American Political Parties (1860 – Today)

• When Abe Lincoln wins the election of 1860– ALL HELL

BREAKS LOOSE!

– CIVIL WAR!

Civil War…what changed?

What’s next for America? • Industrial Revolution

– Begins around 1870’s

• Why does this matter? – North becomes

industrialized• Factories• Railroads• Big business

– South stays rural• Business = farms

What does the I.R. mean for politics?

• Republican party – Led by politicians from the North

– Supported by • newly freed African Americans• Antislavery democrats• Wanted huge government to help rebuild nation

• Democrats– Supported by

• Slavery supporters in South• Farmers• Wanted small government to keep out of South

And then came William Jennings Bryan• Democratic Congressman from

Nebraska– Ran for POTUS

• 1896• 1900• 1904• 1908

– Called for a “conservative America”• Go back to Christian fundamentals

• This began the transition of ‘democrats’ to modern day “republicans” – Wanted to go back to TJ’s

Democratic-Republic days.

After 1908

• Republicans are today’s republicans– Conservative

– Small business

– Based in• South• Bible Belt

– Rugged Individualism

And the Democrats….

• When W.J. Bryan changed Democrats to Republican beliefs– Democrats became

the liberals• Help big business• High taxes to help poor

population in big cities• Based in big city states

So here they are….

• Democrats– Focus on social issues

• Gay rights• Help for elderly and sick• Education for all

– Foreign policy• Work with other nations to

secure world peace

– Government role• Federal government should

help all states equally

• Republicans– Social Issues

• Against gay rights• Privatized insurance• Education for those who can pay for

it.

– Foreign Policy• Isolationism• Only do what helps USA

– Government Role• Small federal government that lets

states do what they want

Famous Republican Presidents since Abe Lincoln

• Herbert Hoover (1928-1932)– Built the Hoover Dam

• Gave electricity to 1/3 of America.

• Dwight D. Eisenhower (1952-1960)– General during WWII

• Richard Nixon (1968-1975)– Vietnam– Watergate

• George Bush I and II (1988-1992) and (2000-2008)– War in Iraq I– War in Iraq II

Famous Democrat Presidents• Woodrow Wilson (1912-1920)

– President during WWI• Helped with the Treaty of Versailles

• FDR (1932-1945)– President during WWII

• New Deal– Social Security

• JFK (1960-1963)– Started Civil Rights movement

• Bill Clinton (1992-2000)– Pays off government deficit for first time in almost 100 years

So what about third parties?

• Third Parties– Any political party that runs

against the main 2 in a two party system

– Led by an independent• Candidate not associated with

anyone.

– Most recent:• (2008) Green Party: Ron Paul• (1996) Reform Party: Ross Perot

Splinter Parties

• Parties that break from within a major political party– Democrats

• Socialist Party

– Republicans• Prohibition Party• Union Party • Tea Party?

Homework…..

• Pg. 409 1,2,3

• Pg. 415 1,2,3,4