Political Parties

Objectives The student will be able to… Identify the major parties in America Explain and apply the roles of political parties to particular situations Analyze a political cartoon

“a nation of joiners” Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America 1800’s Frenchman who travelled to a new America "In no country in the world has the principle of association been more successfully used, or more unsparingly applied to a multitude on different objects, than in America."  "Americans of all ages, all conditions, and all dispositions, constantly form associations. . . not only commercial and manufacturing. . . but. . . of a thousand other kinds-- religious, moral, serious, futile, extensive or restricted, enormous, or diminutive." 

Political Parties an organized group of people who share similar political views and work to influence the government in support of those views. What are some political parties?

Types of Parties Major parties Minor parties Parties that win the majority of elections Minor parties Any party that isn’t one of the major parties Single issue party Focuses on one issue Economic protest parties Spring up in times of economic turmoil Splinter parties Parties that have broken away from a major party

Two-Party System A political system where to parties are primarily in control Democrats Liberal party Republican Conservative party Currently control the House of Representatives & the Senate

History of Political Parties in America 1787 – didn’t technically exist Federalists and Anti-Federalists 1791 – GW elected President Federalists and Anti-Federalists (Democratic-Republicans) Alexander Hamilton/John Adams vs. James Madison/Thomas Jefferson 1796 – Washington’s Farewell address GEORGE WASHINGTON warned against "the baneful effects of the spirit of party" as inciting American citizens "with ill-founded jealousies."

History of American Political Parties 1815 – After the War of 1812 (British burned down the WH); people wanted unity and the two-system dissolves in the Era of Good Feelings BUT – feud btwn JQA and Andrew Jackson; elections of 1824 Pro-Jackson: Democratic Republicans become DEMOCRATS (small government) Anti-Jackson: Whigs Whig Presidents: William Henry Harrison, Zachary Taylor Both died in offce Whig party falls apart

History of American Political Parties 1852 – ex-Whigs join up with northern anti-slavery activists to form the Republican Party Liberty for everyone (slaves to big business) Republicans elect Abraham Lincoln in 1860 Democrats in disarray and split into north/south over the issue of slavery

History of American Political Parties Reconstruction – Democrats prominent in South and Republicans dominate in the North 1860-1896 Emergence of Third Parties Populist Party Democrats pretty unpopoular – didn’t win Presidential election between 1896-1932 Except Woodrow Wilson; Rep. vote split between Taft/Roosevelt (more on that in a min)

History of American Political Parties Great Depression proved Republican economic views of letting big business do whatever it wanted and traditional views (Prohibition), no longer worked for the country. FDR (Dem) believed gov’t could help people, and regulate big business (something the growing Socialist Party stood for) Success of FDR’s New Deal shifts the lower class, blacks, immigrants, and Catholic voters to the Democratic ideology

History of American Political Parties 1960s – LBJ (Dem) sided with Civil Rights Movement and Richard Nixon (Rep) was more regressive towards race The Democrats lose all southern “dixiecrats” and Republicans firmly grab hold of the South and Midwest; Democrats firmly grab coasts/metropolitan areas

Why don’t third parties get elected? Traditional two-party system Don’t have the money or appeal that Democratic/Republican Parties have BUT…. They can shift the terms of political debate Their ideas get incorporated into the platforms into one of the other parties.

Which role is the political party filling? 1 4 3 2 5

Single Issue Parties Don’t tend to win elections Examples: Right to Life Party U.S. Marijuana Party

Economic Protest Party Come up during recessions and depressions Examples: TEA Party

Splinter Party Has broken away from a major parties Example: State’s Rights Democrats The Bull Moose Party

Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party Teddy Roosevelt left office in 1909 Had hand-picked Taft to follow him Was disappointed by Taft and wanted to run again in 1912 The Republican Party didn’t re- nominate him so he made his own party The Progressive Party aka the Bull Moose Party

“How Teddy has changed!” Taft The Latest Arrival at the Political Zoo

Analyzing Political Cartoons Using the political cartoon analysis, figure out what is going on in the cartoon What people are present? What symbols are used? How does the text help you understand the cartoon? What is the event?

Make your own political cartoon Reasons why third parties are not as successful as the Democratic and Republican Parties. History of political parties in America On the back of your political cartoon, write a few sentences with your opinion on political parties: Do you agree with George Washington the parties are destructive to democracy, or do you think parties are necessary? Why?