The Birth of Political Parties

During the early years of the U.S. government, the new republic saw the firm and unexpected establishment of a two-party political system.

Learning Objective

Differentiate between factional splits and political parties in the early republic

Key Points

While most of the founding fathers of the United States viewed the very idea of political parties as contrary to the principles of the American Revolution, the early republic experienced the firm establishment of the two-party system in the United States.
By the first Washington administration, two political tendencies had solidified into two rival political parties: Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
Federalists favored a powerful central government and an economy based on commerce and manufacturing; Democratic-Republicans, on the other hand, favored a less-powerful central government and an economy that was built around farming and the trades.
As a consequence, the Elections of 1796 and 1800 were bitterly contested, with the beginnings of modern political campaign machinery evident in every state in the Union.
With the election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 and the relative success of his Democratic-Republican administration, the Federalists grew increasingly weak.

Terms

The War of 1812
A military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire.
Era of Good Feelings
A period in the political history of the United States that reflected a sense of national purpose and a desire for unity among Americans.
ratification
The official way to confirm something, usually by vote.
partisan
Adherent to a party or faction.

Full Text

Development of Political Parties

The founders of the Constitution did not foresee the development of political parties. For many, political parties were associated with the corruption and authoritarianism of the British Parliament. It was nearly universally believed that the new republic ought to be free from "factions." While the founders envisioned a competition in the new government among competing interests, few foresaw these interests uniting into formal political parties. However, the stresses the new government faced soon exposed different ideas about the direction of the new federal republic.

The first two political parties grew out of the early factions that had formed around the debate over ratification of the Constitutions. The Federalist party, which had grown out of the Federalist faction supporting ratification, favored a powerful central government and an economy based on commerce and manufacturing. The Democratic-Republicans, who arose out of the Anti-Federalist faction opposing ratification, favored a less-powerful central government and an economy that was built around farming and the trades.

The differences exposed during the fight over ratification became even more prominent during President Washington's administration. The Federalists tended to focus on the financial programs of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, while Democratic-Republican Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson led those who had been prominent in the Anti-Federalist cause. The differences between these two parties were deep, lasting, and of great consequence.

Analyzing the Parties

Partisan rancor in the first decades of the republic can perhaps be partially explained by the dramatic regional, economic, ideological, and cultural differences between the two political parties. Each pursued visions of a future United States that tended to exclude each other. The Federalists were an urban and commercial party that maintained that the Constitution ought to be loosely interpreted and a powerful central government established. Federalism was concentrated in the bustling maritime towns and cities of New England and in the plantation districts of the Chesapeake Bay and South Carolina. Its members generally came from the upper-middle and upper classes, who opposed political democracy.

In contrast, the Democratic-Republicans were a rural, agrarian party. They agreed that the Constitution ought to be strictly interpreted, fearing that a powerful central government would merely aid those who were already wealthy and influential. Their greatest strength was in farming districts throughout the country and among the working classes of the burgeoning cities. Unlike the Federalists, the Democratic-Republicans were confirmed supporters of political democracy.

The country also was driven by the global conflict between Great Britain and Revolutionary France during the 1790s. Federalists tended toward supporting Britain, while Democratic-Republicans favored France. Conflict between the two parties heightened with the passage by Federalists of the Alien and Sedition Acts in 1798, which sought to curtail speech against the Federalist government. After the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, Adams and the Federalists grew increasingly unpopular.

Transfer of Power in 1800

The election of Thomas Jefferson in 1800 marked a success for the Democratic-Republican party and the decline of the Federalist party. The political fate of the Federalist party was then sealed by the seemingly treasonable behavior of leading Federalists during the War of 1812. After the war, for a brief period, partisan differences seemed to disappear. The disintegration of the Federalist party seemed to leave only the Democratic-Republican party standing. This so-called "Era of Good Feelings" during Monroe's administration made many wonder if the founders were right to discount parties. However, after Monroe left office, new partisan differences flared up, instituting the Second Party System.

1800 Federalist poster

At the left a Democrat says, "This Pillar shall not stand I am determin'd to support a just and necessary War” and at the right a Federalists claims, "This Pillar must come down I am a friend of Peace." Washington (in heaven) warns party men to let all three pillars of Federalism, Republicanism, and Democracy stand to hold up Peace and Plenty, Liberty and Independence.

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