1776 to 2015 The Road to a One Party System Part One
In sections through the final System
In the beginning George Washington had no need of a political party membership. He chose Jefferson and Hamilton of the Democratic Republicans and the Federalists to assist in setting up the new government.
First Two Party System - 1792 to 1828
Features Federalists Hamilton v. Democratic Republicans Jefferson
The Federalists Favored strong central government."Loose" interpretation of the Constitution.Encouragement of commerce and manufacturing.Strongest in Northeast.Favored close ties with Britain.Emphasized order and stability.
The Democratic Republicans Emphasized states' rights."Strict" interpretation of the Constitution.Preference for agriculture and rural life.Strength in South and West.Foreign policy sympathized with France.Stressed civil liberties and trust in the people
[In practice, these generalizations were often blurred and sometimes contradicted.]
Second Two-Party System Jacksonian Democrats (who grew into the modern Democratic Party), and the Whig Party. Democrats v. Whigs, 1829 to 1854
The Democrats were the party of tradition. Looked backward to the past. Spoke to the fears of Americans. Opposed banks and corporations as. state-legislated economic privilege.Opposed state-legislated reforms and preferred individual freedom of choice.Were Jeffersonian agrarians who favored farms and rural independence and the right to own slaves.Favored rapid territorial expansion by purchase or war. Believed in progress through external growth.
The Southern branch of the Democrats held an ideology of agrarianism, slavery, states rights, territorial expansion.
The Early Whigs: were a party of modernization. Looked forward to the future.Spoke to the hopes of Americans.Wanted to use federal and state government to promote economic growth, especially transportation and banks.Advocated reforms such as temperance, public schools and prison conditions.Were entrepreneurs who favored industry and urban growth and free labor.Favored gradual territorial expansion over time and opposed the Mexican War.Believed in progress through internal growth
Whig ideology of urbanization, industrialization, federal rights, commercial expansion was favored in the North.
Mid-19th (1800's) Century Political Crisis
Disputes over slavery in the territories first erode, then destroy what had become America's second two-party system. The erosion began in the 1840s as various factions opposed to the post-Jackson Democratic political coalition begin to form.
The Liberty Party: was an early advocate of the abolitionist cause. It broke away from the American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) to advocate the view that the Constitution was an anti-slavery document; The AASS, held the contrary view that the Constitution should be condemned as an evil pro-slavery document. The party included abolitionists who were willing to work within electoral politics to try to influence people to support their goals; the radical Garrison, by contrast, opposed voting and working within the system. Many members went on to form the Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party: ran abolitionist candidate for president in 1844 .Won 2% of the vote but drew votes from the Whigs, especially in New York.Not abolitionist but opposed to expansion of slavery in the territories.Won 10% of popular vote in 1848.Lost 50% of support in 1852 when their candidate repudiated the Compromise of 1850. Merged with the Republicans.
The Whigs continued : Split over slavery into:
Southern Whigs - Cotton Whigs who drifted into the Democratic Party.
Northern Whigs - Conscience" Whigs moved to Free Soil and later to the Republican Party.
American Republican or Know Nothing: were described in todays terms as the wingnuts of the 1800s. A Nativist meaning anti-immigration group especially Germans and Catholics.Absorbed by Republicans after 1856. Their platform -
Repeal of all Naturalization Laws.Americans only for office. An American Common School system. War on political Romanism.Opposed to formation of Military units composed of Foreigners. The advocacy of a sound, healthy and safe Nation. Hostility to all Papal influences. American Constitutions & American sentiments. Harsher Emigration Laws.
Full Protection to Protestant Interests. Follow doctrines of Washington.
Send back all foreign paupers.Form societies to protect American interests.Enmity to all attempting to carry out the principles of a foreign Church or State.Our Country, our whole Country, and nothing but our Country. American Laws, and American Legislation, and Death to all foreign influences
Third System 1854 to 1890 The emergence of the anti-slavery Republican Party.
American Party: Formed in 1854 when a coalition of Independent Democrats, Free Soilers, and Conscience Whigs united in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.Stressed free labor and opposed the extension of slavery in the territories ("Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men!").
Greenback Party (known successively as the Independent Party, the National Independent Party, and the Greenback Labor Party) was anti-monopoly ideology active between 1874 and 1889. The party fielded Presidential tickets three times — in the elections of 1876, 1880, and 1884, before fading away.
The party's name referred to the non-gold backed paper money, known as "greenbacks", issued by the North during the American Civil War and shortly afterward. Opposed deflationary lowering of prices paid to producers by a return to a bullion-based monetary system. Continued use of unbacked currency would better foster business and assist farmers by raising prices and making debts easier to pay.
Initially an agrarian organization associated with the policies of the Grange, from 1878 the organization took the name Greenback Labor Party and attempted to forge a farmer-labor alliance, adding industrial reforms to its agenda, such as support of the 8-hour day and opposition to the use of state or private force to suppress union strikes. The organization faded into oblivion in the second half of the 1880s, reborn shortly under the aegis of the People's Party or the "Populists."
Like today there were differing viewpoints. Unlike today the opposition to those in power were able to form a coalition putting the major goals first and leaving the differences until later.
In the beginning George Washington had no need of a political party membership. He chose Jefferson and Hamilton of the Democratic Republicans and the Federalists to assist in setting up the new government.
First Two Party System - 1792 to 1828
Features Federalists Hamilton v. Democratic Republicans Jefferson
The Federalists Favored strong central government."Loose" interpretation of the Constitution.Encouragement of commerce and manufacturing.Strongest in Northeast.Favored close ties with Britain.Emphasized order and stability.
The Democratic Republicans Emphasized states' rights."Strict" interpretation of the Constitution.Preference for agriculture and rural life.Strength in South and West.Foreign policy sympathized with France.Stressed civil liberties and trust in the people
[In practice, these generalizations were often blurred and sometimes contradicted.]
Second Two-Party System Jacksonian Democrats (who grew into the modern Democratic Party), and the Whig Party. Democrats v. Whigs, 1829 to 1854
The Democrats were the party of tradition. Looked backward to the past. Spoke to the fears of Americans. Opposed banks and corporations as. state-legislated economic privilege.Opposed state-legislated reforms and preferred individual freedom of choice.Were Jeffersonian agrarians who favored farms and rural independence and the right to own slaves.Favored rapid territorial expansion by purchase or war. Believed in progress through external growth.
The Southern branch of the Democrats held an ideology of agrarianism, slavery, states rights, territorial expansion.
The Early Whigs: were a party of modernization. Looked forward to the future.Spoke to the hopes of Americans.Wanted to use federal and state government to promote economic growth, especially transportation and banks.Advocated reforms such as temperance, public schools and prison conditions.Were entrepreneurs who favored industry and urban growth and free labor.Favored gradual territorial expansion over time and opposed the Mexican War.Believed in progress through internal growth
Whig ideology of urbanization, industrialization, federal rights, commercial expansion was favored in the North.
Mid-19th (1800's) Century Political Crisis
Disputes over slavery in the territories first erode, then destroy what had become America's second two-party system. The erosion began in the 1840s as various factions opposed to the post-Jackson Democratic political coalition begin to form.
The Liberty Party: was an early advocate of the abolitionist cause. It broke away from the American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) to advocate the view that the Constitution was an anti-slavery document; The AASS, held the contrary view that the Constitution should be condemned as an evil pro-slavery document. The party included abolitionists who were willing to work within electoral politics to try to influence people to support their goals; the radical Garrison, by contrast, opposed voting and working within the system. Many members went on to form the Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party: ran abolitionist candidate for president in 1844 .Won 2% of the vote but drew votes from the Whigs, especially in New York.Not abolitionist but opposed to expansion of slavery in the territories.Won 10% of popular vote in 1848.Lost 50% of support in 1852 when their candidate repudiated the Compromise of 1850. Merged with the Republicans.
The Whigs continued : Split over slavery into:
Southern Whigs - Cotton Whigs who drifted into the Democratic Party.
Northern Whigs - Conscience" Whigs moved to Free Soil and later to the Republican Party.
American Republican or Know Nothing: were described in todays terms as the wingnuts of the 1800s. A Nativist meaning anti-immigration group especially Germans and Catholics.Absorbed by Republicans after 1856. Their platform -
Repeal of all Naturalization Laws.Americans only for office. An American Common School system. War on political Romanism.Opposed to formation of Military units composed of Foreigners. The advocacy of a sound, healthy and safe Nation. Hostility to all Papal influences. American Constitutions & American sentiments. Harsher Emigration Laws.
Full Protection to Protestant Interests. Follow doctrines of Washington.
Send back all foreign paupers.Form societies to protect American interests.Enmity to all attempting to carry out the principles of a foreign Church or State.Our Country, our whole Country, and nothing but our Country. American Laws, and American Legislation, and Death to all foreign influences
Third System 1854 to 1890 The emergence of the anti-slavery Republican Party.
American Party: Formed in 1854 when a coalition of Independent Democrats, Free Soilers, and Conscience Whigs united in opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.Stressed free labor and opposed the extension of slavery in the territories ("Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Men!").
Greenback Party (known successively as the Independent Party, the National Independent Party, and the Greenback Labor Party) was anti-monopoly ideology active between 1874 and 1889. The party fielded Presidential tickets three times — in the elections of 1876, 1880, and 1884, before fading away.
The party's name referred to the non-gold backed paper money, known as "greenbacks", issued by the North during the American Civil War and shortly afterward. Opposed deflationary lowering of prices paid to producers by a return to a bullion-based monetary system. Continued use of unbacked currency would better foster business and assist farmers by raising prices and making debts easier to pay.
Initially an agrarian organization associated with the policies of the Grange, from 1878 the organization took the name Greenback Labor Party and attempted to forge a farmer-labor alliance, adding industrial reforms to its agenda, such as support of the 8-hour day and opposition to the use of state or private force to suppress union strikes. The organization faded into oblivion in the second half of the 1880s, reborn shortly under the aegis of the People's Party or the "Populists."
Like today there were differing viewpoints. Unlike today the opposition to those in power were able to form a coalition putting the major goals first and leaving the differences until later.
