Political Parties Flashcards
Define political party.
A political party is a group of people who share common political goals and who organize with the purpose of influencing policy through the electoral process.
What makes the development of American political parties unique?
American political parties developed not based on issues of class, but on issues regarding the role of government.
What are the three types of party systems in modern governments?
1) Single Party: one political party controls the government (e.g. Cuba or North Korea)
2) Two Party: two major political parties vie for power
3) Multi-party: several smaller, non-majority parties with divergent interests seek power; most governments are controlled by a coalition of these smaller parties (e.g. Israel, Germany)
How many political parties existed at the time the Constitution was enacted in 1789?
At the time of the Constitution, there were no political parties. By Washington’s second term as president, two political parties had developed around the dominant figures of the day: Alexander Hamilton (Federalist) and Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican).
Define First Party System.
The First Party system describes the two-party system, composed of Federalists and Democratic-Republicans, that existed in the United States from the late 1700s until the end of the War of 1812.
How did the Federalist Party envision the new national government’s role?
The Federalist Party, led by Alexander Hamilton, supported a strong central government. Hamilton and the Federalists argued that the Constitution provided implied powers; the sovereign duties of a government implied the right to use means adequate to its ends.
Who were the Democratic-Republicans?
The Democratic-Republicans (aka the Anti-federalists and Jeffersonian Republicans) opposed the Federalists in the early years of the Republic and were led by Thomas Jefferson. Democratic-Republicans stemmed from opponents of the new Constitution, desired a weak central government, and admired France. The Democratic-Republicans strongly denounced Hamilton’s creation of a national bank.
What was the Era of Good Feelings?
After the Federalist Party disintegrated during the War of 1812, the only national party was the Democratic-Republicans. President Monroe, who was in office for much of the period, sought to downplay partisan affiliation in making nominations with the goal of eliminating political parties altogether.
What were the two political parties of the Second Party System (1824-1854)?
The two major parties of the Second Party System were the Democratic Party and the Whig Party. Much as the Democratic-Republicans had done, the Democrats favored a limited central government. The Whig Party favored a strong central government and a national bank.
Define critical election.
Critical elections are rare, and refer to a dramatic shift in the electorate, where the majority party is often replaced by the minority party and voting coalitions shift alignments.
An example of a critical election is the election of Franklin Roosevelt in 1932, ending a long period of Republican dominance and enshrining the New Deal coalition.
Andrew Jackson was the first candidate elected president from the _____ _____.
Jackson was the first president elected from the “continuous Democratic party,” i.e. the Democratic Party that exists today.
Which party replaced the Whig Party as the primary opposition to the Democratic Party?
The birth of the Republican Party marked the dawn of the Third Party System, which lasted until the 1890s. During this period, Republicans were the dominant political party. President Lincoln was the first president from the Republican Party.
Which political party was dominant during the Fourth Party System, that lasted from the mid-1890s until 1932?
During the Fourth Party System, the Republican Party was dominant, and there was only one Democratic president, Woodrow Wilson.
During the era, Republicans focused on restraining big business, limiting federal spending, and foreign policies. The Democrats’ power was concentrated in the South, where they enjoyed strong support from segregationists.
In 1912, the Republican Party split between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt. What was Roosevelt’s new party called?
Roosevelt took a number of Republican voters with him into the Progressive Party, which newspapermen nicknamed the Bull Moose Party.
he era of Republican dominance ended with the election of which president in 1932?
In 1932, President Franklin Roosevelt was elected. Roosevelt’s New Deal era inaugurated the Fifth Party System, and saw an unprecedented expansion of the Democratic Party that lasted roughly until 1968.
