Political PartiesDefinition: Groups of individuals with

common political beliefs.U.S. Government is conducive to

political parties because the Executive and Legislative branch must work together.

Two Party System -Founding Fathers were against having political parties – felt they would corrupt government (for example: George Washington had a diverse cabinet – different political beliefs)

First Parties Federalists

Alexander Hamilton

and John Adams Favored active Federal

Government

Pro-British Foreign Policy

Democratic-Republican (today’s Democratic Party) – Thomas Jefferson

Limited Federal Government

Pro-French Foreign Policy

Referred to as Republicans

Held the Presidential office for 28 years after Jefferson became President, resulted in a one-party system, Federalists fell apart.

Two Party System - Revived

National Republicans

- John Quincy Adams

Federal Government actively promotes economy

Democratic-Republicans

– Andrew Jackson

By 1828, became known as the Democratic Party

Control the Presidency from 1828 – 1860

(Civil War shift)

1860-Emergence of Today’s Parties

Republican Party (Abraham Lincoln)

Opposed expansion of slavery West

Believed in Nationalism

Democratic Party

Favored expansion of slavery West

States’ rights

(States before National Government)

1860 – 1912: Republicans dominate Presidency

“New Deal” - 1932

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Democrats control Congress for the next 48 years (until 1980 – election of Ronald Reagan)