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History & Theory
Q:
In times of political unrest or when a major political party splits, smaller parties will often arise and gain limited influence for a short period. Which of the following is NOT an example of a legitimate historical political party that existed and successfully participated in American politics?
A.Free Soil
B.Know-Nothing
C.Populist
D.Socialist
E.Nazi
Q:
The Whig Party was a major and dominant party for the 20 or so years immediately preceding the Civil War, even to the point of winning the presidency. By the 1850s the Whig Party began to witness very serious party divisions that led to its demise. What was the basis of this split?
A.serious differences over the legality and morality of slavery
B.differences over the relationship of the United States with the Republic of Texas
C.the Mexican War
D.disagreements over alliances with France
E.relations with Native American people as the nation expanded westward
Q:
By 1840, the formerly strong Democratic-Republican Party had been fatally damaged by the creation of Andrew Jackson's successful Democratic Party. Members of the remaining splinter group, realizing that they could not win the election, united with smaller factions to create a new and stronger opposition party. This new party was referred to as
A.Republicans.
B.Populists.
C.Anti-Slavery.
D.Temperance.
E.Whigs.
Q:
Which of the following was NOT a purpose of the earliest national party conventions?
A.selection of the party's presidential candidate by the delegates
B.selection of the vice president candidate
C.forum for open debate between the two major national political parties
D.adoption and articulation of the party platform
E.coordination of the activities of parties across the states in anticipation of the pending national elections
Q:
Which term refers to a document, or official statement, that outlines the political party's position on important policy issues?
A.statute
B.party platform
C.amicus curiae
D.declaration of intent
E.pre-emptive legislation
Q:
In the 1828 presidential election Andrew Jackson won easily against the candidates who had defeated him in an 1824 Electoral College upset. Jackson won this election decisively. Which of the following was NOT a result of this important election?
A.A new major party emerged almost overnight and immediately became a strong and lasting force in politics.
B.Political parties quickly realized the need to organize within the states to build a strong organizational base.
C.Political parties became larger and stronger.
D.Political parties began to hold national party conventions.
E.The dominant party influenced the enactment of legislation that solidified a one-party system by making it difficult to oppose this dominant party.
Q:
In 1824 Andrew Jackson won the popular vote for president but did not receive enough electoral votes to win outright. The vote was constitutionally thrown to the U.S. House of Representatives, which chose John Quincy Adams, the "number two" candidate. This outcome was a catalyst for Jackson to do what?
A.assume the office of president by force
B.run for a House of Representatives seat in the hopes of reforming the chamber
C.split from his party to create the new Democratic Party, and then win the 1828 election
D.fight for the remainder of his life for the abolition of political parties
E.fight for the abolition of the Electoral College
Q:
The Twelfth Amendment, ratified in 1804, helped to eliminate what problem that had existed in two of the earlier elections?
A.It corrected a frequent problem of having a president and vice president who were political enemies from different political parties.
B.It made the office of vice president an appointed position instead of an elected position.
C.It eliminated the problem of non-citizens casting votes for president.
D.It ensured that only landholders could vote for president.
E.It pushed elections back to the state level.
Q:
In the early 1800s the Democratic-Republican Party was the dominant force in American politics. Its only rival, the Federalist Party, was quickly losing power and prestige. It seems that the Democratic-Republicans would then have control to enact all the laws that they wanted. Instead, what happened?
A.The government banned political parties and the Democratic Republicans lost their dominance.
B.The Federalist Party regrouped and ousted the Democratic Republicans from power.
C.Factions began to appear within the ranks of the Democratic Republicans which would eventually lead to a split and formation of a new party.
D.The Democratic-Republican leadership graciously agreed to voluntarily share power with weaker political parties.
E.The Whig Party was created and it rose rapidly to overshadow the Democratic-Republicans.
Q:
Regional, or sectional, differences have existed in the American political arena since colonial times. These differences are evident in political party affiliations. Historically, where did the strongest support for Thomas Jefferson's Democratic-Republican Party lie?
A.in the larger cities
B.in the more liberal northern states
C.across the nation, because Jefferson was unique in that he was not opposed by the other major party
D.in the southern and mid-Atlantic states
E.west of the Mississippi River
Q:
The 1792 election was the first presidential race following the initial election of George Washington as first president, and Washington ran unopposed for his second term. Which of the following is true concerning this election?
A.Washington was the only candidate because he did not allow anyone to oppose him.
B.This was the first and the last presidential election in which there was no political party competition.
C.It was later learned that Britain's king was supportive of Washington's candidacy.
D.Political parties were illegal during this time so no legitimate competition could be formulated.
E.It marked the beginning of a long era of the one-party system of government in the United States.
Q:
In the late 1790s the Federalist Party had, among other things, sought to build a trade alliance with Britain. The Anti-Federalists were distrustful of Britain, especially in light of the war we had just fought. Instead the Anti-Federalists sought alliance and favorable relations with which country?
A.Germany
B.Japan
C.Canada
D.France
E.South Africa
Q:
Thomas Jefferson helped to create the Democratic-Republican Party in the 1790s. He criticized then-President George Washington as
A.being weak on illegal immigration.
B.being weak with our enemy.
C.assuming greater powers than those granted to the federal government by the Constitution.
D.being opposed to the military.
E.being a tax-and-spend liberal.
Q:
The primary concern of the Federalist Party in the late 1700s was
A.a strong national government.
B.powerful state governments.
C.alliances and peace with Native Americans.
D.state control of the military.
E.westward expansion.
Q:
President George Washington considered himself to be a member of which political party?
A.Tories
B.Whigs
C.Republicans
D.He did not join a party officially but was aligned with the Anti-Federalists.
E.He despised political parties and refused to endorse their presence in politics.
Q:
What was the primary stance of the Anti-Federalists of the late 1700s?
A.a strong central government and less autonomy in the state governments
B.world dominance
C.a weak federal government and strong state sovereignty
D.an alliance with the British government
E.one branch of government, that being the legislature
Q:
Though originally opposed to political parties, many Framers of the U.S. Constitution ultimately became strong party participants. This phenomenon is often considered to be proof of the
A.necessity of political parties in American government.
B.inconsistency of the early founders.
C.dishonesty of the early leaders.
D.power of the political parties to control thought.
E.weaknesses of the early founders.
Q:
Prior to the Revolutionary War, many citizens of the American colonies aligned themselves with the Whig Party, an organization that continued well into the 1800s. What was the primary stance of the colonial Whigs?
A.loyalty to the King of England
B.a new and independent American nation
C.world military dominance
D.abolition of slavery
E.control of the international shipping market by creation of a powerful navy
Q:
One of the prominent political parties in colonial America until the Revolutionary War was the Tory Party. What was the primary stance of the Tories?
A.control of health care, which should be provided by the government
B.aggressive military intervention in European affairs
C.support of an early form of Communism
D.overthrow of the British control
E.loyalty to Britain and the king
Q:
Though never explicitly intended, which of the following has been a positive benefit of the competition for power between the two major parties?
A.Competition has been successful in keeping the government weak and under control.
B.The struggles between the two parties have kept third parties from confusing the goals of democracy.
C.Competition has proven to be a significant check against tyranny.
D.The two parties have been able to retain control of the government in the proper hands.
E.Most observers doubt that there are any positive benefits from political parties.
Q:
Which of the following is the best definition of a political party?
A.An organization that seeks to win elections for the purpose of influencing the outputs of government
B.An organization that seeks to generate a profit from its control of government
C.A government agency that seeks to control government at local, state, and federal levels
D.A quasi-government agency that controls the government and minimizes competition of ideas
E.An organization that seeks to define values for Americans and to create methods to enforce those values
Q:
If a third-party candidate has no expectation of winning an election, what would be a positive reason for him/her to run for the presidential office?
A.to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the two major parties
B.to create doubts in the minds of citizens concerning the trustworthiness of government
C.to keep the successful major party from winning with a majority of the votes
D.to advocate for and raise awareness of a particular ideology or cause, and to garner support for the issue among voters
E.to advocate for overthrow of the two-party system in the United States
Q:
Which of the following is considered a positive role of political parties?
A.The constitutional role of political parties is to balance control of the legislative and executive branches.
B.Political parties control the government, thereby keeping government power in check.
C.The major political parties play a central role in running government at all levels, including organizing and providing context to voters.
D.Political parties stir dissent so that citizens do not trust their government too much.
E.Effective political parties successfully eliminate competition.
Q:
What was the opinion of political parties held by many of the Founders who drafted the U.S. Constitution?
A.The Founders held political parties in high regard and viewed them as proper and necessary for organizing the new government.
B.Political parties were viewed with great suspicion but were accepted as legitimate and necessary.
C.Political parties did not exist in the 1700s.
D.Political parties were distrusted and rejected as tools of the politically ambitious that tended to promote corruption and bias.
E.The Founders had no opinion concerning political parties.
Q:
In his Federalist No. 10 in 1787, James Madison elaborated on his fear of "factions" within the American democracy. In modern society, which of the following groups would Madison be most likely to identify as a faction?
A.business groups
B.religious groups
C.nonprofit organizations
D.political parties
E.federal government agencies
Q:
Which of the following is NOT an accurate comparison of American political parties to parties from most other democratic countries?
A.American parties have strong, clear, and focused ideological platforms.
B.American parties tend to alienate themselves to the ideological extremes during elections.
C.Parties in most democracies are strong and well organized, while American parties tend to be weaker organizationally.
D.American parties have strong, clear constituencies based along religious, social, and regional differences.
E.Unlike some European counterparts American parties cannot depend on unwavering support from their constituents.
Q:
According to the American Political Science Association, which of the following is NOT a role of political parties?
A.Offering clear programs to voters.
B.Developing policy positions and opinions.
C.Encouraging voter registration.
D.Working toward achieving the programs and policies they recommend when they are successful in elections.
E.Aggressively seeking to damage the opposite party's credibility.
Q:
What does the U.S. Constitution say about political parties?
A.The Constitution makes no mention of political parties.
B.The Constitution recognizes political parties but they are treated with suspicion and distrust.
C.The Constitution says that political parties are private organizations, but that due to their public importance the government must regulate them.
D.The Constitution originally banned political parties.
E.The Constitution says that political parties are subordinate to the executive branch.
Q:
The first presidential election in which political parties played a role was
A.the first election in 1788.
B.1792.
C.1860.
D.1912.
E.1960.
Q:
Discuss evidence that suggests the media may have a liberal bias. Discuss evidence that suggests the media may have a conservative bias. Which criticism do you find most persuasive toward contemporary media outlets?
Q:
Discuss key historical events that have shaped the modern media. How have events changed the media, to what extent has it remained the same?
Q:
Does today's media continue to serve the public interest? Are journalistic standards and existing regulations effective in promoting responsible news coverage?
Q:
Though the media has had a positive role in American society, it is very often criticized. Describe some of the criticisms of the privately owned media in a democracy such as the United States.
Q:
How has mass media changed in the past 50 years? Describe some of these changes and how they have impacted our political arena.
Q:
The American press is often referred to as the fourth branch of government and the government watchdog. Describe what is meant by these labels. Give some examples of the press exercising the roles associated with these terms.
Q:
How has the U.S. Supreme Court interpreted the First Amendment's freedom of the press and applied it to mass media? Give examples of some court cases.
Q:
How has the government regulated media throughout American history? Describe the role of the Federal Communications Commission in this process of regulation.
Q:
Which of the following institutions receives the least media coverage?
A.the House of Representatives
B.the Senate
C.the president
D.the Supreme Court
E.Congress
Q:
A ________ is a live event where the president addresses the nation directly.
A.press release
B.press briefing
C.press conference
D.penny press
E.press backgrounder
Q:
In 2008, young voters typically relied more heavily on ________ for news about the campaign?
A.Newsweek
B.penny press
C.PBS
D.the Internet
E.conversations with family members
Q:
Which of the following is a modern example of citizen journalism?
A.The Colbert Report
B.the Drudge Report
C.public opinion polls
D.network affiliates
E.blogs
Q:
Agenda setting is
A.the ability of the media to influence which issues the public thinks government should address.
B.the tendency to remember only those news stories that are consistent with one's predispositions.
C.the ability of the media to influence the public's opinions on issues.
D.the media's focus on scandal and corruption.
E.the public's ability to determine what issues the media covers.
Q:
Why do the media typically have little influence on public opinion?
A.because the media are required to present both sides of a story, leaving little room to influence public opinion
B.because the media are owned by the same corporations who conduct public opinion polls
C.because people tend to ignore all political information from the media due to its well-known biases
D.because public opinion is static and seldom changes
E.because people typically pay attention only to media coverage that is consistent with their political preferences
Q:
President George W. Bush
A.holds the record for the fewest press conferences.
B.has the record for most press conferences.
C.held about the same number of press conferences monthly as did his father.
D.held about the same number of press conferences as Bill Clinton.
E.was criticized for not personally appearing at any press conferences
Q:
Libel is
A.the ideological opposition to conservative.
B.bias in the news favoring Democrats.
C.verbal defamation of character.
D.written defamation of character.
E.is protected under the First Amendment.
Q:
Those who think the media has a conservative bias point to
A.the fact that most journalists are registered Republicans.
B.the corporate interests of the companies who own the media outlets.
C.the influence of Hollywood elites on broadcast news and Rupert Murdock on print media.
D.the fact that those who write the stories are usually conservative.
E.the influence of Fox News.
Q:
What evidence is used by those who contend that the media has a liberal bias?
A.Most journalists vote for Democrats.
B.Those who own media outlets are typically liberal.
C.Those who purchase advertising are typically liberal.
D.Newspapers are more likely to endorse Democratic presidential candidates than Republicans.
E.Most Democratic candidates have been employed by media outlets.
Q:
Gavel-to-gavel coverage of Congress is provided by
A.CNN.
B.MSNBC.
C.C-SPAN.
D.PBS.
E.NPR.
Q:
Which of the following statements about CNN and Fox News is most accurate?
A.Fox News is more liberal than CNN.
B.Fox News has a more pronounced ideological tilt than does CNN.
C.CNN has a more pronounced ideological tilt than does Fox News.
D.The ideological tilt of Fox News and CNN are approximately equal.
E.Fox News has a strong conservative tilt and CNN has a strong liberal tilt.
Q:
Today, most Americans get their news from
A.newspapers.
B.television.
C.radio.
D.news magazines.
E.the Internet.
Q:
Which of the following is the correct chronological order of journalistic eras?
A.Muckraking, yellow journalism, the penny press, the partisan press
B.The partisan press, yellow journalism, the penny press, muckraking
C.Yellow journalism, the penny press, muckraking, the partisan press
D.The penny press, muckraking, the partisan press, yellow journalism
E.The partisan press, the penny press, yellow journalism, muckraking
Q:
The penny press
A.typically cost about 10 cents.
B.attempted to attract more readers by being nonpartisan.
C.focused on serious news and avoided publishing political scandals.
D.were owned and operated by political parties.
E.were tools used by political machines to reward their supporters and punish their detractors.
Q:
Which of the following theories suggests that while the effects of exposure may be minimal or difficult to gauge, the media are quite influential in telling the public what to think about?
A.cultivation theory
B.social learning theory
C.minimal effects theory
D.agenda setting theory
E.hypnotic theory
Q:
Which of the following theories proposes that viewers imitate what they see on television?
A.cultivation theory
B.social learning theory
C.minimal effects theory
D.agenda setting theory
E.hypnotic theory
Q:
Which of the following is NOT one of the most common criticisms of the news media?
A.Large conglomerates such Knight Rider risk monopolizing the news outlets.
B.Private ownership means that profits are the primary goal, which results in truth and responsibility becoming secondary.
C.Increased profit-seeking increases the likelihood of sensationalism.
D.News outlets tend to be politically biased, and that bias shows in their programming and reporting.
E.News media have a right to report on personal matters of the president if those events have a public impact.
Q:
Which of the following is NOT one of the programming entities created by the federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)?
A.National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC)
B.Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
C.National Public Radio (NPR)
D.American Public Media (APM)
E.Public Radio International (PRI)
Q:
In 1967, Congress provided funding to create the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which is responsible for
A.redirecting some of the profitability of televised media to the U.S. Treasury.
B.creating non-commercial public television and radio programming.
C.creating an in-house news source designed to present the government's side of issues.
D.providing national entertainment and movies.
E.Internet-based programming and information dissemination.
Q:
Internet users are more likely to be younger, middle and upper class, better educated, and non-minorities. This phenomenon is referred to as the
A.digital divide.
B.generation gap.
C.racial disparity.
D.economic disproportionalism.
E.literacy gap.
Q:
The most recently developed and widely used forms of Internet media for disseminating personal opinion and information have been
A.email lists.
B.blogs.
C.listservs.
D.online newspapers.
E.mass mailings.
Q:
The first graphical Internet browser was MOSAIC, which soon went commercial and became widely utilized in which year?
A.1955
B.1960
C.1983
D.1993
E.2004
Q:
Which of the following would NOT be included in a list of "new media"?
A.cell phones
B.DVDs
C.fax machines
D.cable television
E.magazines
Q:
Though there was a 25 percent decline in the number of newspapers over the past century, how many daily newspapers are still published in the United States today?
A.nearly 100
B.about 250
C.about 700
D.about 1,500
E.about 10,000
Q:
Which of the following is NOT an example of electronic media?
A.the Internet
B.television
C.radio
D.telephone
E.movies
Q:
Presidents have different talents and characteristics. President Clinton was very confident in press conferences, while other presidents have preferred different methods. Which of the following is NOT one of the mediums that President George W. Bush has often used and preferred when addressing Americans?
A.live television press conferences
B.weekly scheduled radio addresses
C.staged events
D.one-on-one interviews with preferred reporters
E.taped, televised speeches
Q:
Every president since Eisenhower has used what medium to address the nation at least weekly?
A.newsletters
B.mass mailings
C.live television
D.radio
E.email
Q:
How did President Kennedy change the way in which the executive branch used television?
A.Kennedy ran advertisements that advocated for his programs.
B.Kennedy used television to address Congress.
C.Kennedy gave the first televised State of the Union address.
D.Kennedy was the first to use live television during a press conference, which increased his approval ratings.
E.Kennedy used television to address his foreign opponents.
Q:
While presidents for many years have held press conferences and answered reporters' questions, it was President Eisenhower who changed the format. How did Eisenhower hold his press conferences?
A.Eisenhower invited reporters to the White House for the first time.
B.Eisenhower allowed a press pool which included any reporter of a major newspaper who wished to attend.
C.Eisenhower was the first president to use the radio as a medium to reach Americans.
D.Eisenhower was the first to hold regular televised news conferences with unscripted questions.
E.Eisenhower was televised, but the questioning was very rigid and the answers had to be preapproved, since he was U.S. military general.
Q:
From a politically strategic standpoint, how has television benefited political candidates, as compared to radio?
A.It costs much less than radio advertising.
B.It is less expensive than radio, though radio reaches more potential voters.
C.It has allowed them to develop an "image" through carefully planned media appearances and advertisements.
D.There is little difference in benefit between radio and television.
E.It has increased the voter turnout in elections.
Q:
Televised presidential debates have been held every election year since
A.1960Kennedy/Nixon.
B.1964Johnson/Goldwater.
C.1976Ford/Carter.
D.1988Bush/Dukakis.
E.1992Clinton/Dole.
Q:
John Kennedy was clearly the favorite over Richard Nixon in the presidential debate that was broadcast in black and white. His look was sharp, tanned, and relaxed, and his suit contrasted with the background. When radio listeners were surveyed about the debate, what was the result?
A.They also gave the debate to Kennedy.
B.They could not contrast the visual presence of the two candidates and they felt that Nixon gave better answers.
C.They reported that they could not make a determination about the winner without having seen the candidates.
D.They preferred their medium to television.
E.They reported no difference between the two candidates or mediums.
Q:
When were the first television advertisements sold to major party candidates in a presidential election?
A.1920
B.1932
C.1940
D.1952
E.1960
Q:
Television was available to consumers by the mid-1930s, but when did it become widely adopted as a medium for getting news about politics and the world?
A.prior to World War II
B.during the manufacturing boom of World War II
C.during the post-war economic boom following World War II
D.during the early 1960s
E.during the late 1970s
Q:
Which of the following represented the first televised presidential debate?
A.1932Hoover/Roosevelt
B.1948Truman/Dewey
C.1960Kennedy/Nixon
D.1968Humphrey/Nixon
E.1980Reagan/Mondale
Q:
The first political "talk show" was
A.distributed on news reel to movie theaters prior to World War II.
B.Joe Pyne's show in 1950 on KABC radio.
C.Walter Cronkite's news broadcasts of the 1960s on ABC television.
D.developed with the advent of cable news, such as CNN, in the 1970s.
E.Meet the Press on television in the 1960s.
Q:
What was the impact of the invention and distribution of radio in the early twentieth century?
A.It reached the first truly mass media audiences.
B.It improved commercial marketing for advertisers.
C.It proved problematic in that enemy nations could monitor American transmissions.
D.It exposed an income gap in that most Americans could not afford the device.
E.It was a nice invention but was overshadowed by the power of the printed media.
Q:
Who was the first president to use radio to communicate with constituents?
A.Abraham Lincoln in 1865
B.Theodore Roosevelt in 1901
C.Franklin Roosevelt in 1932
D.John Kennedy in 1960
E.Ronald Reagan in 1980
Q:
Though newspapers were very partisan in the early 1800s, by about 1850 they began to distance themselves from particular partisan positions. What was the result of this decision?
A.Readership suffered considerably.
B.Political parties removed all financial support from newspapers, which had a negative effect on growth for nearly 30 years.
C.Readership declined because the news was considered boring without the heated twist of partisanship.
D.Readership increased.
E.Advertisers withdrew support and profitability declined.
Q:
Which term was coined to describe the low cost of distributing newspapers in the early 1800s?
A.cheap news
B.abundant return
C.fluid news
D.cost dissemination
E.the "penny press"
Q:
Why was the 1815 invention of the rotary press so important to news efforts?
A.It enabled the mass production of newspapers.
B.It enabled the creation of electronic transmission of news.
C.It had no significant effect on news production.
D.It improved objectivity in reporting.
E.It allowed the printing of newspapers in multiple languages.
Q:
How did railroad expansion impact the news in the mid-1800s?
A.Railroads owned the newspaper so the increased profits of the railroads allowed expansion of the new outlets.
B.Railroads opened up remote areas, but the areas were controlled by non-American forces and the impact on news dissemination was negative.
C.Railroads had no impact on the media.
D.Expansion of railroads into frontiers and remote areas allowed for mass distribution of newspaper and mail.
E.Railroads were controlled by the dominant political party, which also controlled how and if the news was distributed to remote areas.