Two party system (theme #5)
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TWO PARTY SYSTEM (THEME #5) George Washington - first President, won Elections of 1789 and 1792 with no party affiliation - in his Farewell Address to Congress when leaving office he warns the nation to avoid political parties - political parties formed during his Presidency as view points of his major advisors (Alexander Hamilton – Sec. of Treasury and Thomas Jefferson – Sec. of State) conflicted dramatically Federalist Party – based on the ideas of Hamilton Republican (Democratic-Republican) Party – based on the ideas of Jefferson Federalists - led by Alexander Hamilton and John Adams - favors Hamilton’s economic plan (solves national debt problem) - favored a strong national govt. - favors manufacturing, improved technology, and capitol as keys to U.S. strength - favors loose interpretation of Constitution (eg. favors creation of a national bank) - favors Great Britain in European wars in order to protect trade - most supporters in northeast - supports tariffs as protection of U.S. manufacturing Democratic-Republicans - led by Thomas Jefferson - opposed to Hamilton’s economic plan (only helps the rich in east, doesn’t help the south that has paid off its debts, hurts western farmers with excise tax on whiskey) - favors protections of states’ rights - favors agriculture and land as keys to prosperity - favors strict interpretation of the Constitution (against the national bank) - favors French Republic, as it is based originally on same democratic ideals our nation was created on, and they helped us in our rev. - most supporters in south and west - opposes tariffs, which causes prices for goods purchased in the south and west to go Election of 1796 - first to be contested by members of opposing parties - John Adams (Federalist) defeated Thomas Jefferson (Dem.-Rep.)
- first of 7 consecutive elections won by the Democratic-Republicans Era of Good Feelings (1817 – 1824) - during the two Presidencies of James Monroe when Democratic-Republican Party faced no opposition party - Federalist Party which did not support the War of 1812 lost its support as the war was fought and was a success Election of 1824 - 5 Democratic-Republican candidates - Andrew Jackson won the most popular and electoral votes, but did not have the majority needed to become President - election then went to the House of Representatives where John Quincy Adams won when Henry Clay gave him his support in return for the office of Sec. of State (an office seen as a jumping off spot for the Presidency) - this deal became known as the “Corrupt Bargain” Rise of Andrew Jackson - Jackson’s followers were so outraged by his loss in 1824 that they grew stronger - Jackson’s backwoods, common man persona drew more voters to him as well as his popularity due to his victory at the end of the War of 1812 in the Battle of New Orleans - lingering discontent with government over the Panic of 1819, the “Corrupt Bargain,” J.Q. Adams’ ineffectual presidency led to the formation of a second party – the Democratic Party with Jackson as its candidate
- marks reemergence of a 2 party system - J.Q. Adams’ followers became known as the National Republican Party - Jackson with his widespread support won easily National Republicans disappear after disappointing results in 1828 and 1832 Emergence of the Whig Party - a new second party is created with the unification of factions who opposed Jackson, became a national force by 1836 - name Whig refers back to a 1776 name given to patriots who opposed King George III, thus likening Jackson’s behavior to a king – “King Andrew I” - Whig supporters: - supporters of federally funded internal improvement projects - southerners who favored nullification, and opposed Jackson - Bank of U.S./soft money advocates - social reformers in the north - nativists who came to support the public education reforms which they assumed would teach Protestant doctrines - anti-Masons – fraternal organization seen as a conspiracy of the rich to suppress popular liberty - southern merchants, planters - northern merchants, bankers, evangelical clergymen Election of 1840 - Whig candidate William Henry Harrison won - Whig platform was to have a tariff that was not “protective” but low enough to bring goods in from Europe, and use the revenue created to fund internal improvements in the south and west (northeasterners still supported the tariff though it was lower than previous protective tariffs) - had appeal as a “common man” a la Jackson with his log cabin upbringing and his victory in the Battle of Tippecanoe over Native Americans in Indiana Territory – “Tippecanoe and Tyler, too” - Harrison died only one month later and Vice-President John Tyler took over - Tyler vetoed the Whig tariff and angered members of his own party
- Democrat James Polk (relative unknown) won defeating Henry Clay (Whig) - Whigs struggled after wake of Tyler’s turbulent Presidency - Polk able to bring northerners to accept the annexation of Texas Election of 1848 - Whig Zachary Taylor rode his popularity from Mexican War to Presidency Demise of the Whig Party - Democrat Franklin Pierce won Election of 1852 despite Whig’s running a Mexican War hero, Winfield Scott, as their candidate (lost 50% to 44%) - Pierce last President to win the popular and electoral vote in both the North and the South for 80 years (not again until Franklin Roosevelt did so in 1932) - 2 party system had until Election of 1856 kept sectional tensions in line by giving Americans other issues to argue about (internal improvements, banking, tariffs, temperance, etc) - by 1850s the debate over slavery became so strong that other issues were subordinated - the Kansas-Nebraska Act (passed by the Democrats) with its popular sovereignty for allowing slavery in these territories caused aroused sectional tensions which destroyed the Whig Party (which had a large number of free soil supporters) and depleted Democratic support in the north New Third Parties Emerge - Free Soil Party (1848, 1852) – no slavery in territories platform - American (Know-Nothing) Party (1856) – anti-immigration platform
- Republican Party formed on issue of anti-slavery - purely northern party - had members who were former northern Whigs and Democrats - after demise of the Whigs and the weakening of support for Democrats in the north over slavery issue, Republicans won 2/3 of all state legislatures in the north by 1856 despite the fact the party was only a year old - with popular westerner John Fremont (who had blazed the Oregon Trail) as their candidate the Republicans became the number 2 party in 1856
- Democratic Party split between Northern and Southern factions - Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won without winning any electoral votes in the south - Lincoln’s election led to the succession of southern states as a purely northern candidate could win enough electoral votes to win the Presidency, and this succession led to the Civil War Two Party System Solidifies - Democrats and Republicans stay the dominant parties until the present - they finish 1st and 2nd in every presidential election from1856 to the present with the exception of 1912 Third Parties Since 1860 Directory: uploads uploads -> Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba uploads -> Raíces y Sueños: the Artistry of Cuba Call for Art – Exhibit Application uploads -> Why did democracy develop in Britain after 1850? Introduction uploads -> Draft land restitution policy uploads -> Chapter 10: a new civilization emerges in western europe uploads -> Landmark Supreme Court Cases uploads -> Civil Rights Movement Unit Summary uploads -> Lesson plan template Download 46 Kb. Share with your friends:
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