Political Ideology
This term describes how a person interprets the world around them and their fundamental political beliefs.
Ideology
These are the two major political parties in the United States.
Democrat and Republican
This color and animal are commonly associated with the Democratic Party.
Presidential elections occur once every this many years and in this month.
Every 4 years, November
This is the total number of electoral votes in the Electoral College.
538
A person who favors free enterprise, private ownership, and traditional social ideas would generally fall into this ideology.
Conservative
This type of political party has a realistic chance of winning representation in government.
Major Party
This color and animal are commonly associated with the Republican Party.
Red and Elephant
This amendment lowered the voting age to 18.
26th Amendment
A presidential candidate needs at least this many electoral votes to win the presidency.
270
This ideology generally favors progress, reform, individual freedom, and social programs.
Liberal
This type of minor party breaks away from a major party and is often associated with a strong political figure.
Splinter Party
How do minor parties influence politics without winning elections?
Ideas are adopted by the major parties
Can a presidential candidate receive more votes from individual voters but still lose the election? If so, name the system that brings about this decision.
Yes, electoral college
A state's number of electoral votes is based on its number of members in the House of Representatives plus this electors from this piece of congress.
Senate
This ideology is often described as being somewhere between conservative and liberal beliefs.
Moderate
A party centered around long-lasting political beliefs, such as the Socialist or Libertarian parties, is this type of minor party.
Ideological Party
Why is the United States considered a two-party system?
Two parties have been vying for power since the creation of the Constitution, minor parties do not gain a place in government unless they win by an election
Name three basic requirements for someone to be eligible to vote in the United States according to this unit.
18 years old, Registered to Vote, U.S. Citizen
Name two forms of media or campaign communication that can influence how people vote.
Televised debates, interviews, campaign advertisements, endorsements
Name all five positions that make up the political spectrum studied in this unit (IN ORDER).
Radical--Liberal--Moderate--Conservative--Reactionary
Name two things political parties do to help candidates or influence government.
Inform/activate supporters, nominate candidates, criticize the opposing party, and support elected officials
Explain one major difference between the general approaches of Democrats and Republicans toward the role of government.
Democrats generally favor a more active government role in areas such as regulation and social programs; Republicans generally favor less government involvement and emphasize traditional values and military spending.
Why was the Electoral College created at the Constitutional Convention of 1787?
To guard against uneducated or uninformed voters interfering with the process, to create balance to the process (small vs. big & Northern vs. Southern states)
A voter chooses a candidate because the candidate's position on an important issue matches the voter's beliefs. What aspect of voter behavior is influencing that decision?
Political ideology / beliefs about issues — specifically, the voter's views on an issue are influencing their voting decision.