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Federalists vs Democratic-Republicans
Federalists wanted a strong central government and focused on order and stability. They used a loose interpretation of the Constitution, encouraged commerce and manufacturing, and they wanted close ties with Britain. Democratic-Republicans were more focused on individual states' rights, civil liberties, and trust in the people. They prefered rural life and a strict interpretation of the Constitution. They sympathized with France. -
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Democrats vs Whigs
The Democratic party was traditional. They opposed banks and corporations as state legislated economic priviledge and opposed state-legislated reforms. They favored rurality and farms and believed in rapid territorial expansion and state's rights. The Whigs were a modern party. They advocated for the reform of public schools and prisons and wanted to use both state and federal government to promate economic growth. They believed in urbanization and industrialization. -
The Election of 1860
Slavery was a particular topic of interest at this election. Three of the candidates for Presidency were Stephen Douglas, John Breckenridge, and Abraham Lincoln. -
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Progressive Era
The three "progressive" era presidents, Theodore Roosevelt, Willian Howard Taft, and Woodrow Wilson, believed in progress and that reformed institutions would replace corruption. They viewed government as key for creating and maintaining an orderly society. They believed in increasing the power of the people to decrease the government corruption. -
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The Republican Era
Several Republican Presidents were elected back-to-back.The position of the government was pro-business. This was a transitional period from earlier, more traditional American values. -
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New Deal
The New Deal policies created a democratic coalition that included ethnic groups and much of the middle class. It increased voter interest and made the federal government a protector of interest groups. In 1948, the democratic coalition split in two, the dixiecrats and the liberal democrats. -
Post WWII Politics
In the 1952 elections it was the Democratic Party versus the Republican Party. While the Democrats align themselves with the Civil Rights Movement, the Dixiecrats align more closely with the Republicans. -
Nixon's New Federalism
Democrats advocate for a range of liberal social issues. Nixon prevails in the election over the Democratic candidate Hubert Humphery, the vice president at the time. Nixon supported the idea of cutting back the federal govenment's power and returning it to the states. This was known as "New Federalism". -
Reagan and the New Right
Democrats strongly support movements like Pro-choice, Affirmative Action, and environmental legislation. Conservative Christians and several other groups come together to form a "New Right" that supported Reagan and opposed almost all of the things liberal democrats supported.