• Registered as party members.

• Vote in the primary and general elections.

Party Regulars

• Work at the polls. • Take non-leadership

party roles. • Donate money to

campaigns. • Vote along party lines.

Party Activists

• Highly involved in the electoral process.

• Donate funds. • Demand a say in party

agendas. • Strong belief in party

ideology.

Party Purists

• Put issues ahead of winning elections.

• Do not support candidates that do not share their views on issues.

• Active in special issue groups and caucuases.

Party Identification

Race and Ethnicity

• White = Rep • African American, Asian

Hispanic = Dem

Gender

• Women = Dem. • Men = evenly divided

Dem/Rep

Religious Beliefs

• Mormons/Evangelicals = Rep. • No affiliation = Dem • Jewish = Dem • Catholics = Rep

Education

• Post-grads = Dem • Otherwise split Dem/Rep

Economics

• Middle-class white-collar = Rep

• Blue-collar, union = Dem

Age

• Millenials = Dem • Seniors – Rep • Young = vote with their

parents