Political Parties

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Political Parties
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Political Party a group of people organized to
influence government through winning elections
and setting public policy.
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The USA has had a two-party system throughout its
history third parties occasionally emerge, but
usually, most elected officials come from one of
the two major parties.
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Political Party History in the USA . . .
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The First Party System 1796 - 1828
Federalists Democratic-Republicans
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The argument over the ratification of the
Constitution set the stage for the first
two-party system the Federalists/Anti-Federalist
s became the Federalists/Democratic Republicans.
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Jacksonian Democrats Emerge 1828 - 1860
Democrats v. Whigs
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After three consecutive presidents from the
Democratic-Republican Party, the Federalist
dissolved -- their successor was the Whig Party.
Meanwhile, under Andrew Jackson, the Democrats
(dropping the Republican name) continued in the
White House.
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The Republican Era 1860 - 1932
Democrats v. Republicans
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The Whigs divided over the issue of slavery a
third party, the Republicans, nominated Abraham
Lincoln, and he was elected President the Civil
War resulted . . .
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Democratic Re-emergence 1932 - 1968
The New Deal Democrats
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After a series of Republican Presidents, and the
Stock Market Crash, FDR is elected for four terms.
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The Era of Divided Government 1968 - Present
Democrats v. Republicans
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Beginning in the 50s, the issue of civil rights
began to crack the New Deal Democratic Party.
Southern whites who had been loyal Democrats
since the Civil War, did not approve of the
Democratic pro-civil rights policies they began
to defect to the Republican Party.
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The Vietnam War further split the Democrats in
the 1960s. The result of these two incidents has
been a period without a dominating party. For
most of this time, one party has controlled the
Presidency and one has controlled Congress.
Currently, we have a Democratic President, but a
Republican-controlled Congress.
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Role of Political Parties
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• Run Candidates for office.
• Create a platform.
• Inform voters of the issues.
• Organize the voters.
• Staff the polls on election days.

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The political party is organized from the bottom
up
National Party
State Party
Local Party
Grassroots
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Democrats tend to be liberal, while Republicans
tend to be conservative
Liberal favor the use of governmental power to
promote individual liberties and social progress.
Conservative favors the traditional the status
quo, and the idea that the government should stay
out of the affairs of its citizens.
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So, what are you? Liberal, Conservative, or
Moderate?
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Take this test to find out . . .
http//www.self-gov.org/quiz.html