RISE OF POLITICAL PARTIES

Rise of Political Parties

The United States is dominated by two major political parties today Actively involved in political

process, run candidates Republican & Democrats

Republican Party started in the 1850s

Democrats- one of the oldest and continuous political parties, started in the 1790s

Rise of Political Parties

The first political party started when Thomas Jefferson and other critics of George Washington formed an alliance, which became the Democratic party Did not mean to create a political party Hated political parties- thought they were

evidence of social chaos and moral decay Originally called Democratic Republicans, but

mostly called the Jeffersonian Republicans This group and the Federalists, were

America’s first party system

Issues Dividing the First Parties

National Bank Alexander Hamilton believed America needed a

federal bank to make the states indebted to the Federal government Ex. If the states were owed money by the Federal

government, the states would want the federal government to succeed

Planters, slaveholders, commercial farmers, and people far from urban areas did not support the bank. thought the US had no business regulating the

economy, did not want interference from the national government, and disliked taxes.

Seemed like the British policy of taxation

Issues Dividing the First Parties

Views of the Constitution Jefferson believed in a STRICT interpretation-

doing exactly what the Constitution said Hamilton preferred a LOOSE interpretation-

thought the Constitution could be interpreted French Revolution

Federalists opposed the French Revolution Jeffersonians embraced it- thought it was an

extension of the American Revolution. They wanted to help the French when a war broke out between the French and the British

Issues Dividing the First Parties

Jay Treaty When war between England and France

developed, Washington sent John Jay to make a treaty with England Democratic Republicans opposed this- they supported

the French The treaty committed the US to favoring the

British over the French Many saw this as a betrayal of the Revolutionary

ideals

Sort the Details

• Strong central gov’t• National debt• Members were

slaveholders, anti-British, farmers opposed to taxes, & from the South

• Members were businessmen from the northeast

• National Bank• Thought common men

should hold power• Strong standing army• Power should be with the

wealthy & educated• Pro British • Ex. Hamilton & Adams• Weak central gov’t• Strict interpretation of

Const.• Opposed National Bank• Pro-Agriculture• Loose interpretation of

Const.• Pro-French• Against large armies• Ex. Madison & Jefferson

Federalists vs. Jeffersonian Republicans

Strong central gov’t Loose interpretation of

Const. National Bank Nation debt Strong standing army Power should be with the

wealthy & educated Pro British Members were

businessmen from the northeast

Ex. Hamilton & Adams

Weak central gov’t Strict interpretation of

Const. Opposed National Bank Pro-Agriculture Against large armies Thought common men

should hold power Pro-French Members were

slaveholders, anti-British, farmers opposed to taxes, & from the South

Ex. Madison & Jefferson

Establishment of Political Parties

With the bitter feelings between the parties, Washington did not run for a third term Set a precedent of 2 terms

Adams ran for President against Jefferson in 1796 Adams won and Jefferson became his VP

When Washington left office, he warned against political parties “It serves to distract the Public Councils and

enfeeble the Public Administration… agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one…against another… it opens the door to foreign influence and corruption…”

Election of 1800

The presidential election of 1800, won by Thomas Jefferson, was the first American presidential election when power was peacefully transferred from one political party to another. Revolution w/o violence

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/supremecourt/educators/video/lp1_vid3_vid.html