Political+Party+Timeline

In the beginning, there were no political parties... then America became an independent nation and our "independence" from political parties was gone. **1787-1788 - Federalists vs Anti-federalists** The debate here is over a strong-central government with limited states' rights vs a weaker central government with strong states' rights. Federalists, such as Alexander Hamilton, believe in the former while Anti-federalists, such as Patrick Henry, believed in the latter. The debate ends, somewhat, with the ratification of the Constitution after Federalists agree to put in a Bill of Rights to protect citizens and states from excessive federal government power.

**1789 - 1816 - Federalists vs Democratic-Republicans** The Federalists remain the same, believing in a strong central government with an economy that emphasized industry. Furthermore, they believed in working toward an alliance with Great Britain for trade. Meanwhile, the Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, believe in a modest central government, economy based on agriculture, and an alliance with France for trade. Things come to a conflict in 1800 when Jefferson (D-R) runs against incumbent John Adams (Federalist). Jefferson wins and the Federalist Party begins to decline. Jefferson serves two terms as President followed by fellow Democratic-Republican James Madison. In 1816, the election in which D-R candidate James Monroe wins, the Federalists ran a candidate for the last time. (Their demise had been sealed by the Hartford Convention.)

**1816 - 1824 - Era of Good Feeling** During this time, there is only one political party - the Democratic-Republicans (at least on the national stage). Rapid territorial expansion fueled the Jeffersonian ideals of an agrarian-based economy. This ends with the "corrupt bargain" of 1824 where, controversially, John Quincy Adams is elected President.

**1824 - 1832 - National Republican Party vs Democratic Party** Due to his anger with the election of 1824, Andrew Jackson breaks away from the Democratic-Republicans and his followers are called the Democratic Party. Meanwhile, John Quincy Adams becomes the face of the National Republican Party. In some ways, the National Republican Party mirrors the old Federalist Party in the fact that they favor strong industrial development. However, to say that this was a revival of the Federalist Party would be inaccurate. In 1828, Jackson wins the Presidential election, putting the new Democratic Party in the White House for the first time.

**1832 - 1834 - Emergence of the Anti-Masonic Party and the Demise of the National Republican Party** A group of former National Republicans who despise Jackson's involvement with the Free Masons form the first third party in American History - the Anti-Masonic Party. Their platform was that they basically disliked the Free Masons and their "secret" ways (or, alleged secret ways). However, this party was short lived as their ideals were picked up by future parties. Meanwhile, the success of the Democratic Party leads to the National Republican Party dying out. Only to be replaced soon after by the Whig Party.

**1834 - 1854 - Whig Party vs Democratic Party** As the National Republican Party fizzled out, Daniel Webster and Henry Clay formed the Whig Party which founded on the principles of expanding government involvement, increased commercial and industrial expansion, and cautious westward expansion. In 1840, William Harrison breaks a 12-year strong hold on the White House by Democrats by becoming the first Whig Party president to be elected. In 1848, Zachary Taylor is elected as president, marking the last time that a Whig would be elected to the top position in the U.S..

**1848 - 1854 - The Free Soil Party** Founded solely on the basis of preventing the spread of slavery, the Free Soil Party was formed to support the Wilmot Proviso, which, if passed, would have forbade bringing slaves into territory acquired in the Mexican-American War.

**1852 - 1856 - The Know-Nothing Party** This was a group of former Democrats who were anti-immigration. In particular, they were anti-Catholic and wound up splitting away from the Democratic Party. Note: At this point in history, there are four parties: The Whigs, Democrats, Free Soilers, and Know-Nothings. That would soon change...

**1854 - 1890 - Republicans vs Democrats** In 1854, the Whigs and Free Soilers merged into the Republican Party. In 1856, the Know-Nothing Party joined in with the Republicans as well, providing a stiff challenge for the Democrats. The Democrats then became divided upon regional lines (into Northern and Southern Democrats as evidenced in the election of 1860). Due to this divide, Abraham Lincoln won the election of 1860, thus leading to the Civil War. In 1864, the Republicans briefly changed their name to the National Union Party in an effort to reunite the union. (Lincoln's running mate was, in fact, a Democrat - Andrew Johnson.) In 1865, the Northern and Southern Democrats reunite following the Civil War. Then, during Reconstruction, the Republicans were divided into Radicals (who wanted to punish the South and protect former slaves) and conservatives (who just wanted the nation reunited as quickly as possible without concern for former slaves). Following Reconstruction, this divide ended. That brings us to where we are at this point in US History.