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Independent Party
George Washington becomes the 1st President of the United States. He was not in any Political Parties during his terms in office and so was classed as an Independent. -
Federalist Party
John Adams is elected president for the Federalist Party. Believed that the new central government, and the well-educated, wealthy classes, should be given the greatest power of government -
Anti-Federalist Party
The Federalist party were opposed by the Anti-Federalist Party who believed that the majority of ordinary, less educated people, had the skills and common sense required to run the government. -
Republican Party
The Anti-Federalist party was re-named as the Republican Party reflecting the ideals of Republicanism supporting states’ rights and a strict interpretation of the Constitution -
The Democratic-Republican Party
The Federalists tried to discredit the Republican Party by naming them Democratic-Republicans to convey the extreme and radical actions taken in the name of democracy during the French Revolution. -
Democrat Party
Andrew Jackson was elected president. The Democratic Republican party of Andrew Jackson dropped the word "Republican" and called themselves simply Democrats and so began the formation of the Democrat Party -
National Union Party
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860 as the first leader of the National Union Party. Upon Abraham Lincoln's death in 1865, Andrew Johnson became the only other National Union President. The 'National Union Party' then changed its name to the Republican Party. -
Republican Party
Ulysses Grant was elected President and the first leader of the re-named Republican Party. -
1869-Present
United States has two major political parties: the Democrats and the Republicans who share almost all the political power in the country to the present day.