Name: __________________
1
Class:
Date: _____________
In American politics, the party structure exists on four levels. What are those four levels?
a. national, state, county, and precinct
b. state, county, local, and special
c. national, district, municipal, and precinct
d. state, county, district, local
2
American political parties are organized in a
a. horizontal form.
b. stratarchy.
c. linear form.
d. hierarchy.
3
State- and local-level party organizations operate
a. within their own spheres of influence and separate from each other.
b. on the basis of equal cooperation in combining interests.
c. locally and in cooperation with one another.
d. on the basis of state interests.
4
In Texas, state law stipulates that all political conventions must be
a. open to opposite political parties so they can vote in each other's conventions.
b. closed by 7 p.m. on the evening of a primary election.
c. closed to the media.
d. open to the media.
5
The main purpose of the precinct convention is to
a. elect delegates to the county or district convention.
b. elect delegates to the state convention.
c. nominate candidates to the national convention.
d. nominate candidates for governor.
PAGE 1
Name: __________________
6
Class:
Date: _____________
The Texas Election Code requires that in June of even-numbered years, each Texas political
party must
a. select a candidate for public office.
b. hold a biennial state convention to conduct party business.
c. hold a precinct convention.
d. address redistricting concerns.
7
The process used by Texas Democrats to select convention delegates has been dubbed the
a. primary election process.
b. "Texas Two-Step."
c. temporary party organization.
d. temporary party apparatus.
8
The political terms "left" and "right" owe their origin to
a. the Rush Limbaugh talk show.
b. the Rachel Maddow program on MSNBC.
c. the seating arrangements in the French National Assembly during the French
revolutionary era.
d. the seating arrangements in the Texas legislature during the Civil War.
9
Timothy is associated with the Christian Coalition. He believes in the importance of family values
and opposes abortion and homosexuality. Timothy is most likely a
a. neoliberal.
b. fiscal conservative.
c. libertarian.
d. social conservative.
10 The ________ is a national umbrella group that is affiliated with more than 3,500 local
organizations; its members believe the size and scope of government has grown out of control.
a. Tea Party Patriots
b. Christian Coalition
c. Neoconservative Party
d. Neoliberal Party
PAGE 2
Name: __________________
Class:
Date: _____________
11 A ________ ideology incorporates a philosophy of less government regulation of business and
the economy while supporting greater government involvement in social programs.
a. neoliberal
b. social conservative
c. fiscal conservative
d. Tea Party
12 Jon is a conservative who opposes government subsidies, such as welfare assistance for
citizens, but supports similar payments to corporations. What could easily be criticized about
Jon's political perspective?
a. It fails the American public.
b. It is too liberal for him to identify himself as a conservative.
c. It is illegal to provide government subsidies to corporations.
d. It is ideologically inconsistent.
13 What political party dominated Texas politics during the Reconstruction period that followed the
Civil War?
a. the anti-Houston Party
b. the Republican Party
c. the pro-Houston Party
d. the Democratic Party
14 After Reconstruction, Texas was a ________ state dominated by ________ party.
a. one-party; the Republican
b. multi-party; the Grange
c. two-party; neither
d. one-party; the Democratic
15 When ________ was elected governor of Texas in 1978, he became the first Republican to hold
that office since Reconstruction.
a. Rick Perry
b. Bill Clements
c. John Tower
d. George W. Bush
PAGE 3
Name: __________________
Class:
Date: _____________
16 In 1993, Kay Bailey Hutchison was the first ________ to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate.
a. Democrat
b. woman
c. Republican
d. Mexican American
17 In the 1996 presidential election, Bill Clinton was certain that he could be elected without
Texas's electoral votes, so his campaign effort focused on closely contested states where he
was more likely to win. This decision demonstrated
a. the acceptance by national Democratic candidates that Texas was a Republican state
and that its electoral votes were not needed for a Democratic presidential victory.
b. the prejudicial attitude the national Democratic party held toward Texas.
c. the acceptance by national Democratic candidates that Texas was a Democratic state
and that campaigning in Texas was not necessary to ensure a Democratic presidential
victory.
d. Bill Clinton's lack of resolve and the national Democratic party's inability to control its
candidates.
18 Following the 2012 General Election, the Republican Party in Texas maintained control of
a. all three branches of state government.
b. the senate but not the house.
c. the governor's office but not the house or senate.
d. the house but not the senate.
19 Compared with the politics of earlier years, Texas politics today is more ________ , or party
centered.
a. nonpartisan
b. dependent
c. partisan
d. independent
20 What term is used to describe internal feuding among a political party?
a. stratarchy
b. dealignment
c. factionalism
d. realignment
PAGE 4
Name: __________________
Class:
Date: _____________
21 What is a "yellow-dog Democrat"?
a. a Democrat who always votes for the Democratic candidate no matter who is running
b. a Republican who sometimes votes for a Democrat
c. a Democrat with ideologically inconsistent views
d. a Democrat whose main area of concern is animal rights
22 What political party successfully promoted agricultural issues and displaced the Republicans as
the "second" party in Texas during the 1890s?
a. the Libertarian Party
b. the Green Party
c. the Reform Party
d. the Populist Party
23 Elizabeth advocates minimizing government involvement at all levels while maximizing individual
freedom and rights. Elizabeth is most likely a member of the ________ Party.
a. Libertarian
b. Republican
c. Democratic
d. Green
24 What term does the text use to describe candidates who have no party affiliation?
a. third-party
b. rogue
c. independent
d. liberal
25 What criteria must independent candidates satisfy in order to get their name on the ballot for a
statewide office?
a. They must get a signed letter of candidacy endorsement from the current governor.
b. They must collect signatures equal to one percent of the total vote received by all
candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general election.
c. They must gain the approval of one representative of the Democratic Party and one
representative of the Republican Party.
d. They must collect signatures from ten percent of the total vote received by all
candidates for governor in the most recent gubernatorial general election.
PAGE 5
ANSWER KEY
Copy of
1. a
10. a
19. c
2. b
11. a
20. c
3. a
12. d
21. a
ANSWER KEY - Page 1
4. d
13. b
22. d
5. a
14. d
23. a
6. b
15. b
24. c
7. b
16. b
25. b
8. c
17. a
9. d
18. a