Section 8
Chapter 5: The First American Party System
Today, political parties are an authoritative and essential component of the United States political system. However, it is important to examine how the political parties began and evolved over hundreds of years, since they were first established. In 1794, the major political parties were the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. The major difference between these two was that the Federalists favored a strong central government, while the Democratic-Republicans preferred a central government with limited power and more state control. At the time of the election, it seemed that the prominent, distinguished Federalist Party clearly had the upper hand, but in the end the Democratic-Republican candidate ended up winning. Despite the fact that political party system was nowhere as nearly sophisticated as it is today, there were many key factors that contributed to the Democratic-Republican congressional victory in 1794, including the demographics of the city, political party initiatives, and remarkably the yellow fever response.
Many political factions precipitated out of George Washington’s first presidential election and by 1794 these factions were on the brink of establishing themselves as distinct political parties. The two major players, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans, sanctioned various methods of cultivating support for their candidate and for their cause. The federal congressional election of 1794 ignited the highest level of political tension in Pennsylvania since the ratification of the United States Constitution, which caused its share of argument and turmoil in 1787. The two candidates, Thomas Fitzsimons and John Swanwick, came from divergen...
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... yellow fever epidemic and the Democratic-Republicans’ actions in favor of the people certainly served to aid in Swanwick’s victory in 1794.
The Congressional Election of 1794 was a very important and influential one in the evolution of the American political party system. Although Federalists dominated the early political world of the newly constructed union, the Democratic-Republican candidate, Swanwick, was victorious. There were many factors that contributed to Swanwick’s victory that can’t be ignored when analyzing how the Democratic-Republicans procured the victory in the election of 1794. All the evidence available needs to be investigated in order to understand the influences of the candidate, their position on the various controversial issues of the time period, and the voters themselves on the outcome of the election of 1794.
Nimit Patel
Although national political parties were considered “divisive and disloyal”, the first two-party system of the United States, Hamiltonian-Federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans, emerged during George Washington’s administration. The political division was later sharpened with Jay’s Treaty. They differ from each other in various aspects. Nevertheless, the political turbulent during the 1790s greatly expanded the public sphere.
A political party is a group of people who seek to win elections and hold public office in order to shape government policy and programs. George Washington warned the nation against creating political parties in his famous “Farewell Address”. He feared political parties would divide the country and weaken support of the Constitution (Doc 4). The first major political parties, the Federalists and the Republicans, were created during the term of President George Washington. Despite President Washington’s warning, the rise of the two political parties, in the years after his term was inevitable. The Federalists were in favor of a strong central government, while the anti-federalists opposed most their ideas. Over time, the gradual development of political parties resulted in the Democrat and Republican parties we have today. The Whiskey Rebellion and different views between the Federalists and Antifederalists were a couple of the main causes that led to the rise of political parties in the 1790’s.
The first two parties were created in the later 1700’s, and these parties were made for two different purposes. The Federalist & Democratic-Republicans had some similar and opposing aspects, but mostly opposing.
The first political parties in America began to form at the end of the 18th century. "The conflict that took shape in the 1790s between the Federalists and the Antifederalists exercised a profound impact on American history." The two primary influences, Thomas Jefferson a...
After the creation of the United States Constitution, George Washington was elected as the first president. During Washington’s two terms, two political parties emerged: the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. In determining the catalyst for these parties surfacing, it is important to look at the viewpoints each group held in areas including the economy, politics, and foreign affairs. Political parties rose in the 1790s as contrasting opinions on economic plans and foreign affairs ultimately led to opposing political perspectives.
The post-revolutionary war period of the Unites States saw the establishment of the first party system and an enlarging gap in viewpoints between the wealthy and the common man. The contradictory views of Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson were primarily responsible for the rise of political parties from 1783-1800.
The presidential election of 1828 introduced new election components and techniques for political campaigning that drastically altered the American political system. Until 1828 presidential campaigns were conflicts over ideology, focused primarily on issues and policy not on individuals. Presidential candidates either leaned towards a larger centralized government to secure liberties or a decentralized government, often referred to as a ‘ true republic’, which allotted states and thus individuals more freedom. While these opposing viewpoints can be defined as Federalist or Republican, partisanship did not play a significant role. The 1828 campaigns of Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams changed all that, the focus shifted from policy and issues to character, image and party rhetoric thus altering future elections and politics in America.
...ident. The election also peacefully transferred from the federalist party to the democratic republican party, even though the Federalists wanted a stronger federal government to restrain popular majorities, while the Democratic-Republicans wanted to reduce national government and a stronger state government so that the people could rule more directly with popular sovereignty. The events leading to the election of 1800 and events after the election also helped shape the friendship of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, due to their political differences. The elections broke their friendship, but their retirement and Dr. Rush helped bring them back.
In the following essay I will be talking about the disadvantages and advantages of partisan elections for state politics. I will also examine the last couple year’s election results and costs. Finally, I will discuss if partisanship made a difference in the vote, as well as if a judge should be decided by partisan vote. In the next couple paragraphs I will talk more specifically about these topics.
In discussing the problems surrounding the issue of factionalism in American society, James Madison concluded in Federalist #10, "The inference to which we are brought is that the causes of cannot be removed and that relief is only to be sought in the means of controlling its effects." (Federalist Papers 1999, 75) In many ways, the nature of American politics has revolved around this question since our country's birth. What is the relationship between parties and government? Should the party serve as an intermediary between the populace and government, and how should a government respond to disparate ideas espoused by the factions inherent to a free society. This paper will discuss the political evolution that has revolved around this question, examining different "regimes" and how they attempted to reconcile the relationship between power and the corresponding role of the people. Beginning with the Federalists themselves, we will trace this evolution until we reach the contemporary period, where we find a political climate described as "interest-group liberalism." Eventually this paper will seek to determine which has been the most beneficial, and which is ultimately preferable.
When the Framers were drafting the presidential selection procedure of the Constitution in 1787, they presented an artful compromise to the issue of direct election. With the new country spanning thousands of miles along the Atlantic coast and barely connected by transportation or communication, it was impractical if not impossible to distribute information widely enough for every citizen to make an informed choice (Kimberling). In a direct election, this lack of knowledge about candidates living in other states would inevitably result in citizens voting for the candidate they knew the most about. Because the larger states have considerable more voters, presidents would be elected not for their political beliefs, but for their place of residence. Given the inability to spread information extensively, the Framers compromised by adopting the idea of representation. The people up and down the country would vote for local delegates with whom they were familiar with. These electors would then elect a president “pre-eminent for ability and virtue” (Hamilton 333). By devising the Electoral College, the Framers ensured th...
As the young colonies of America broke away from their mother country and began to grow and develop into an effective democratic nation, many changes occurred. As the democracy began to grow, two main political parties developed, the Jeffersonian Republicans and the Federalists. Each party had different views on how the government should be run. The Jeffersonian Republicans believed in strong state governments, a weak central government, and a strict construction of the Constitution. The Federalists opted for a powerful central government with weaker state governments, and a loose interpretation of the Constitution. Throughout the years, the political parties have grown, developed, and even dispersed into totally new factions. Many of the inconsistencies and changes can be noted throughout the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
There are thousands of years of history that have taken place. History is not like art(less subjective), but there is still plenty of room for speculation, criticism, and debate among historians, professors, as well as average citizens. However, not all these moments are documented, or done successfully specifically. Some of these moments end up becoming movies, books, or even historical fiction novels, but what about those fundamental moments that aren’t readily documented? In the book The Birth of Modern Politics Lynn Hudson Parsons claims that the 1828 election was momentous in the history of both political history, as well as our nation. Parsons not only discusses the behind the scenes of the first public election of 1828, but the pivotal events in Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams’ lives leading up to the election as well. Parsons succeeds in proving her thesis that the 1828 election was crucial to American politics as we know it today, as well as provoking evidence from various sources with her own logic and opinions as well.
In the early years of American history, the nation was divided between two political parties that had opposing views of the other. Led by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, each party obtained ideals specific to themselves. In the advent of Jefferson’s election, the view of the Constitution was stuck in between two political parties with two completely different ideas, but during the years 1801-1817, the nation witnessed a series of events that shifted the traditional ideals of the parties.
Throughout the 1830-1840’s the opposing governmental parties, the Jacksonian Democrats and the Whigs, undertook many issues. The Whigs were a party born out of their hatred for President Andrew Jackson, and dubbed his harsh military ways as “executive usurpation,” and generally detested everything he did while he was in office. This party was one that attracted many other groups alienated by President Jackson, and was mainly popular among urban industrial aristocrats in the North. On the other hand, the Jacksonian Democrats were a party born out of President Andrew Jackson’s anti-federalistic ideals that was extremely popular among southern agrarians. A major economic issue that the two parties disagreed on was whether or not the United States should have a National Bank. Along with the National Bank, the two parties also disagreed on the issue of the Protective tariff that was enforced to grow Northern industry. Politically, the two parties disagreed on the issues of Manifest Destiny, or expansion, and ultimately Slavery. While the two parties essentially disagreed on most issues, there are also similarities within these issues that the two parties somewhat agree on.