TABLE OF CONTENTS US Founders Did Not Want Political Parties 4 The English Create Political Parties 6 Early Parties Debate the Role of Government 8 Political Standoffs Are Nothing New 10 Political Parties Become the People’s Voice 12 Two Parties Have Dominated US Politics 14 The Civil War Created the Modern Parties 16 Third Parties Also Play a Role 18 Third Parties Have Helped Decide Elections 20 Parties Represent Conservatives and Liberals 22 The Electoral College Was a Compromise 24 Political Cooperation Is Possible 26 Fact Sheet 28 Glossary 30 For More Information 31 Index 32 About the Author 32
1 US FOUNDERS DID NOT WANT POLITICAL PARTIES Political parties in the United States date back to the founding of the country in 1776 The people who led the American Revolution 1775 1783 were against the idea of political parties A political party is an organized group It tries to affect how a government is run A party uses its political power to influence government policies Soon after the American colonists won the American Revolution people began to form parties For the first time anyone had the power to influence politics People organized into parties They were able to express their political beliefs with more influence Early leaders feared political parties would harm the country George Washington and James Madison were against parties They were afraid one party would gather too much power These men believed that one party 4 President Geor ton President George Washington President George Washington gives his inaugural address gives his inaugural address Washi
It is difficult for one party to control all three branches of the federal government with all the power was no different from a monarchy The nation had just defeated the rule of the British monarchy People did not want to return to a similar government The US Constitution tried to limit the power of political parties Power in the new government was divided among three branches These were the legislative judicial and executive branches One party could control one branch of the government But it would be difficult for one party to control all the branches Early leaders hoped these political parties would be temporary But today those political groups still exist 1 Number of presidents who were not members of a political party George Washington was the only president who was not a member of a political party The US founders viewed political parties as dangerous The US Constitution tried to limit political parties Political parties formed as groups fought for power 5
