UNIT 2 Answer Key
CHAPTER 5

IV. Section 4: Party Organization
A. Structure
Federalism, nominating
B. Organization at the National Level
1. convention
2. chairperson
C. State and Local Organization
1. election, caucuses
2. wards

Prereading and Vocabulary 2
1. should cut back on expensive government programs Sample definition: Conservatives believe in cutting costs and government programs.
2. came to vote
Sample definition: The electorate is the group of people who are allowed to vote.
3. voted at the polling place, elementary school Sample definition: A precinct is a small area from which all the residents report to vote at one location.
4. wards
5. bipartisan
6. nominate
7. Liberals
8. resign

CHAPTER 5 Section 1
Reading Comprehension 3
1. Answers for rankings will vary.
Historical basis: The two-party system is rooted in the beginnings of the U.S., when the ratification of the Constitution gave rise to the first two parties.
Tradition: Most Americans accept the idea of a two-party system simply because there has always been one.
Electoral system: Since only one winner per office comes out of each election, voters have only two viable choices—the candidate of the party holding office or the candidate with the best chance of replacing the current officeholder. Voters tend to think of a vote for a minor party candidate as a wasted vote. Republicans and
Democrats work together in a bipartisan way to write election laws to make it hard for a minor party or independent candidate to win elective office.
Ideological consensus: Compared with other countries, the U.S. has been free of longstanding disputes based on economic class, social status, religious beliefs, or national origin. As a result, there is a lot of common ground between the two major parties, although they disagree on specific policies. 2.