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independent party
George Washington becomes the 1st President of the United States. He was not formally affiliated with any Political Parties during his two terms in office and therefore classed as an Independent. All members of the new government supported him as an impartial president and wanted to give the Constitution a fair trial -
federalist party
John Adams is elected president for the Federalist Party who believed that the new central government, and the well-educated, wealthy classes, should be given the greatest power of government. The Federalist Papers explained the Constitution to the American people and promoted the concept of Federalism -
Anti-federalist party
Adams and the Federalist party were opposed by the Anti-Federalist Party who believed that the vast majority of ordinary, less educated people, had the skills and common sense required to run the government. -
Republican party
The Anti-Federalist party was re-named as the Republican Party reflecting the ideals of Republicanism supporting states’ rights and a strict interpretation of the Constitution -
The Democratic-Republican Party and the Jeffersonian Republicans
The Federalists tried to discredit the Republican Party by naming them Democratic-Republicans to convey the extreme and radical actions taken in the name of democracy during the French Revolution. However, the Jeffersonian Republicans admired the strong anti-monarchist sentiments of the French and their belief of the principle of government by the people - so the name "Democratic-Republican" stuck. -
Democratic-Republican Party
Thomas Jefferson, leader of the Democratic-Republican Party, was elected the third president of the United States. The Democratic-Republican Party adhered to the Constitution in order to limit the powers of the federal government and was strongly opposed to aristocracy, monarchy, corruption and elitism -
Democratic-Republican Party
The James Madison followed Jefferson as leader of the Democratic-Republican Party -
Fall of the Federalist Party
The Federalists bitterly opposed the rising power of the Democratic-Republicans and held secret meetings at the Hartford Convention to air their views reproaching Madison's administration and the War of 1812, some delegates favored secession. The War of 1812 ended with a sense of victory and sealed the destruction of the Federalist party. The secrecy of the Hartford Convention discredited the Federalists who were seen as too extreme and disloyal and even branded as "traitors". -
Democratic-Republican Party
As there was now only one political party (Democratic-Republican) this led to are more stable government and heralded the "Era of Good Feelings" during the two term presidency of James Monroe -
National Republican Party
The Democratic-Republican party split into several factions, taking the names of their party leaders: the Adams men (supporting John Quincy Adams), the Clay men (supporting Henry Clay). The Adams and Clay factions began to act together and to call themselves National Republicans, because they wished to build up the nation's resources, specifically National Defense, following the War of 1812. Refer to the National Republican Party -
Democratic-Republican party
John Quincy Adams became the last President under the Democratic-Republican ticket. During this time it split into the northern-dominated Republicans and the southern-dominated Democrats -
democrat party
Andrew Jackson was elected president. The Democratic Republican party of Andrew Jackson dropped the word "Republican" and called themselves simply Democrats and so began the formation of the Democrat Party