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Independent Party
George Washington becomes the 1st President of the United States. He was not formally affiliated with any Political Parties during his two terms in office and therefore classed as an Independent. All members of the new government supported him as an impartial president and wanted to give the Constitution a fair trial -
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Federalist Party
John Adams is elected president for the Federalist Party who believed that the new central government, and the well-educated, wealthy classes, should be given the greatest power of government. The Federalist Papers explained the Constitution to the American people and promoted the concept of Federalism -
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Anti-Federalist Party
Adams and the Federalist party were opposed by the Anti-Federalist Party who believed that the vast majority of ordinary, less educated people, had the skills and common sense required to run the government. -
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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 -
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The Democratic-Republican-Party Jeffersonian Republicans
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. However, the Jeffersonian Republicans admired the strong anti-monarchist sentiments of the French and their belief of the principle of government by the people - so the name "Democratic-Republican" stuck. -
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Democratic-Republican Party
Thomas Jefferson, leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, was elected the third president of the United States. The Democratic-Republican Party adhered to the Constitution in order to limit the powers of the federal government and was strongly opposed to aristocracy, monarchy, corruption and elitism -
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Democratic-Republican Party
The James Madison followed Jefferson as leader of the Democratic-Republican Party -
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Fall of the Federalist Party
The Federalists bitterly opposed the rising power of the Democratic-Republicans and held secret meetings at the Hartford Convention to air their views reproaching Madison's administration and the War of 1812, some delegates favored secession. The War of 1812 ended with a sense of victory and sealed the destruction of the Federalist party. The secrecy of the Hartford Convention discredited the Federalists who were seen as too extreme and disloyal and even branded as "traitors". -
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Democratic-Republican Party
As there was now only one political party (Democratic-Republican) this led to are more stable government and heralded the "Era of Good Feelings" during the two term presidency of James Monroe. -
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National Republican Party
The Democratic-Republican party split into several factions, taking the names of their party leaders: the Adams men (supporting John Quincy Adams), the Clay men (supporting Henry Clay). The Adams and Clay factions began to act together and to call themselves National Republicans, because they wished to build up the nation's resources, specifically National Defense, following the War of 1812. Refer to the National Republican Party -
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Democratic-Republican Party
John Quincy Adams became the last President under the Democratic-Republican ticket. During this time it split into the northern-dominated Republicans and the southern-dominated Democrats -
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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 -
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Whig Party
The National Republicans completely changed their name and adopted the name of the British liberal party and became the Whig Party because they also favored reform -
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Democrat Party
Martin Van Buren was elected president on the Democrat ticket. The party lost its popularity due to the Panic of 1837, the president was given the nickname 'Martin Van Ruin' and the electors turned their affiliation to the newly formed Whig party. -
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The Whig Party
The Whig Party achieved power through the election of William Harrison and John Tyler but both died in office before being able to make the party's impact on the nation. -
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Fall of the Whig Party
The Whig Party came into power again with the election of Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore. The policies of Fillmore led to division in the Whig party. The anti-slavery faction of the Whigs, including members of the "Barnburners" anti-slavery faction and the Free-Soilers successfully prevented the re-nomination of Fillmore and destroyed the Whig Party in 1853. -
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National Union Party
The National Union Party was formed to further the beliefs of national interest above sectional interests and states' rights. It was organized in 1854 in opposition to the extension of slavery and eventually emerged as the Republican party. -
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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. -
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Republican Party
Ulysses Grant was elected President and the first leader of the re-named Republican Party. -
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Two Party System
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.