1. Two-Party System in American History

2. Nation’s First Parties
George Washington became president in 1789
His Secretary of the Treasury was Alexander Hamilton
His Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson
These two men disagreed on many things
Their differences would create the “first” political parties

3. Federalists: (Hamilton)
Wanted stronger federal gov’t
Favored industry and banking
“loose” interpretation of the Constitution
Democratic-Republicans: (Jefferson)
Wanted stronger state gov’ts.
Favored farming
“strict” interpretation of the Constitution
1828 – became Democratic Party

4. Election of 1796: Election of 1800: Two parties clashed
John Adams (Fed) v. Jefferson (DR) = Adams win
Election of 1800:
Two parties clashed again
John Adams (Fed) v. Jefferson (DR) = Jefferson win
DR also won control of Congress
Federalists never returned to power

5. Four
Major
Eras

6. Era of Democrats
Jefferson’s election was beginning of Democratic domination - lasted until Civil War
Unopposed until mid-1820’s
They split into factions (disagreements over slavery, tariff, 2nd Bank of US)
By 1828 a new party began to challenge the Democrats
They were called the Whigs

7. Democrats were led by Andrew Jackson
Three fundamental changes:
1) voting rights for all white males
2) huge increase in # of elected offices around US
3) spread of the spoils system
Whigs led by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster
Made up of bankers, merchants, industrialists
Opposed to Jacksonian democracy
Supported high tariff and 2nd Bank of US

8. Whigs were the other major party from the mid-1830’s thru 1850’s
Elected two presidents: Harrison & Taylor
1850’s - divisions in both parties led to splits
Whigs fell apart after Clay and Webster died
Democrats split into two groups – one supporting the North and one supporting the South

9. A new party arose from the former Whigs and fragmented Democrats – called the Republicans
Founded in 1854
Elected their first president in 1860 – Abraham Lincoln
Republican Party became the only party in US history to make the jump from 3rd party to major party

10. Era of Republicans
Civil War began the second era of one-party domination
Supported by business people, bankers, farmers, laborers and newly freed slaves
Democrats survived by holding on to the “Solid South”
Only put 1 president in office before 1912: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892

11. Election of 1896: very important in development of two-party system
Small business owners, farmers, labor unions were unhappy with industry, railroads & monopolies
Republicans nominated William McKinley (supporter of gold standard)
Democrats nominated William Jennings Bryan (supporter of free silver
McKinley won

12. Election of 1912: Republicans suffered a setback
Republicans nominated William Howard Taft
Democrats nominated Woodrow Wilson
Progressive Party nominated Teddy Roosevelt
Many Republicans voted for Teddy and it allowed Wilson to win.
However, the Republicans won the next three elections – Harding, Coolidge, & Hoover

13. The Return of the Democrats 1932-1958
Great Depression had a huge impact on American life and politics
Election of 1932: FDR elected President, and Democrats back in power in Congress
This election also marked a change in people’s attitudes towards the role of gov’t in social and economic life
Democrats had new electoral base: southerners, small farmers, labor unions, and African Americans

14. FDR won three more terms and died
Truman finished his term and one of his own
1952 and 1956 elections put Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower in office
But then 1960 and 1964 brought Democrats JFK and LBJ to the presidency

15. The Start of a New Era
1968 brought Republican Richard Nixon to the presidency
His resignation brought Republican Gerald Ford to the presidency.
A bad economy and a pardon for Nixon helped Ford to lose to Democrat Jimmy Carter in 1976
A worse economy, the Iranian Hostage Crisis & ineffectiveness lost Carter his position to Ronald Reagan (Republican) in 1980

16. Reagan won reelection in 1984 and Republican George H. W
Reagan won reelection in 1984 and Republican George H.W. Bush won in 1988
1992 brought a win for Democrat Bill Clinton as did 1996
Then 2000 and 2004 brought another Republican to the White House – George W. Bush
2008 brought Democrat Barak Obama to the Presidency

17. In the years since Nixon’s election 1968, the nation has had a divided government
Many times Republicans have been presidents, but Congress has been controlled by Democrats
When Clinton came into office, Congress was controlled by Republicans
It is hard to get any issues solved when Congress is one party and the president is another