1. President as Chief of Party
But wait….were political parties always part of the plan?

2. Chief of Party
NO!!!! Many founding fathers opposed political parties and warned that they would divide the country.
Washington was elected without a party and believed that political parties were divisive and an obstacle to good government.

3. Chief of Party
But political parties began to form during Washington’s administration
Alexander Hamilton became the leader of the Federalist Party
Thomas Jefferson became the leader of the Democratic-Republican Party.

4. Chief of Party
Federalists vs. Democratic Republicans – see packet

5. Chief of Party
Election of Jefferson (Democratic-Republican) beat J. Adams (Federalist) = first change of political party in American History
Election of 1800 – Jefferson and Burr both ran for Republicans (Jefferson for Pres, Burr for VP)….but since the original Electoral College did not vote separately for Pres and VP – Jefferson and Burr ended up in a tie and the House of Reps had to decide election
12th amendment passed as result – Electors vote separately for Pres and VP

6. Chief of Party
By 1824, the Federalist Party had lost influence and four candidates from the divided Democratic-Republican Party ran for the presidency. The election was decided in the House of Reps because no one candidate received the majority of the electoral vote.

7. Chief of Party
1824 continued….John Quincy Adams was voted President by the House of Reps and a result, Andrew Jackson, who had won the popular vote—formed the Democratic Party in protest of the “corrupt bargain.”

8. Chief of Party
In the election of 1828, Jackson was elected president as a populist man of the people.
By 1828, voting restrictions had been relaxed and ALL white men, 21 and older could vote.
However, he was soon opposed by the Whig Party.

9. Chief of Party
The Whigs took their name from the antiroyalist British party and opposed President Jackson was based on opposition to his king-like rule and his unchecked use of executive power.
During the 1840s and 1850s, the Democrats and Whigs remained in competition.

10. Chief of Party
After the Whig Party collapsed over disagreement about the spread of slavery, the Republican Party was formed in 1854.
Abraham Lincoln , won the Election of 1860 on the strength of the Northern vote and became the first Republican President.

11. Chief of Party
Republicans continued to dominate politics during the Civil War. Southern whites rejoined politics through the Democratic Party.
From the 1860s onward, the Democratic and Republican parties have dominated U.S. government.
Smaller, so-called third parties arise from time to time, but no independent or third-party candidate has won a presidential election, and very few have won congressional seats.

12. President Obama campaigning for Democratic Party
Chief of Party
Today…one of the President’s role is to act as Chief of his Party. He helps members of his political party get elected or appointed to office.
President Obama campaigning for Democratic Party