CREATION OF THE POLITICAL PARTY SYSTEM IN THE USA
Summary about how the Party system in the USA got to where it is today?
The United States declared its independence from Great Britain on July 4 1776 during the Revolutionary War (1775-1783). A few years latter the first election was celebrated and George Washington became the first president of the United States Of America. Elected by the electoral college unanimously in 1789 and again in 1792, George Washington was the first independent president of the United States.
Washington opposed the creation of Political Parties. He thought that political parties would only promote the division among US citizens and therefore it would create more problems than what it would solve. Washington, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton were among the leaders of a group called The Federalists.
The Federalists thought that a group of opponents lead by Thomas Jefferson wanted to destroy and divide the Union by imposing their idea to ally with France. This group of called Democratic-Republicans, at the same time, opposed the Federalists way of government because they believed that they wanted to establish a government like the one in Great Britain, impose high taxes and subsidize monopolies.
Groups of Democratic-Republicans were created in the country having as their main purpose to oppose George Washington administration and support the French Revolution idea which called for "war of all peoples against all Kings".
There were other different opinions among the Federalists and the Democratic-republicans that lead to the formation of political parties. Thomas Jefferson wanted to base the economy of the united states on its agriculture and more benefits should be given to farmers in the Union. on the other hand, Alexander Hamilton thought that the economy should be based on the industry because he believed that it was the best way to make the country's economy grow at a faster rate.
Due to the mentioned and other factors, 1796 brought the first election in which people could chose between competing political parties and ideological points of views. At one side vice-president John Adams with the Federalists and at the other Thomas Jefferson as a candidate supported by the Democratic-Republicans.
John Adams Won the election and became the first president to live in what we now know as The White Hose.
Years later the conflicts and different ideological points of view lead to the division of the Democrat-Republican dominant party and the consolidation of what we now know as the political party system of the United States.
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Important links: Us Constitution/ Bill of Rights/ President/ Citizenship test
