1. Party History
Linkage Institutions

2. How did the political parties develop?
Party History
How did the political parties develop?

3. The First Party System
Political Parties

4. Party Systems First Party System Ratification Issues
Two major political parties formed around the debates over ratification of the Constitution
Alexander Hamilton attempted to sway the delegates to the ratification convention in New York
He helped organize other leaders to help him articulate his policy ideas
He put together a coalition of people that supported his ideas for different reasons, forming the Federalist Party

5. Party Systems First Party System Federalists
Federalists advocated for a stronger national government.
They wanted the national government to take a role in developing the nation’s economy
They advocated for the creation of a national bank
John Adams was their first president, and the first to represent a party, but he was not elected to a second term.

6. Democratic Republicans
Party Systems
First Party System
Democratic Republicans
Anti- Federalists formed a political party to oppose the Federalists in bids for office
Democratic Republicans or Jeffersonians advocated for less national government involvement in the economy
They protected agrarian interests, which made them popular in the South & rural areas
The next four presidents after Adams were Democratic-Republicans (Including John Quincy Adams).

7. They didn’t even bother nominating a candidate for POTUS after 1816.
Party Systems
First Party System
End of the Party System
Federalists were opposed to the war of 1812, which was unpopular among the people that supported them.
They had been unsuccessful anyway and when America won the war, it made them even less popular.
They didn’t even bother nominating a candidate for POTUS after 1816.
The next few years was referred to as the “Era of Good Feelings” because there was general consensus in politics

8. Introduced elections based around the two party model
Party Systems
First Party System
First Party System
Introduced elections based around the two party model
Federalists created the nominating convention as a way to choose candidates
The two parties created “campaigning” and it evolved to become more organized and national

9. Democrats vs Whigs
Political Parties

10. Party Systems Second Party System Jacksonian Democrats
Andrew Jacksons campaigns for POTUS really made political parties modern
He brought together coalitions of different interests to support him:
Southerners, Westerners, immigrants, farmers
The Democratic Republicans simplified their name to Democrats and began to try to appeal to the masses

11. Party Systems Second Party System Democrats
Martin Van Buren helped bring the party together nationally by focusing on an “opposition party” to fight against
Democrats tried to brand themselves as the party of the “common man” and advocated for small government and protection of “states’ rights”
This party mostly united around the states’ ability to make their own decisions about slavery

12. Party Systems Second Party System Whigs
The opposition to the Democrats came from the Whigs, who advocated for more national government involvement in the economy
They had notable leaders in Congress like Henry Clay & Daniel Webster but were only successful winning the presidency when they ran military heroes
They were split among Northern Whigs who were industrial and Southern Whigs who were wealthy planters

13. Party Systems Second Party System End of the Party System
Slavery began to dominate all politics as the country moved closer to Civil War.
This caused a split between the Northern Whigs and the Southern Whigs who could not agree
Events like Kansas-Nebraska allowed Republicans to gain fame & draw support away from Whigs
By 1860 the remaining Whigs disbanded & tried to reform as the Constitutional Union Party

14. Party Systems Second Party System Second Party System
Parties were built from the bottom up instead of from the top down.
They relied on the support of voters
Both parties began using national party conventions to nominate their presidential candidates
Regular people began to identify themselves with political parties

15. Democrats Vs Republicans
Linkage Institutions

16. Political Parties Third Party System Republican Domination
The Republicans rose as an antislavery party.
They got Abraham Lincoln elected and then amended the Constitution after the Civil War
The 14th and 15th Amendments created new voters that were loyal voters for Republican Party – as long as Republicans protected them in the South
13th and 14th Amendments erased the electoral advantage Democrats had because of Three Fifths Compromise

17. Political Parties Third Party System Republican Domination
The Republicans dominated the government for about 60 years
Reconstruction made it so that elections were competitive even in the South because of new voters
The end of Reconstruction put the South firmly back in Democratic control
Party Machines began to take hold in cities around the country

18. It rewarded its loyal supporters through patronage.
Political Parties
Third Party System
Party Machines
The urban political party became the main party organization in America
It rewarded its loyal supporters through patronage.
It relied on an influx of immigrants, who would become party loyal after being given homes and jobs
Party Machines ushered in the Progressive Era who reformed government rules to try to stop these machines

19. Political Parties Third Party System Democrats
Southern whites were loyal Democrats since Jackson, but even more in this system since the Republicans occupied the South
It relied on an influx of immigrants, who would become party loyal after being given homes and jobs
Democrats in northern industrial areas began to rely on the support of labor unions ( full of immigrants)

20. Political Parties Fourth Party System Republicans
The end of Reconstruction & beginning of the Progressive Era marked by the election of 1896
The coalitions that made up the parties did not change, but their policy platforms began to change.
Republicans developed in to the party of big business interests and laissez faire economic policy

21. The 1920s were marked by scandals under Republican administrations
Political Parties
Fourth Party System
End of the Party System
The 1920s were marked by scandals under Republican administrations
The Great Depression began and got worse because of laissez faire responses from Republican president

22. Third & Fourth Party System
Political Parties
Fourth Party System
Third & Fourth Party System
The two parties we know today entrenched themselves as the major parties with few real challengers
The progressive reforms took power away from the party machines and decreased government corruption
Coalitions solidified behind the parties. Big business & African Americans associated with Republicans
Labor unions, immigrants, and Southerners were associated with Democrats

23. New Deal Democrats
Political Parties

24. Party Systems New Deal Roosevelt’s New Deal Coalition
FDR criticized the Republican stance that legislation couldn’t fix the economy
Voters realigned into a new coalition that supported Democrats.
Urban voters, Labor Unions, poor people, Catholics, Jewish people, Southerners, academics, and African Americans became loyal Democratic voting blocks.

25. Democrats had been the party advocating for small government
Party Systems
New Deal
New Deal Democrats
Democrats had been the party advocating for small government
To fix the Depression, Democrats adjusted their philosophy to one of national government taking a large role in economic planning.
Over the “Fourth Party System” the Republicans began a shift from a party supporting a larger national government to one of laissez faire policies

26. Democrats dominated the government from 1932 - 1968
Party Systems
New Deal
New Deal Democrats
Democrats dominated the government from
The only time Republicans won the presidency was running WW2 hero Dwight Eisenhower who ran as a Republican after being recruited by both parties leading up to 1952
Over time, Democrats expanded the power of the federal government, especially in economic planning and social welfare policies for many people in its coalition

27. Era of Divided Government
Political Parties

28. This is likely to result in policy gridlock
Party Systems
Divided Government
Divided Government
The presidency and the Congress are controlled by different political parties
Voters are less loyal to political parties and more prone to split ticket voting
This is likely to result in policy gridlock

29. They are seen as the party of “big government” and tend to be liberal
Party Systems
Divided Government
Democrats
The Democrats have not changed much from their New Deal era policy platforms of expanded social welfare policies
They advocate for policies that would benefit the members of their coalition
They are seen as the party of “big government” and tend to be liberal

30. Party Systems Divided Government Republicans in the 1960s
Barry Goldwater was the nominee in 1964 – he marked the beginning of a much more conservative Republican party
He rejected the legacy and programs of the New Deal
He was vocally opposed to desegregation and the Civil Rights Act

31. Party Systems Divided Government Republicans in the 1960s
Richard Nixon ran in 1968 and his campaign used the “Southern Strategy” started by Goldwater
He increased support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism after the Democrats passed the Civil Rights Act in 1964
George Wallace ran a third party campaign in 1968 based on segregationist policies and won 5 states’ electoral votes

32. Characteristics of this Era
Party Systems
Divided Government
Characteristics of this Era
Only once since FDR has the same political party won three presidential elections at the same time.
New presidents are popular, but their party suffers in their first mid term election.
Voters tend to shift more Congressional control to the opposition party over the course of a president’s time in office

33. Party Systems Divided Government Characteristics of this Era
A general shift to the right by both parties during this era
Ronald Reagan in the 1980s was popular and solidified Republican loyalty for a generation of voters
Even Democrats in this era rarely advocate for the types of liberal social policies that were characteristic of the New Deal and the 1960s.

34. Parties Today
Political Parties

35. Party Systems Parties Today Parties Today
Parties have less control over the candidates as candidates rely on mass media more than the parties
Loyal party voters are becoming more polarized and demanding that the parties do the same
People are less likely to be loyal to one political party. People are likely to dislike both political parties

36. Party Systems Parties Today Party realignment Party dealignment
A minor party (third party) replaces one of the two major parties in the party system
A demographic group changes its allegiance from one party to the other
Party dealignment
Voters are turning away from any party identification
Instead of switching parties, they leave parties entirely

37. Democrats had been the party advocating for small government
Party Systems
Parties Today
Today’s Coalitions
Democrats had been the party advocating for small government
To fix the Depression, Democrats adjusted their philosophy to one of national government taking a large role in economic planning.
Over the “Fourth Party System” the Republicans began a shift from a party supporting a larger national government to one of laissez faire policies

38. Party Systems
Parties Today
Where is the Support?

39. Party Systems
Parties Today
Where is the Support?

40. Party Systems
Parties Today
Where is the Support?

41. Trends in Party Affiliation
Party Systems
Parties Today
Trends in Party Affiliation

42. Party Systems
Parties Today
Polarization

43. Party Systems Parties Today Mass Media Spread of the Internet
Mass media causes elections to become candidate centered instead of party focused
Candidates can spread their message easily without the parties
Spread of the Internet
Candidates do not rely on the parties to connect them with voters
Candidates can easily raise funds without the party

44. Parties have to reestablish themselves as links for the people
Party Systems
Parties in the Future
Role in the Future?
Parties have to reestablish themselves as links for the people
Voters and politicians have done much to eliminate the importance of parties as the middleman
Candidates still rely on the party to win elections. Their infrastructure is permanently entrenched in American politics
Young people rarely join parties, are more likely to call themselves independents, and vote for candidates instead of parties

45. Bigly Ideas
Beliefs & Behaviors

46. History Wrap Up Realignments in the past Party Coalitions today
Changes in Democrats
Party Coalitions today
Dealignment / Future
Focus on these things: