The Creation and Evolution of the Two Major Political Parties

Political Parties first began to emerge during the creation of the Constitution. Supporters of a strong Central Government became known as Federalists and those that preferred the individual states to have the majority of the power were known as Democratic Republicans. During George Washington’s Presidency, political parties really began to take shape – Cabinet Adams (Federalist) Thomas Jefferson (Democratic Republican)

Washington warned of Political Parties in his farewell address. He felt they weakened the government and caused division (1796)

Federalists, Democrats, Republicans and More...

Sectional Conflicts and opponents of Andrew Jackson led to the creation of the Whig party. They would elect 2 Presidents (William Henry Harrison & Zachary Taylor) Supporters (business owners, wealthy white southerners, urban middle class). The issue of slavery eventually weakened the Whig party and many of its supporters joined the newly created  Republican party in the 1850s.

In the 1850s, the issue of slavery divided the nation. Northern Democrats – former whigs and abolitionists created the Republican Party in 1854

We also get into why some states came in as slave states vs free states. It was all political!

Example: Missouri wanted to join a free state – but the senate was the LAST place that southern states had an equal say as the northern states and would not allow it. How did that get solved? We tell you that as well as all about the compromise of 1850 and some new territories that were acquired.

 

We speak to how the parties have evolved over time and become what and how they are today