Political Parties and Voting Study Guide (Chapters 5 and 6)
Political Parties and Voting Study Guide (Chapters 5 and 6)
1. What is a political party?
2. What are the major functions of political parties? (State at least five things political parties do.)
3. Why does the United States have a two-party system?
4. How do multiparty party systems function and what are their influences on government?
5. What membership characteristics do American parties have? (Describe the types of people that vote Democrat and Republican) (Pages 169-170)
6. Describe the first two political parties in America’s history?
7. How has the decline of people’s attachment to the two major parties affected how Americans votes?
8. What are six Factors that can influence party membership?
9. Why are minor parties important even though they seldom elect national candidates? (Name at least two reasons)
10. What types of minor parties have been active in American politics? (Identify and describe the four kinds of Minor Parties.)
11. Explain the difference between strait ticket and split ticket voting?
The 3 Branches of Government (Chapters 10, 11, 13, 18, )
12. Name one branch or part of the government.LEGISLATIVE OR CONGRESS, JUDICIAL OR THE COURTS, EXECUTIVE OR PRESIDENT
13. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?CHECKS AND BALANCES OR SEPARATION OF POWERS
14. Who is in charge of the executive branch?PRESIDENT
15. Who makes federal laws?LEGISLATIVE BRANCH OR CONGRESS
16. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATE
17. How many U.S. Senators are there?100
18. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?6 YEARS
19. Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators?BARBARA BOXER OR DIANE FEINSTEIN
20. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?435
21. We elect a U.S. Representative for how many years?2 YEARS
22. Name your U.S. Representative.MAXINE WATERS
23. Who does a U.S. Senator represent?PEOPLE FROM THE STATE
24. Why do some states have more Representatives than other states?LARGER POPULATION SIZE
25. We elect a President for how many years?4 YEARS
26. In what month do we vote for President? NOVEMBER
27. What is the name of the President of the United States now? BARACK OBAMA
28. What is the name of the Vice President of the United States now?JOE BIDEN
39. If the President can no longer serve, who becomes President?VICE PRESIDENT
30. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
31. Who is the Commander in Chief of the military?PRESIDENT
32. Who signs bills to become laws? PRESIDENT
33. Who vetoes bills?PRESIDENT
34. What does the President's Cabinet do? ADVIZES THE PRESIDENT
35. What are two Cabinet-level positions?Secretary of Agriculture,Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Education, Secretary of Energy, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Interior, Secretary of State, Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of Treasury, Secretary of Veterans' Affairs, Secretary of Labor, Attorney General
36. What does the judicial branch do? INTERPRETS THE LAW OR REVIEWS LAWS OR DETERMINES CONSTITUTIONALITY
37. What is the highest court in the United States?SUPREME COURT
38. How many justices are on the Supreme Court? 9
39. Who is the Chief Justice of the United States?JOHN ROBERTS
40. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the federal government. What is one power of the federal government?PRINT MONEY, DECLARE WAR, CREATE AN ARMY, MAKE TREATIES
41. Under our Constitution, some powers belong to the states. What is one power of the states?DRIVER LICENSES, SCHOOLS, PROVIDE POLICE PROTECTION, PROVIDE FIRE PROTECTION, ZONING LICENSES
42. Who is the Governor of your state? JERRY BROWN
43. What is the capital of your state? SACRAMENTO
44. What are the two major political parties in the United States?DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS
45. What is the political party of the President now?DEMOCRAT
46. What is the name of the Speaker of the House of Representatives now?JOHN BOEHNER
47. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them. Citizens eighteen (18) and older (can vote). / You don't have to pay (a poll tax) to vote./Any citizen can vote. (Women and men can vote.) / A male citizen of any race (can vote).
48. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens? VOTE OR SERVE ON A JURY
49. What are two rights only for United States citizens?VOTE, CARRY A US PASSPORT, RUN FOR OFFICE, APPLY FOR A FEDERAL JOB
50. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?ANY RIGHT LISTED WILL DO