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
- The beginnings of the American two-party system can be traced to the battle over what? What was the central issue they were debating?
- 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:
- 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)
- The time period between 1800 and the mid-1820s is called the ______. Why is it called this?
- By the mid-1820s what was happening to bring this Era to a close?
- By the late 1820s, which two parties had emerged to usher in the second two party system?
- 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
- By the 1850s, what major issue ended up splitting both parties?
- What new party emerged in the 1850s that would soon become one of the major parties?
The Era of the Republicans, ______(list the dates)
- Describe the make-up of the Republican Party during this era of dominance.
- In the years following the Civil War, the Democrats struggled. Where did they find support?
- 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?
- 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)
- What event led to the return of the Democrats in 1932?
- Which presidential candidate symbolize the return of the Democrats?
- Describe the make-up of the new Democratic Party that emerged after 1932?
- Why do political scientists think this election in 1932 was of “fundamental importance”?
- List the Democratic presidents who dominated this era (there are 4).
The Start of a New Era
- 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
- Since 2006, when one party controls the Presidency, which party controls the Congress?