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The Federalist Party
The Federalist party is seen as America’s first political party. They wanted a strong national government, and advocated for the passage of the Constitution, even without the Bill of Rights. Two famous Federalists were Alexander Hamilton and John Adams. The party eventually ended when the Federalist Party lost the election of 1800. After 1812 it was no longer a national party. -
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(Jeffersonian) Republican Party
This party was formed in opposition to the Federalists, and supported Jefferson for president in the election of 1800. After Jefferson's two terms in office, Madison and Monroe won the presidencies and by 1820 the Democratic Republican party had faded away. -
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National Republican Party
The National Republican Party supported John Quincy Adams for re election in 1828. The party also supported Henry Clay in 1832. The National Republicans were mainly just opposed to Andrew Jackson and his policies. The party eventually joined the Whig Party in 1834. -
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Whig Party
The Whig Party was formed to oppose Andrew Jackson's policies and came together in 1834. They supported William Henry Harrison in 1836, however he lost to Democrat Martin Van Buren. Yet Harrison won with his log cabin and hard cider campaign in 1940. The Whigs were still a major party throughout the 1840s, winning the election again with Zachary Taylor in 1848. However, the party fell apart mainly over the issue of slavery and in the 1850s either joined the Know Nothing Party, or the Republicans -
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Know Nothing Party
The Know-Nothing Party emerged in the late 1840s as a reaction to immigration in America. Millard Fillmore ran as the Know-Nothing candidate for president in 1856. Fillmore's campaign was a disaster and the party soon dissolved. -
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The Free Soil Party
The Free Soil Party started in 1848, and opposed the spread of slavery. The party's candidate for president in 1848 was Martin Van Buren. However, Zachary Taylor won the 1848 presidential election. After Van Buren lost the party faded and members eventually joined the Republican Party. -
Grand Army of the Republic
The Grand Army of the Republic was an organization of northern Civil War Veterans. They supported veterans' rights, such as veterans' pensions, rights for black veterans, and other benefits. They also supported any former Union generals who ran for President. -
Tammany Hall
This was a political machine that was in support of the Democratic Party. They were most active between the 1830s and the 1930s. During the Gilded Age, they were headed by William Tweed. He would make promises to others in exchange for their support towards the Democrats. They would usually take advantage of immigrants or the poor. Although they did improve public services, they did it by corrupting the governments of the states in which they were located. -
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The Democratic Party
In the Gilded Age the Democrats were supported by lower class citizens, women who could vote, white southern farmers, and Catholic immigrants. They were in support of the economy being backed by silver, a direct election of senetor, and a graduated income tax. Unfortunetly, they had no presidential victories since 1857 until Cleveland was elected in 1884. -
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The Republican Party
The Republicans were supported by blacks, business owners, upper class, middle class, and Union Civil War veterans. They supported protective tariffs, legislation that favored businesses, and the gold standard. Republican Presidents during the Gilded Age included Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, and William McKinley. -
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Greenback Party
The Greenback Party was organized at a national convention. The party advocated for the issuing of paper money not backed by gold. Farmers and workers made up the majority of the party’s support. The Greenbacks ran presidential candidates in 1876, 1880, and 1884; unfortunately all of them lost. After economic conditions improved, the Greenback Party disappeared. -
Greenback Party
Advocated an expanded money supply and other benefits for farmers and workers. In 1877, they won 14 seats in Congress. -
Populist Party (People's Party)
A short-lived party based on views from the populist movement. It consisted of poor white cotton farmers on the South and poor farmers in the Plains states. They supported the abolition of the nation bank, higher taxes for the rich, a direct election of senetors, eight hour workday, and governmental control of telephones telegraphs and railroads. This party disintigrated after they lost the election of 1896 when colaborating with the Democrats. -
Election of 1892
This election was significant because it was the first election that the Populists were running in. This election was Harrison, a Republican, Cleveland, a Democrat, and James Weaver, for the Populist Party. Although Cleveland won the election, the Populists were optimistic about winning in 1896. -
Mark Hanna
He was a wealthy business owner who supported William McKinley during the election of 1896. He helped with McKinley's front porch campaign by using his business tactics to gain political support. McKinley ultimately won the election. -
Mugwumps & Goldbugs
These were two of the groups of people the followed Cleveland in the election of 1896. The Mugwumps were Republicans who were angry with corruption in the government. Goldbugs were people who supported the economy being backed by gold. -
Election of 1896
The election was between William McKinley, a republican, and William Jennings Bryan, a member of the populist party who was running on the Democratic ticket. Bryan was very involved in his campaign and delivered his famous "Cross of Gold speech," while McKinley had a "front porch" campaign.The election was significant because the populist party actually had a chance to win the election. The Populist party diminished after they lost the election and William McKinley took office. -
Progressive Party
This party was created prior to the election of 1912. Both Taft and Roosevelt were running to be the republican candidate, however, the party chose Taft. This caused TR to create his own more radical party. It was also referred to as the Bull Moose Party. The party supported minimum wage, lower tariffs, women's suffrage, trust regulation, abolition of child labor, and a direct election of senators, along with other progressive ideals. -
Socialist Party
Eugene Debs was a candidate in the 1912 presidential election who ran as a member of the Socialist Party. Socialists believed that capitalism needed to be abolished in order to solve economic problems that the United States was having, and that socialism should be put in place. At first, most people believed the socialist platform was too radical. However, Eugene Debs got over 900,000 popular votes which demonstrated how the American people were beginning to show displeasure with capitalism. -
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The Republican Party
During the 1920s, Republicans mostly controlled the government. The presidents throughout this time period, Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover were all Republicans. As such, they all believed in laissez-faire economics and were also pro-business. This proved to be an unpopular policy during the Great Depression, as seen in Hoover's presidency. Hoover wanted to adhere to his economic beliefs, while many Americans were suffering from the effects of the Depression and thought he needed to get involved. -
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Democratic Party
The 1920s and into the 30s was mainly dominated by the Republican Party, yet this changed in 1932 with the election of FDR. FDR really shaped the principals that are still associated with the Democratic Party today. They believed in less power from the businesses and more rights for the workers and small companies. They also belived the government should be more involved in helping the people, and are therefor seen as more socialistic. -
Dixiecrats
Dixiecrats were southern segregationists who were a part of the States' Rights Party. They nominated James Thurmond in the 1948 Presidential Election. Their platform was against racial integration and civil rights and in favor of Jim Crow laws. Thurmond got 39 electoral votes and 1,169,021 popular votes in the election. Soon after, most members of the Dixiecrats returned to the democratic party from which they originated. -
Election of 1948
The election of 1948 consisted of four nominees. Harry Truman was the nominee for the democrats, Thomas Dewey for the republicans, James Thurmond for the States' Rights party, and Henry Wallace for the progressives. Dewey was predicted to win based on his less agressive campaigning strategy (in comparison to Truman's), but Truman won with 303 electoral votes. It is thought that the Dixiecrats and Progressives actually helped Truman win the election; their radicalism kept moderates democratic. -
Election of 1952
For this election, the Republicans nominated Dwight Eisenhower with Richard Nixon for vice president. The Democrats nominated Adlai Stevenson and his segregationist running mate, John Sparkman. Throughout his campaign, Eisenhower spoke of battling "Korea, Communism, and Corruption." This strategy was successful; it discussed issues that the public thought were failures of Truman's presidency, and he won the election with 442 electoral votes. -
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Modern Republicanism
Name of Eisenhower's policies/presidency. He had a "hidden-hand" presidency where he could work to reduce taxes, contain inflation, and stimulate the economy. He also extended social security, raising minimum wage, extending unemployment benefits, and providing more low-income housing. He also approved the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, the creation of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Interstate Highway Act. These successes helped him get reelected in 1956. -
"New Left"
This was a movement that took place mostly in the 1960s and 70s. It consisted of liberals (including many college students) who supported reforms regarding many issues such as civil rights, gay rights, abortion rights, gender roles and drugs. They were also against nuclear testing, the war in Vietnam, and conformity/materialism. Some formed groups like the Students for a Democratic Society, who embodied all these beliefs. (Many were a part of the counterculture. -
Election of 1964
Tihs election was between Lyndon B. Johnson (D) and Barry Goldwater (R). LBJ won by a landslide with 43 million popular votes. Goldwater only recieved 27 million. LBJ's campaign platform was his "Great Society" in which he would create a variety of different social welfare programs and legislation that would help issues like education, poverty, immigration, and housing. -
Barry Goldwater's "New Right"
Barry Goldwater (R) ran against Lyndon B. Johnson (D) in the election of 1964. His platform was "New Right" which outlined his beliefs. He thought that too many people lived off the government and would get rid of many welfare programs. He also thought the federal government had too much power and some should be given back to the states. He also wanted to fight communism. This showed that the Republicans had taken a "right turn" and were becoming more conservative. -
Election of 1968
This election was between Richard Nixon (R) and Hubert Humphrey (D). George Wallace ran as an Independent. Nixon said he represented the "silent majority" or middle class Americans and vowed to end the war in Vietnam. Nixon won with 301 electoral votes, while Humphrey had 191. Wallace received 46 votes. The democrat party had slightly fractured, and the Republicans gained more support from the south, especially around the Sunbelt and the southwest states of the country. -
Election of 1972
This electon was between Richard Nixon (R) and George McGovern (D). McGovern wanted to pardon the draft dodgers, have immediate withdrawal in Vietnam, legalize marijuana, and even accused Nixon of prolonging the war. Worried that he would not be reelected, Nixon created CREEP to do whatever was necessary to win. This committee caused Nixon to get tied up in illegal activities, and he ordered a cover-up. He ended up winning by a landslide (520 vs 17 electoral votes).
