Political Parties
Two Party System in American
History
Federalist Party
• The battle over the ratification
of the Constitution led to the
rise of the first major parties.
• The Federalist Party was
formed by supporters of the
Constitution.
– Wanted a strong national
government
– Strong financial, commercial and
manufacturing interest.
Democratic-Republican Party
• Opposing the Federalists was the
Democratic –Republican Party
• It wanted a more limited
national government, with
policies aimed at helping
farmers, planters, labor and
small business.
• Favored a strict interpretation of
the USC
Democratic Party
• The election of 1796 was the
first time two parties fought
for the presidency.
• Federalist won with the
election of John Adams – but
faded after losing the 1800
election
• Democratic-Republicans later
split and gave rise to the
Democratic Party of today.
Era of the Democrats
• The Democratic Party won 13 of 15
presidential elections from 1800 to 1860.
• In the 1830s, President Jackson began a
period of so-called Jacksonian Democracy,
marked by three major political changes:
– Voting rights extended to all white males (not just
property owners)
– Increase in the number of elected offices
– Spread of the Spoils system
Spoils System
• Practice of awarding the
public offices, contracts,
and other governmental
favors to those who
supported the party in
power
– Corrupt practice eventually
replaced with civil service
system
Democrats v. Whigs
• Democrats drew much of
their support from small
farmers, pioneers, and
slaveholders in the South
and West.
• Their greatest rivals were
the Whigs, who were
supported by wealthier
merchants and industrial
interests in the East.
Democrats v. Whigs
• The debate over slavery split
the Whigs and the
Democrats apart in the 1850s
• The Democrats were split
between northern and
southern factions
• Many Whigs and Anti-slavery
Democrats joined the new
Republican Party in 1854.
Era of the Republicans
• The Republican Party won 14 of 18 elections from
1860 to 1932.
• The Civil War crippled the Democrats.
– All their power was concentrated in the South, which
they controlled for 100 years after Reconstruction
ended.
• The Republican dominated nationally
– Supported by famers, laborers, business, and freed
African Americans
– Benefited from years of economic prosperity.
Economic Turmoil
• An Economic Panic of 1896 made the election
of 1896 critical.
• Labor Unions joined small farmers and
business owners to back the Democrats.
• Republicans won by appealing to a wider
range of voters, but the Democrats gained
support outside of the South.
End of the Republican Era
• What third Party Candidate
had an influence on the
election of 1912?
– Teddy Roosevelt, a republican,
ran as a third party candidate
and split the Republican vote
– Helped Democrat Woodrow
Wilson to win election
Return of the Democrats
• The Democrats won 7 out of 9 presidential
elections from 1932-1968
• The Great Depression sparked the comeback
of the Democrats
– With the economy in ruins, democrats gained
support of:
• Southerners, small farmers, big-city politicians, labor
unions, and minority groups.
Era of Divided Government
• The Republicans won 7 out of 10 presidential
elections from 1968 -2004
• The Democrats controlled Congress for most
of this time.
– Republicans controlled Congress from 1995-2000
while Bill Clinton was in office.
• The division of power meant that neither
party could easily control the agenda of the
government – compromise not easy!
Republicans in the 1980s
• The Republicans made
major changes to U.S.
foreign trade and
domestic policy during
this time.
– Ronald Reagan and George
H.W. Bush won elections
by landslides.
Political Parties Today
• In recent years, Control of Congress,
particularly the Senate, has shifted back and
forth between the major parties.
• Typically, newly elected Presidents have a
“coattail” effect that brings other candidates
from his party to Congress
• Recently, this has not been the case – leading
to gridlock in Washington D.C.
Questions to Ponder
• What does divided government mean?
• What characterizes the present political era
that began in 1968? (explain)
• Do you think divided government comes
closer to the ideal the Framers intended?
WHY?