The Two-Party System in American History

As you read Chapter 5, Section 3 (pp. 126-131), complete the following:

The Nation’s First Parties

  1. The beginnings of the American two-party system can be traced to the battle over what? What was the central issue they were debating?
  1. Once the Constitution was adopted and Washington was elected president, to formal parties emerged. Fill in the chart below to compare and contrast those two parties.

Name of Party / Leaders / Supporters (think both generic groups, geographic areas, etc. / What did the party push for/believe in?
Party 1:
Party 2:
  1. By 1800, which party was fading from power? Which party had won the recent election and was beginning a long period of dominance?

The Era of the Democrats, ______(list the dates)

  1. The time period between 1800 and the mid-1820s is called the ______. Why is it called this?
  1. By the mid-1820s what was happening to bring this Era to a close?
  1. By the late 1820s, which two parties had emerged to usher in the second two party system?
  1. Fill in the chart below to compare and contrast the Democrats and Whigs:

Party / Leaders / Supporters (think both generic groups, geographic areas, etc. / What did the party push for/believe in?
Democrats
Whigs
  1. By the 1850s, what major issue ended up splitting both parties?
  1. What new party emerged in the 1850s that would soon become one of the major parties?

The Era of the Republicans, ______(list the dates)

  1. Describe the make-up of the Republican Party during this era of dominance.
  1. In the years following the Civil War, the Democrats struggled. Where did they find support?
  1. The book focuses on the election of 1896 as a critical moment in the development of the two-party system. Who is the Republican nominee? Who was the Democratic nominee? Who won?
  1. Though he lost in 1896, William Jennings Bryan was able to expand the influence of the Democratic Party by reaching out to which generic group?

The Return of the Democrats, ______(list the dates)

  1. What event led to the return of the Democrats in 1932?
  1. Which presidential candidate symbolize the return of the Democrats?
  1. Describe the make-up of the new Democratic Party that emerged after 1932?
  1. Why do political scientists think this election in 1932 was of “fundamental importance”?
  1. List the Democratic presidents who dominated this era (there are 4).

The Start of a New Era

  1. In the last 50 years or so, we have seen the start of a new era – and era called “divided government”. Fill in the chart below based on the section, noting how and why power has shifted back-and-forth.

Election Year / Democrat Running / Republican Running / Winner and Party? / Issues of that time period which help explain the results of the election? / Issues the winner faced once in office?
1968 / Three things dividing Democrats:
1972 / Main problem for Democrats: / Why does Nixon resign in 1974?
1976 / 3 reasons Ford is unpopular:
1980 / 3 reasons Carter is unpopular:
1992 / Name of the independent candidate that hurt GHW Bush’s reelection chances:
2000 / Why Al Gore must have been particularly upset after this election:
2004
  1. Since 2006, when one party controls the Presidency, which party controls the Congress?