1. Which political party played a dominant role in the mid-nineteenth century, winning over voters from the South, the frontier, and the cities as the party of the common man? a) Democratic-Republican b) Democratic c) Republican d) Whig 2. On behalf of which issue would members of the Know Nothing Party most vocally advocate? a) states rights b) western expansion c) the abolition of slavery d) immigration restrictions 3. When did the Republican Party emerge? a) at the beginning of the nineteenth century b) in the years leading up to the Civil War c) at the end of the nineteenth century d) during Reconstruction 4. Which of the following BEST expresses the attitude of George Washington and the Founding Fathers toward political parties? a) Political parties are undesirable factions. b) Political parties are essential to democracy. c) Political parties should number no more than two. d) Political parties should identify presidential candidates. 5. The Founding Fathers crafted the Electoral College system as a means of. a) sharing power between the two major parties b) sharing power between the state and federal government c) ensuring that third parties would have a voice in elections d) ensuring that the popular vote decided presidential elections PAGE 1
6. The author of "Political Parties in the Dictionary of American History writes that one of the key features of U.S. political parties is that they are pragmatic. Which evidence BEST supports this opinion? a) There have always been just two major parties in the United States. b) There are only modest differences in the platforms between the two major political parties. c) Political parties in the United States are much less focused on doctrine or ideology than are similar parties elsewhere. d) Control of nominations and election campaigns has shifted away from the political party organization to the party in government. 7. Look at the list below, and answer the question that follows. Priorities: Strong national defense Balanced budget Tax cuts Which political party would a voter with these priorities MOST likely choose? a) Green b) Libertarian c) Republican d) Democratic 8. Which of the following is the BIGGEST barrier to the participation of third-party candidates? a) constitutional prohibitions b) the Electoral College c) issue identification d) primary elections 9. Which of the following is a potential disadvantage of an open primary? a) Voters may vote for more than one candidate. b) Too many candidates may decide to run for office. c) Early media reports on winners may dissuade voter turnout. d) Voters may vote for the weakest candidate of the opposing party. PAGE 2
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10. The Libertarian Party is an example of. a) an ideological party b) a single-issue party c) a bipartisan party d) a splinter party PAGE 4
ANSWER KEY 1. b 3. b 5. b 7. c 9. d 2. d 4. a 6. c 8. d 10. a COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.1 Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10 Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.1 Cite strong and thorough evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.2 Determine a central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.3 Analyze how the author unfolds an analysis or series of ideas or events, including the order in which the points are made, how they are introduced and developed, and the connections that are drawn between them. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.9-10.10 By the end of grade 9, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 9 10 text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 9 10 text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.2 Determine two or more central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to provide a complex analysis; provide an objective summary of the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.10 By the end of grade 11, read and comprehend literary nonfiction in the grades 11 CCR text complexity band proficiently, with scaffolding as needed at the high end of the range. By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend literary nonfiction at the high end of the grades 11 CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.2 Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of how key events or ideas develop over the course of a text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.3 Analyze in detail a series of events described in a text; determine whether earlier events caused later ones or simply preceded them. PAGE 5
COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS (CONTINUED) CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary describing political, social, or economic aspects of history/social science. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.8 Assess the extent to which the reasoning and evidence in a text support the author s claims. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.9-10.10 By the end of grade 10, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 9 10 text complexity band independently and proficiently. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.3 Evaluate various explanations for actions or events and determine which explanation best accords with textual evidence, acknowledging where the text leaves matters uncertain. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RH.11-12.10 By the end of grade 12, read and comprehend history/social studies texts in the grades 11 CCR text complexity band independently and proficiently. PAGE 6