Creation/Dissolution of Political Parties and Sources of Support Including Major Elections
-
Ratification Struggle
The ratification struggle was the precursor to politcal parties. The Federalists wanted to ratify the Consitution, but the Anti-Federalists didn't want to. These groups became the first political parties in the United States, the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. Prominent Federalists included Hamilton and John Adams; Washington opposed the two-party system, but held many Federalist beliefs. Democratic-Republicans included Jefferson and Madison. -
Period: to
Political Machines
Political machines were unofficial, local organizations with the goal of maintaining a certain party’s power within a city. There was a “boss” who lead each city’s machine and influenced the city politics. The boss often made gestures to help the poor of the city, gaining support, but actually worked to benefit himself and corrupt politicians. In New York City, Tammany Hall, a Democratic political machine, controlled politics from the 1830s to the 1930s. -
The Election of 1796
The election of 1796 was the first election in which the president was not elected unanimously. The success of the election helped to show that the new government would work long term. -
Election of 1800
Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, beat the incumbent,John Adams, a Federalist. This election is often called the "Revolution of 1800" because it was the first time power was transferred peacefully between political parties in the US. Aaron Burr, who was supposed to be the vice president, made the claim that he had won the presidency because he had recieved the same amount of votes as Jefferson. This lead to the twelfth amendment to the Constitution. -
Period: to
Era of Good Feelings
During this era, the Democratic-Republican political party was unopposed. The Era of Good Feelings closely coincides with Monroe's presidency. -
Democratic-Republicans become Democrats
Democratic-Republicans begin calling themselves Democrats. -
Period: to
Whig Party
In 1834, the Democratic-Republican Party split into the Democratic Party and the Whig Party. The Whig Party opposed Andrew Jackson, a Democrat. -
Period: to
Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party was made up of anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats. Members of the Free Soil Party opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. The party was only focused on one issue, so it had limited success in national elections. However, the Republican Party soon adopted the same position on slavery, and members of the Free Soil Party became Republicans. -
Period: to
The American (Know-Nothing) Party
The American Party, or the Know-Nothing Party, was created to oppose Catholicism and immigration. -
Republican Party founded
The Republican Party was founded to oppose the expansion of slavery, then its platform expanded to include other reform movements of the time, such as temperance. Members of the Free-Soil and Know-Nothing parties also joined the Republican Party. -
First Republican Elected
The first Republican to be elected President was Abraham Lincoln. -
Greenback party/ movement
Greenbacks were paper money not backed by gold or silver. The Greenback movement advocated for the use of 'greenbacks' as opposed to silver or gold. -
Populist and People's Party
The People's party, also known as the Populist Party, came into place in 1891. The party stood for the rights of the unskilled laborer and against trusts or monopolies. They advocated for and eight hour work day and the use of silver for money. The party was also formed in response to the extremely high McKinley Tariff. The party joined with the Democrats in an attempt to nominate William Jennings Bryan in 1896, but they lost, effectively ending the populist party. -
William Howard Taft Elected
Taft a republican, ran against William Jennings Bryan, a democrat. Theodore Roosevelt gave Taft his support, believing that Taft would follow in his footsteps in progressivism, but he did not. Taft was a trust buster, but he was not as much of a progressive as the other presidents of the era. -
Progressive (Bull Moose) Party
Theodore Roosevelt created the Progressive Party (Bull Moose Party) to oppose Taft, as Roosevelt disagreed with Taft's more conservative policies. The party favored Progressivism and New Nationalism (a strong federal government to regulate the economy and protect citizens' welfare). The existence of the party split the vote of the Republicans, giving the election to Woodrow Wilson -
Election of 1912
Roosevelt (Bull Moose), Taft (Republican), Wilson (Democrat), and Debs (Socialist) ran for President. Roosevelt's candidacy split the Republican vote, allowing Wilson to win the election. Roosevelt ran on New Nationalism: women's rights, enivronmental reform and stronger government. Wilson ran on New Freedom: smaller business, lower tariffs, and smaller government. Eugene Debs proposed radical ideas, while Taft was a more conservative candidate. -
Warren G Harding Elected
His election showed that the public wanted a recovery after the war and did not have the energy for Progressivism. Harding was a conervative Republican. His presidency was filled with scandal because he appointed his friends to high positions. Interior Secretary Albert Fall took a $400,000 bribe, leasing out federal oil reserves to private companies in the Teapot Dome scandal. These scandals reflected poorly on Harding. Harding lowered taxes, increased tariffs and ignored anti-trust laws. -
Election of 1928
Herbert Hoover ran against Al Smith, the first Catholic presidential candidate. Herbert Hoover won by a landslide because people were afraid that, while in office, Al Smith would be too heavily influenced by the Pope. -
Period: to
New Deal Coalition
The New Deal Coalition supported FDR and the Democratic Party from FDR's election to the early 1960s. The coalition was made up of Democratic machines, labor unions, blue collar workers, racial minorities, Catholics, and southerners. -
Election of 1932
By 1932, the Great Depression had devastated the U.S. Many blamed the Depression on Hoover's reluctance to expand the federal government's power beyond constitutional bounds. FDR, however, believed that the federal government's role was to care for Americans. FDR, the Democrat, defeated Hoover, the Republican incumbent, in the election. -
Period: to
Second Red Scare
The Second Red Scare was a period when Americans feared that communist powers were affecting the government and society. Some communists were accurately identified, but some politicians only accused others of being communist in order to gain political power. Joseph McCarthy was known to accuse others of being communist without providing any evidence. Although many Americans did not believe McCarthy, widespread fear of the left led to increased support for the Republican Party. -
Second Progressive Party
The second Progressive Party was a group of liberal Democrats and communists. In the presidential election of 1948, the Porgressive Party nominated Henry Wallace. -
States' Rights Party ("Dixiecrat Party")
The States' Rights Party (called the "Dixicrat Party") was made up of southern segregationists. Members of the States' Rights Party were formerly Democrats. The States' Rights Party nominated Strom Thurmond as their candidate in the presidential election of 1948. -
Election of 1948
The four candidates in the election of 1948 were Truman (Democrat), Dewey (Republican), Thurmond (States' Rights), and Wallace (Progressive). Dewey, a moderate Republican, supposed the Democratic Party was weakened by the two third parties. However, the radical ideas of the third parties solidified the New Deal coalition's support for Truman. -
Period: to
New conservatives
New conservatives supported traditional American ideals. They opposed the Supreme Court's liberal decisions of the time, Eisenhower's moderate principles, and Lyndon Johnson's Great Society. -
Election of 1952
Eisenhower won the election in part because the Second Red Scare during this period gave Republicans an advantage in the election after several Democratic presidents were in office. Eisenhower was a moderate Republican, so he favored some conservative policies (lower taxes and federal budget and states' rights), but also favored some progressive policies (expanding Social Security and raising the minimum wage). -
Shift in the GOP
The GOP becomes a party opposed to Lyndon Johnson's liberal policies, becoming more conservative and dominated by Americans from the South and West. (The party used to be moderate, with most of its support coming from Americans in the East.) During this election the 'solid south' broke thier streak of voting Denocratic and voted Republican in favor of Barry Goldwater.
