Midterm Review Questions

 

Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper.

 

A. Answer these questions.  You can use bullet points for your answers.

 

1. List four sources that influence people’s political ideology.

2. List four methods of political participation.

3. Explain four effects of the decline in political parties.

4. Explain four reasons why parties have been in decline. 

5. Explain five advantages that incumbents have over challengers.

6. List three reasons why minor parties have so much trouble winning elections today.

7. List four differences between presidential and Congressional campaigns.

8. Describe four effects of the 1974 reforms to elections and campaigns.

9. List six ways that the media has contributed to candidate-centered campaigns

10. List five methods that interest groups use to influence policy makers.

11. List six ways that election campaigns have changed as the result of changes in the media in the past 5-10 years.

 

12. What were five weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation and how did the Constitution improve on these weaknesses?

 

13. What were four criticisms that Antifederalists had of the Constitution?

14. Explain four advantages of federalism.

15. Explain four disadvantages of federalism.

 

B. Based on what you’ve learned from the election this year, give examples of the following themes we’ve talked about this year.

 

1.      Weak parties – candidates bucking their party

 

2.      Feeding frenzy in the media

 

3.      Running to the extremes in a primary and to the center in the general election

 

4.      Focus on the horserace or candidate personally rather than issues

 

5.      Negative advertising: effective or not?

 

6.      The importance of GOTV efforts

 

7.      The influence of interest groups

 

8.      The importance of independent groups

 

9.      In importance of new media (blogs, Internet, talk radio, etc.)