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 ID: 612085
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Slide1
Two-Party System in American HistorySlide2
George Washington became president in 1789
His Secretary of the Treasury was
Alexander HamiltonHis Secretary of State was Thomas Jefferson These two men disagreed on many thingsTheir differences would create the “first” political parties
Nation’s First PartiesSlide3
Federalists
: (Hamilton)
Wanted stronger federal gov’tFavored industry and banking“loose” interpretation of the ConstitutionDemocratic-Republicans
: (Jefferson)
Wanted stronger state
gov’ts
.
Favored farming
“strict” interpretation of the Constitution
1828 – became Democratic PartySlide4
Election of 1796
:
Two parties clashedJohn Adams (Fed) v. Jefferson (DR) = Adams winElection of 1800:Two parties clashed againJohn Adams (Fed) v. Jefferson (DR) = Jefferson win
DR also won control of Congress
Federalists never returned to powerSlide5
Four
Major
ErasSlide6
Jefferson’s election
was beginning
of Democratic domination - lasted until Civil WarUnopposed until mid-1820’sThey split into factions (disagreements over slavery, tariff, 2
nd
Bank of US)
By 1828 a new party began to challenge the Democrats
They were called the
Whigs
Era of Democrats 1800-1860Slide7
Democrats were led by
Andrew Jackson
Three fundamental changes:1) voting rights for all white males2) huge increase in # of elected offices around US3) spread of the spoils systemWhigs led by
Henry Clay
and
Daniel Webster
Made up of bankers, merchants, industrialists
Opposed to
Jacksonian
democracy
Supported high tariff and 2
nd
Bank of USSlide8
Whigs were the other major party from the mid-1830’s thru 1850’s
Elected
two presidents: Harrison & Taylor1850’s - divisions in both parties led to splitsWhigs fell apart after Clay and Webster died
Democrats split into two groups – one supporting the North and one supporting the SouthSlide9
A new party arose from the former Whigs and fragmented Democrats – called the
Republicans
Founded in 1854Elected their first president in 1860 – Abraham LincolnRepublican Party became the only party in US history to make the jump from 3rd
party to major partySlide10
Civil War
began the second
era of one-party dominationSupported by business people, bankers, farmers, laborers and newly freed slavesDemocrats survived by holding on to the “Solid South
”
Only put 1 president in office before 1912: Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892
Era of Republicans 1860-1932Slide11
Election of 1896
: very important in development of two-party system
Small business owners, farmers, labor unions were unhappy with industry, railroads & monopoliesRepublicans nominated William McKinley (supporter of gold standard)Democrats nominated
William Jennings Bryan
(supporter of free silver
McKinley
wonSlide12
Election of 1912
: Republicans suffered a setback
Republicans nominated William Howard TaftDemocrats nominated Woodrow WilsonProgressive 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, & HooverSlide13
Great Depression had a huge impact on American life and politics
Election of 1932
: FDR elected President, and Democrats back in power in CongressThis 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
The Return of the Democrats 1932-1958Slide14
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 officeBut then 1960 and 1964 brought Democrats JFK and LBJ to the presidencySlide15
1968
brought Republican
Richard Nixon to the presidencyHis 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
The Start of a New EraSlide16
Reagan won reelection in 1984 and Republican
George H.W. Bush
won in 19881992 brought a win for Democrat Bill Clinton as did 1996Then 2000 and 2004 brought another Republican to the White House – George W. Bush
2008 brought Democrat
Barak Obama
to the PresidencySlide17
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 DemocratsWhen Clinton came into office, Congress was controlled by RepublicansIt is hard to get any issues solved when Congress is one party and the president is another