Apush review Significant Political Parties of U. S. History Why parties?

Why parties?

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  Not mentioned in Constitution
  
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  Viewed as a negative force in early U.S.
  
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    G.W. warned against them in Farewell Address
    
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  Parties formed around Hamilton and Jefferson & were an established fact by 1796
  
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  Serve as a vital link between people and government
  
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  Major function of parties is to nominate candidates
  
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  Another role is to inform the people & stimulate interest & participation
  
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  The party also serves to ensure good performance by its officeholders
  
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  Most officeholders are chosen on basis of their party
  
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  The party out of power serves as a watchdog against the one in power
  
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  While 3^rd parties exist, political realities are such that the dominant parties hold the power
  
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  The major parties seek the same prize (votes) & therefore play to the middle
  

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  Original advocates of Constitution
  
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  Supporters of Washington & Adams admins.
  
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  New England-based
  
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  Strong central govt. & promotion of business interests
  
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  Attempted to stifle dissent w/ Alien & Sedition Acts (1798)
  
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  Lost to Democratic-Repubs. In 1800
  
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  Loss of Hamilton left party without powerful leadership
  
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  Voiced opposition to Embargo Act of 1807 & War of 1812
  
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  Hartford Convention was last concerted effort
  
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  Federalist achievements:
  
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    Used Const. to develop workable system of govt.
    
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    Established nation’s credit and fostered economic prosperity
    
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    Created a court system
    
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    Demonstrated ability of govt. to enforce laws
    
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    Kept the nation from war & instituted isolationist foreign policy
    
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  Reasons for downfall:
  
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    Spread of democratic ideals, especially in the West
    
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    Growing realization that Federalists didn’t trust the common people
    
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    Opposition to Federalist economic measures
    
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    Pro-English foreign policy
    
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    Seen as trampling civil rights with Alien & Sedition Acts
    

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  One of oldest political organizations in the world
  
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  Originally Anti-Federalists then Democratic-Republicans
  
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  Small govt., agrarian interests, immigrants, states rights, pro-French
  
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  Jefferson, Madison, & Monroe – The Virginia Dynasty
  
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  1817-25 Era of Good Feelings (no real opposition party)
  
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  1824 – Sectional & personal animosities divide party
  
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    National Republicans (later Whigs)
    
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      Led by Clay, JQ Adams, Webster
      
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      Supported by landowners, bankers, merchants, manufacturers
      
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      Supported strong central govt., Natl. Bank, protective tariffs
      
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      Resembled Hamiltonian Federalists
      
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    Democrats:
    
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      Led by Jackson and Van Buren
      
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      Supported by small farmers, newly emerging businessmen and city laborers
      
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      Generally opposed an all-powerful federal govt.
      
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        Resembled Jeffersonians
        

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  Jacksonian Democrats removed property & religious qualifications from officeholding and voting
  

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  Also increased number of elected rather than appointed positions
  
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  Shorter terms of office
  

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  Nominating conventions held to pick candidates, rather than party caucus
  
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  Jackson had to work hard to keep factions together
  

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  Example – anti-tariff issue (Calhoun) & nullification
  
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    Jackson had to threaten force to control extreme state rights faction
    

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  Pre-Civil War issues fragmented the party
  

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  Party had difficult time settling on one nominee at conventions
  
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  1860 split (Douglas (N) and Breckenridge (S)
  
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  Lincoln wins & begins decades of Republican leadership
  

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  Post-Civil War problems for Dems.
  

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  Bringing Southern wing of party back into power
  
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    Created “Solid South” one party rule in South
    
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      Reduced black voting participation, KKK intimidated freedmen
      
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  Overcoming scandal-plagued Dem. Party machines in cities
  
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    Tilden (D) makes his name fighting corruption
    
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    Cleveland wins on Civil Service reform
    

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  Dems support Free Silver during 1890’s
  
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  Wilson takes advantage of 1912 Repub party split
  
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    “New Freedom” progressive program
    
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    Wilson acted as party leader, guiding Dems in Congress who promoted his programs
    
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    Wilsonian programs incl.:
    
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      Preserving and strengthening democratic, capitalist society by progressive reforms
      
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      Lower tariffs
      
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      Improved banking system (Federal Reserve)
      
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      Stronger biz regulation
      
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      Protection for unions and workers
      
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    Progressivism ended after WWI, due in part to struggle over Treaty of V. and Wilson’s failing health
    
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      Last progressive measures were 18^th & 19^th Amendments
      
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  New Deal and Fair Deal eras:
  
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    FDR and New Deal won tremendous support for party
    
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    Truman carried on many FDR programs & his Fair Deal created more
    
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      Incl. defense of labor & support of civil rights legislation
      
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      Some Southern Dems break off to form Dixiecrat party in order to preserve White supremacy in South
      
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  Dems lost Presidency in 1952 election to Eisenhower (R)
  
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    Southern support helped Repubs
    
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  Kennedy won back White House
  
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    Liberal “New Frontier” and active support of civil rights led to significant legislation
    
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    Johnson finished many JFK projects & instituted his own “Great Society” and “War on Poverty”
    
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      Educational, welfare, and civil rights legislation
      
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  Vietnam War divided Democratic Party
  
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    1968 – LBJ refused to run – wide pool of candidates ran, incl. RFK
    
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    Hotly divided DNC – Repubs & Nixon take advantage & win
    
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  Watergate helped Dems reunite & eventually win with Carter
  
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    High black turnout & disgust with Repubs (Watergate) helped
    
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  Carter presidency very weak
  
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    Poor relations between Carter and Dems in Congress
    
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    Some foreign policy victories, but poor economy & hostage crisis in Iran pave way for Reagan “Revolution”
    
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  Dems unable to break Republican hold on White House until Clinton in 1992
  
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    Reform Party Candidate Ross Perot splits Repub vote
    
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  Repubs captured control of Congress in 1994
  
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    Heavy partisan relationship throughout Clinton years
    
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  Many traditionally Democratic voters no longer “solid”
  
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    Some labor organizations and minority groups (recently Hispanics)
    
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    South increasingly Republican
    

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  1^st third party in U.S.
  
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  Formed to counter alleged subversion of public institutions by Freemasons
  
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  Held national nominating convention in 1831 (William Wirt)
  
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  Focused on defeating Jackson (a Mason)
  
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  Failed to do so & merged with Whigs in 1838
  

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  An anti-slavery party founded in 1839 by abolitionists
  
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  Failed to win elections, so it merged with other groups to form Free Soil Party
  

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  Originally the National Republicans
  
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  Formed to oppose “King Andrew” Jackson
  
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  Advocated strong federal role in nation’s economic development
  
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  Program known as the American System
  
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    Fed. sponsored improvements
    
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    High tariff & a national bank
    
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  Not very unified – tended to suffer from sectionalism
  
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  Won presidency with William Henry Harrison
  
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    John Tyler (Dem in Whig clothing) succeeded WHH & vetoed Whig programs
    
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    Expelled from the party
    
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  Slavery issue divided the Whigs (Conscience vs. Cotton)
  
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    Cotton Whigs went over to the Dems
    
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    Conscience Whigs joined Know-Nothings & later, the Repubs
    

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  Anti-foreign, anti-Roman Catholic in response to increased immigration
  
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    Immigrants tended to become part of urban Democratic Party machines
    
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    When asked about the native-Protestant organization, members answered “I know nothing”
    
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    South immigration restrictions & increase of nationalization period (5 to 21 yrs.)
    
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  Party won recognition because of Whig & Democrat divides over slavery
  
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  K-N’s broke up over slavery as well – most Northern members joined Repubs.
  

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  Organized in 1848 to oppose extension of slavery into the territories
  
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  Made up of former Liberty Party members, anti-slavery Whigs, and some New York Democrats
  
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  F-S candidate in 1848 was Van Buren
  
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    Divided NY vote enough for Zach Taylor to win NY & the presidency
    
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  Party lost strength in 1852 election
  
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  Most members became Republicans
  

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  Traditionally conservative with support from upper middle class & corporate, financial, and farming interests.
  
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  Generally Laissez-faire, free enterprise, fiscal responsibility & opposed to welfare state
  
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  Formed out of sectionalism & slavery issues
  
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  JC Fremont the first prez candidate (lost to Buchanan)
  
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  1860 platform pledged free-soil
  
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  Lincoln’s win led to secession & Civil War
  
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  1864 ticket (then National Union Party) broadened to include Southern Dem. Johnson
  
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  Civil War weakened Dem party & led to 70 years of nearly unbroken Repub. Dominance
  
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  During Reconstruction – a divide
  
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    Radical Republicans
    
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    Liberal Republican Party
    
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      Split and scandals cost Repubs Congress in 1874
      
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  1876 Hayes victory & Comp. of 1877
  
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  Gilded Age dominated by Repubs., but presidents were weak
  
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  Repubs take White House in 1896 with McKinley
  
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    Supported by industrial northeast & business community
    
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    Committed to conservative economics
    
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    Tended to be in favor of imperialist activity
    
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  T. Roosevelt steered party toward progressive reform
  
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  T.R. vs. Taft split allowed Wilson to win in 1912 (T.R. ran as Progressive Party candidate)
  
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  Republicans won control of Congress in 1918 & prevented U.S. from joining League of Nations or signing Treaty of Versailles
  
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  Republicans dominated the 1920’s – pro-business era
  
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  Hoover failure to end Great Depression led to FDR victory
  
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  Won back White House with Eisenhower
  
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    Won re-election after moderate foreign policy, ending Korean War, & personal popularity (“I Like Ike”)
    
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  Repubs bitterly divided after Nixon loss in 1960
  
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    Ultra-conservative Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) ran against LBJ in 1964 (lost)
    
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    Party organization in shambles, but bounces back to take advantage of chaos brought on by Vietnam
    
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    Nixon wins 1968 election against Humphrey
    
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  Nixon re-elected in 1972, beating anti-war Dem. George McGovern
  
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    But Dems controlled Congress
    
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    Watergate destroyed Nixon, and Republican, credibility
    
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    Gerald Ford follows Nixon after resignation but is not elected in own right
    
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  Carter disasters allow Reagan to win by wide margin in 1980
  
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    Strong anti-Soviet policies (Peace through Strength)
    
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    Conservative social and economic policy (except heavy military spending)
    
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    Solid foreign policy victories incl. fall of Soviet Union (under Bush)
    
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  Bush failure to capitalize on Gulf War victory and overcome economic woes opens door for Bill Clinton
  
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  Candidacy of Ross Perot (Reform) split Repub. vote
  
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    Repubs gain control of Congress in 1994 – giving stiff resistance to Clinton-backed legislation
    
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  George W. Bush wins contested election in 2000
  
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    In part because of anti-Clinton mood surrounding Dem. candidate Gore
    
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    Slow start wiped out by sudden impact of September 11 attack in 2001
    
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    Bitterly divided Congress (along party lines) throughout Clinton & Bush years
    

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  Formed by farmers who felt major parties were controlled by industrialists
  
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  National convention in 1892
  
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    Platform:
    
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      Free coinage of silver
      
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      Graduated income tax
      
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      Government ownership of utilities
      
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      Secret ballots & direct election of Senators
      
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    Also endorsed pro-labor planks to win labor vote
    
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  Strongest in West – won significant elections in 1894
  
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  Threw support behind William Jennings Bryan in 1896 but lost to McKinley
  
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  Populist party disappeared but goals emerged later with Progressive Party
  

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  The name of 3 separate political organizations over time
  
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  Party founded in 1912 by pro-Roosevelt Republicans who wanted to oust Taft
  
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  Also known as Bull Moose Party
  
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  Called for social and political reforms
  
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    Including conservation, women’s suffrage, popular election of Senators
    
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  Progressives supported Charles E. Hughes (R) in 1916 losing bid
  
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    Led to break up of party
    
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  Party re-emerges in 1924 with candidacy of Robert LaFollette
  
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    Defeated by Coolidge (R)
    
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  A 3^rd Progressive party emerged in the 1940’s – left-wing opponents to Truman
  
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    Party was identified with communism & never accomplished anything significant
    

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  Southern Democrats who broke away from the Dems in 1948
  
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  Anti-civil rights
  
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  Strom Thurmond (S.C.) their presidential candidate
  

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  Founded by H. Ross Perot
  
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  Ran (as independent) in 1992 – spoiler cost Bush the White House
  
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  Advocated balanced budget, campaign reform, term limits, tax reform, immigration restrictions, limits on perks for office-holders, promotion of U.S. jobs and balanced trade agreements
  
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  Party has since split into factions