CHAPTER FOUR – AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE

KEY TERMS: Briefly identify, define, and/or explain.

1) Democracy In America

2) political culture

3) 5 important elements in American view of our political system

4) “an American dilemma”

5) Attitudes in the U.S.A. v. other democracies (table 4.1, p. 82)

6) 2 foundation principles of American economic system

7) America v. Sweden – differences in political culture

8) civic duty

9) civic competence

10) America v. Sweden – differences in economic beliefs

11) role of religion in major U.S. political movements

12) importance of the election of 1800

13) Protestant work ethic

14) class consciousness

15) Horatio Alger

16) 2 cultural classes:

a) orthodox

b) progressive

17) 3 ways in which the culture war differs from other political disputes

18) how trust in Washington officials rose and then ebbed after 9/11

19) civil society

20) importance of political tolerance in a democracy

KEY IDEAS: Explain in depth.

1) Discuss two specific examples of current issues that in your opinion best illustrate the following quote by Samuel P. Huntington about our country: “critics say that America is a lie because its reality falls so far short of its ideals. America is not a lie, it is a disappointment only because it is also a hope.” (p. 79)

CHAPTER SEVEN – PUBLIC OPINION

KEY TERMS: Briefly identify, define, and/or explain.

1)public opinion

2)Madison’s view of the role of U.S. Senators

3)2 reasons why government policy often appears at odds with public opinion

4)poll

5)random sample

6)sampling error

7)exit polls

8)opinion saliency

9)opinion stability

10) opinion-policy congruence

11) political socialization

12) elite

13) factors that influence political socialization:

a) family

b) religion

c) gender gap

14) factors that create cleavages in public opinion:

a)social class

b)race & ethnicity

c)region

15) political ideology

16) political elites

17) 2 ways in which elites influence public opinion

18) norm

KEY IDEAS: Explain in depth.

1) Take the political typology survey at:

According to your survey results, into which of the ideological typologies do you fall? When you read the description of that typology, do you agree that it's a good representation of who you are? Explain.

2) Discuss the key factors which influence the formation of political attitudes among individuals. Which of these factors have played the most important role in the development of your political views? Explain. (p. 156-60)

CHAPTER EIGHT – POLITICAL PARTICIPATION

KEY TERMS: Briefly identify, define, and/or explain.

1)political participation

2)VAP

3)VEP

4)voter turnout in 2012 election

5)registered voters

6)voter turnout in U.S. versus other democracies (table 8.2, p. 173)

7)3 most common reasons given by registered non-voters for not voting

8)“no-fault” absentee voting

9)U.S. voter registration procedure v. most European countries

10) “Motor-Voter” law’s impact on non-voting

11) some ways of participating in politics other than voting

12) alternate ways of casting ballots: (box on p. 176)

a)early voting

b)absentee voting

c)mail voting

13) 15th Amendment

14) methods used to prevent blacks from voting:

a)literacy tests

b)poll tax

c)grandfather clause

d)intimidation

15) Voting Rights Act of 1965

16) 19th Amendment

17) Voting Rights Act of 1970 & 26th Amendment

18) proportion of VAP that has gone to the polls since 1928

19) “Australian ballot”

20) difference it would make if everyone voted

21) compulsory voting (box on p. 181)

22) 6 different kinds of citizens:

a)inactives

b)activists

c)voting specialists

d)campaigners

e)communalists

f)parochial participants

23) effect of schooling, employment & race on turnout (fig. 8.3, p. 183)

24) conclusions drawn in last paragraph on p. 184

KEY IDEAS: Explain in depth.

1) Trace the expansion of the electorate in this country from the early days of the Republic to the present. (pp. 176-9)