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25 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Political Party |
An organization combining activists and potential officeholders, whose purpose is to determine who will hold office. |
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Mobilization |
Energizing of large numbers of people to act together. |
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First Party System |
The period from 1800 and 1820, which was marked by the appearance of the new Democratic-Republican Party and the gradual decline of their opponents, the Federalists. |
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Era of Good Feelings |
A brief period centering on the election of 1820 when the Federalists were in sharp decline and there was no organized opposition to the dominant Democratic-Republican Party. |
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Whig Party |
A party active from 1830 to the verge of the Civil War; it opposed the extension of presidential power and supported development of transportation and infrastructure. |
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Second Party System |
The period from the early 1830s until just before the Civil War, which was marked by rivalry between the Democratic Party and the Whigs. |
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Political Machines |
A party organization providing its supporters with benefits such as city jobs and other favors, and in return controlling them politically. |
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Patronage |
Financial rewards (especially public jobs) given to people in return for their political support. |
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Progressive Movement |
A movement of mostly middle-class reformers in the early twentieth century who worked to eliminate machine politics. |
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Direct Primary |
An election to determine a party's nominee for a general election. |
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Civil Service Laws |
Laws requiring that public jobs be filled on the basis of competitive examinations. |
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Split-ticket Voting |
When several candidates for different offices appear on a ballot, the practice of voting for a candidate of one party for one office and a candidate of another party for another office. |
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Critical Election |
An election that causes the bases of support for the two main parties to change fairly suddenly. |
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Electoral Realignment |
A new and lasting rearrangement of the geographic and social bases of support for the parties, ushered in by a critical election. |
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Party in the Electorate |
The party's supporters in the electorate, including those who identify with the party and vote for it and activists who campaign for it. |
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Party Organization |
A formal structure that conducts managerial and legal tasks for the party. |
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Party in Government |
The elected officials of a party, who organize themselves along party lines. |
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National Committee |
A committee that oversees the day-to-day business of the political parties at the national level. |
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National Nominating Convention |
A national gathering of delegates to choose a political party's presidential nominee, write a platform of policy positions, and transact other national party business. |
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Party Platform |
A set of policy positions adopted by a party at its national nominating convention. |
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Congressional Campaign Committees |
Four committees, two for each party in the Senate and the House of Representatives, that recruit able candidates for Senate or House seats and raise money for congressional campaigns. |
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Two-Party System |
A party system with two, and only two, parties that regularly nominate candidates with a serious chance of winning office. |
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Multiparty System |
A party system in which three or more parties regularly have a significant chance of gaining office. |
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Third Parties |
Small political parties that are so greatly handicapped by the single-member, plurality electoral system in the United States and other obstacles that they have a low probability of winning office. |
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Responsible Party Government |
Doctrine stating that parties should present clear alternative programs and enact them faithfully once in office. |
