CHAPTER 9 SECTION 1:

CHAPTER 9 SECTION 1:

DEVELOPMENT OF POLITCAL PARTIES

POLITICAL PARTIES:

POLITICAL PARTY organization of individuals with broad common interests who organize to win elections, to operate the government and to influence government policyUS has a TWO PARTY SYSTEMFor most of American history the US has had 2 major political partiesSometimes there have been more than 2 but they have seldom won

GROWTH OF AMERICAN PARTIES:

DEMOCRATIC PARTYOrganized in late 1790sLed by Thomas JeffersonOriginally known as the Democratic-Republican Party1828 the party splitSome members became known as the Democratic Party (took the name to stress ties to the common people)Others became the Whigs (or National Republicans)

REPUBLICAN PARTY1854 Democrats and Whigs left their parties to form new ones Many opposed slaveryDid not agree whether slavery should be abolished in the Southern states but wanted to keep it out of the Northern statesMost popular name1860 Abraham Lincoln became the 1st republican president

THIRD PARTIESSmaller minor partiesMost Americans do not support 3rd parties or vote for the candidatesHow have third parties influenced American politics? Promoted ideas that were 1st unpopular or hotly debated

Types of Third Parties:

Single Issue PartiesForm to promote a social, economic or moral issueDo not last long; fade away when issue is no longer important or a major party adopts the issueExample: ProhibitionistIdeological Parties:Support a particular philosophy or political doctrineExample: Communist PartyIndependent CandidatesExample: 1992 Ross Perot

Obstacles to Third Parties:

Must obtain a large # of voter signatures to get on the ballotHave trouble raising money to compete in campaigns

HOW THE PARTIES DIFFER:

Belief in how much the government should be involved in the lives of AmericansDemocrats believe the federal government should be directly involvedRepublicans favor less government regulationDifferences can be seen on the PARTYS PLATFORM (series of statements expressing the parties principles, beliefs and positions on election issues)Communicates to the voters what the party will do if it winsPLANK individual parts of the platform

There will be a quiz on these notes tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!The quiz will also include the vocabulary from Chapter 9 Section 1.You will not be permitted to use your notebooks.