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Creation of Political Parties Era
This Era included the creation of the Federalist, and the Democratic - Republicans. The primary issue they debated was whether or not to approve of the Constitution. -
Adoption of the New US Constitution
During the formalization of the US Constitution, two distinct factions formed. One, the Federalists, were led by Alexander Hamilton in an effort to pass the Constitution, whereas Patrick Henry led the other in an effort to oppose the passage of the document. After the US Constitution was adopted, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson formed what would one day be the Democratic - Republican Party. -
Adams Defeats Jefferson
Jefferson and Madison thought that the Democratic - Republican Party would be a temporary arrangement, designed to stop Adams and the Federalist Party from siezing power. However, Adams beat out Jefferson, and Jefferson became the second vice-president of the United States. -
Election of 1800 (Realignment)
Jefferson defeated Adams for the Presidency. This marked the first period in histroy when the Democratic - Republicans assumed control of the government. Though the Federalists feared that Jefferson would dismantle the Constitution, Jefferson wisely attempted to quell arguments on both sides to avoid secession. First Realignment. -
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Era of the Democratic - Republicans
Druring this time period, Democratic - Republicans ran virtually unapposed. In the election of 1824, for example, both candidates were Democratic - Republicans. This was the manifestation of Jefferson's dream that political parties would become redundant and would soon disappear altogether. -
War of 1812
The victory in the War of 1812 is often accredited to the Democratic - Republicans as by this time, the Federalists were weakining. This led directly to the poularity of the Democratic - Republicans. -
Death of the Federalist Party/ Election of 1816
Rufus King, a Federalist nominee, loses in the presidential election to James Monroe. The Federalist party never nominated another candidate for president. -
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Jacksonian Era
This was the period that is referred to as the "Second Party System". It is a time when political parties were created and lasted from the Jackson's first run for presidency and ended with the start of the Civil War. -
Election of 1824
Jackson lost the election to Adams even though he had the majority of both the electoral and popular vote. He did not achieve the presidency because he did not win enough electoral votes to mandate victory, and thus it was decided by the House of Representatives. This result led to the discreditation of the caucus system. -
Election of 1828 (Realignment)
This was the election that Jackson began running as a Democrat, or a Jacksonian Democrat as opposed to the Jeffersonian Democrat (Democratic - Republican). This election marked the transition from the First Party System to the Second Party System. Second Realignment. -
Alternative to Caucuses
The first convention by a major political party took palce. This party was the National Republicans or the Anti - Jackson Republicans which eventually merged into the Whig Party. -
Election of 1832
The first election where Presidential electors were chosen by popular vote. Before that period, electors were chosen by state legistlatures in about half the states. Presidential politics had now become a national phenomenon. -
Split of the Democratic Party
Stephen A. Douglas led half of the Democratic Party, primarily the North, which could not decide what to do with the issue of slavery. John C. Breckinridge led the other half, primarily the South, who denied that the government had a right to outlaw slavery. -
National Union Party
The National Union Party was the temporary name used by the Republican Party for the national ticket in the 1864 presidential election which was held during the Civil War. For the most part, state Republican parties did not change their name -
Modern Republicans
Eisenhower favored a more moderate course, one that he called Modern Republicanism, which preserved individual freedom and the market economy yet insured that government would provide necessary assistance to workers who had lost their jobs or to the ill or aged, who through no fault of their own, -
Modern Democracy
Democracy, in modern usage, has three senses—all for a system of government where the citizens exercise power by voting. In a direct democracy, the citizens as a whole form a governing body and vote directly on each issue. In a representative democracy the citizens elect representatives from among themselves.