Indicator 1.6

USHC-1.6 Analyze the development of the two-party system during the presidency of George

Washington, including controversies over domestic and foreign policies and the regional

interests of the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists

• The writers of the Constitution never meant for there to be “political parties”

• They believed political parties caused separation & corruption

• President Washington warned of the dangers of political parties in his farewell address

• Our Founding Fathers wanted government leaders to take responsibility for their decisions, instead of “going along with the crowd”

• It wasn’t long after the Constitution was ratified that political parties formed…

• The first political parties were influenced more by personalities than by the issues

• The key people were: • Alexander Hamilton = Secretary of Treasury • Thomas Jefferson = Secretary of State

• Alexander Hamilton• First Secretary of Treasury• “Federalists” = Strong national government• Wanted national government to pay off

Revolutionary War debt• There should be a national bank – was “necessary &

proper” to establish a national currency and regulate trade

• There should be a protective tariff – a high tax on imports to prompt consumers to buy locally—would protect our industries

• There should be a excise tax on whiskey – Hamilton wanted to control the drinking habits of Americans and raise revenue for the national government

• Loose interpretation of the Constitution• Supported by wealthy merchants, industrialists, and

a few southern plantation owners

• Thomas Jefferson• First Secretary of State• “Democratic-Republicans” = Limit power of

national gov’t• Opposed Nat’l gov’t from paying off

Revolutionary war debt• Argued that gov’t didn’t support establishing a

national bank• Democracy depends on independence of the

farmer—not industries• Supported farmers who turned their grain into

whiskey—it should be transported easily & cheaply from west to east markets

• Strong state governments—closest to will of the people

• Supported by the “common man” = Rural people

• Strict interpretation of the Constitution • Opposed industrialization

Whiskey Rebellion• Hamilton believed the federal gov’t had the

power to directly tax Americans to get the USA out of debt

• 1791, Congress imposed a tax on the manufacturing of whiskey (excise tax)

• The outraged farmers used whiskey as a form of money —especially out West

• It’s not until 1794 that violence erupted

• In Pennsylvania, farmers terrorized tax collectors & destroyed the stills of those who paid the tax

Whiskey Rebellion• Hamilton urged President Washington to

stop the rebellion

• The rebellion ended quickly when 15,000 troops led by President Washington marched into their state

• The rebellion was supported by Thomas Jefferson (farmers!)

• The two-party system will develop as a result of the serious difference in the political positions on these economic issues

First Presidential election &Emergence of political parties

• As George Washington’s second and final term came to a close, political parties were shown in a very unfavorable light

• Each political party chose their candidates for the Presidential election of 1796--The “electors” promised to only vote for their party’s choice!

For the Federalist Party: • John Adams (Washington’s VP) was

running for President

• Thomas Pinckney, SC, as his Vice-President

For the Democratic-Republican Party:

• Thomas Jefferson was running for President• Aaron Burr (Senator from NY) as Vice President

Where was Hamilton in all this?

• Alexander Hamilton disliked Adams and did not want him to win the election

• He did not want to run against him because he too was a Federalist!

• So, he decided to covertly fix the election so Adams would not win

• Hamilton persuaded a few Federalist electors to not vote for Adams

• He didn’t want to risk the chance that Pinckney and Adams would receive the same number of electoral votes!

• He wanted Pinckney to receive more electoral votes and then Pinckney would become President with Adams as his Vice-President

• Hamilton’s plan leaked out!

• Many Federalist electors would not vote for Pinckney!

• After the electoral votes were counted, Adams = 71; Pinckney = 59; Jefferson (with all the support of the Democratic-Republicans) received 68

• This made John Adams, President with Thomas Jefferson, Vice-President!

• Thus is the beginning of our political parties!

What eventually became of Hamilton & Burr? 1804

A political party is…An organized group of people with a

shared political agenda; They wish to control the government through winning elections to public offices

Origin of the political party

symbols

Democratic Donkey

• Ever wondered what the story was behind these two famous party animals?

• The now-famous Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign

• His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters

• Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous

Nast’s cartoon

Republican Elephant• Nast invented another famous symbol—the

Republican elephant• After the Republicans lost the White House to the

Democrats in 1877, Nast drew a cartoon of an elephant walking into a trap set by a donkey

• He chose the elephant to represent the Republicans because elephants are intelligent but easily controlled

• Democrats today say the donkey is smart and brave, while Republicans say the elephant is strong and dignified

Nast’s cartoon

Which political party do you belong to?

Time for the survey…

1. Do you trust or distrust the government’s ability to solve problems?

Trust or Distrust

2. Which do you trust more?

*Choose one from each group.

•The Pentagon or The US Post Office?

•The Executive Branch or Legislative Branch?

•The FBI or The IRS?

•The CIA or The Peace Corps?

•The Joint Chiefs or The United Nations?

3. What about private institutions and people? Which do you trust more?

*Circle one from each group.

• Lawyers or Doctors?

• Union Leaders or Business Executives?

• Professional Athletes or Team Owners?

4. The national government should do more to solve our nation’s problems even if it means the following people have to pay more in taxes:

(you may choose as many as you want)

You

Big Corporations

The wealthy

The middle class

Small businesses

None

5. What should the government cut? (you may choose as many as you want)•Farming subsidies? •Foreign aid?•Subsidies to the arts?•Public education spending?•Money for public broadcasting?•Taxes?•Entitlement programs such as, Social Security, Medicaid, etc? •Defense spending?•Welfare spending?•No cuts at all.

6. Which President accomplished the most for America?

*Choose one.

• Bill Clinton?

• Ronald Reagan?

• George Herbert Walker Bush?

• Jimmy Carter?

• Richard Nixon?

• John F. Kennedy?

7. Do you see the ideal America as one where we are an “ethnic melting pot” in which religious, cultural, and ethnic differences are blurred, or as a nation in which ethnically diverse groups ought to coexist while retaining their cultural identity?

• Melting pot?

• Multicultural society?

8. Which would curb violence the most?

• Stricter controls on the sales of guns?

• Mandatory sentences for those who

commit crimes with guns?

• Both?

9. In the long run, do you think we can reduce crime more by building more prisons or providing more financial assistance to the rebuilding of our inner cities?

• Build prisons?

• Rebuild inner cities?

• Both?

Please indicate whether you agree or

disagree with each of the following

statements:

10. Even if it means cutting programs financed by the national government, the federal deficit must be reduced.

Agree Disagree

11. There are too many government

agencies.

Agree Disagree

12. Gays and lesbians should be able to

marry or at least be treated as

married under the law.

Agree Disagree

13. The news media is too bias.

Agree Disagree

14. There are too many religious people

running our government.

Agree Disagree

15. The government should allow

abortion services to be a part of any

standard health care package.

Agree Disagree

16. Negative political campaign ads

should not be allowed.

Agree Disagree

17. Pornography should be banned. Agree Disagree18. As a society, we should spend more money trying to find a cure for AIDS than for cancer and heart disease because AIDS threatens younger people. Agree Disagree19. Talk radio shows should be regulated to ensure both sides of a debate are represented, because talk radio has an unhealthy impact on the political process. Agree Disagree

20. The breakdown of the traditional family is the most serious domestic crisis facing our nation. Agree Disagree21. Women and racial minorities should be given preferences in hiring until we achieve true gender and racial equality in America. Agree Disagree22. Problems in our environment need government action, even if it means raising taxes. Agree Disagree

23. Should a formal prayer be required

in public schools?

Agree Disagree

24. Should marijuana be legalized?

Agree Disagree

25. Gun ownership in the US should be

severely restricted.

Agree Disagree

• Let’s calculate your score! You may not turn back and change your answers!!!!!

• Dr. James will call out the points for each response beginning with number one. You are to first write down the number of points per response and then go back and calculate your total number of points based on your responses.

• When you are completed calculating the number of points, write the number in the blank below.

• My score: ____________________ points• Ask Dr. James for the political party scale, so

you can see which political party you might belong to!

POINTS

1. TRUST = 0; DISTRUST = 22. PENTAGON = 1; US POST OFFICE = 0 EXEC. BRANCH = 1; LEGIS. BRANCH = 0 FBI = 1; IRS = 0 CIA = 1; PEACE CORPS = 0 JOINT CHIEFS = 1; UNITED NATIONS = 03. LAWYERS = 0; DOCTORS = 1 UNION LEADERS = 0; BUSINESS EXECS = 1 PRO ATHLETES = 1; TEAM OWNERS = 0

4. YOU = 0; BIG CORPS = 0;

WEALTHY = 0; MIDDLE CLASS = 0;

SMALL BUSINESS = 0; NONE = 1

5. FARM SUBSIDIES = 1;

FOREIGN AID = 1;

SUBSIDIES FOR ARTS = 1;

PUBLIC EDUCATION SPENDING = 1;

$$$ FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING = 1;

TAXES = 1; ENTITLEMENT PROGS = 1;

DEFENSE = 0; NO CUTS = 0;

WELFARE = 1

6. CLINTON = 0; REAGAN = 1;

GHW BUSH = 1; CARTER = 0;

NIXON = 1; JFK = 0

7. MELTING POT = 1

MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY = 0

8. STRICTER CONTROLS = 0;

MANDATORY SENTENCES = 1;

BOTH = 0

9. BUILD PRISONS = 1;

REBUILD INNER CITIES = 0;

BOTH = 0

10. AGREE = 1; DISAGREE = 0

11. AGREE = 1; DISAGREE = 0

12. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

13. AGREE = 1; DISAGREE = 0

14. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

15. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

16. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

17. AGREE = 1; DISAGREE = 0

18. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

19. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

20. AGREE = 1; DISAGREE = 0

21. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

22. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

23. AGREE = 1; DISAGREE = 0

24. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

25. AGREE = 0; DISAGREE = 1

Political Party Scale: Where do you fit in?

0 5 10 15 20 / 25 30 35 41

DEMOCRAT / REPUBLICAN

Democratic Description• Liberal

• Wants change

• Young

• Old

• Female

• Homosexual

• Catholic

• Jewish

• Black

• Hispanic

• Blue-collar

• Laborer

• Less-wealthy

• College-student (now!)

• Live & let live

• Equality for all

• Has visions of a better world & wants to make changes to achieve this ideal

• Government should regulate the behavior of business

• Government should redistribute the wealth

• Tax the wealthy

Republican Description

• Conservative

• Wants to preserve the status quo

• Middle-aged

• Male

• Homophobic

• Baptists

• Evangelicals

• White

• Asian

• White-collar

• Executive

• More wealth

• More educated

• Favors order—strict law& order

• Favors freedom over equality

• The right here/right now is great

• Government should regulate the behaviors of individuals

• Pro-strong military

• Tax everyone

• What’s mine is mine

• Earn your own $$$$$

• You have ‘em, then gotta feed ‘em

Famous Democrats

People who think like you do:

• Bill Clinton• Al Gore• Hillary Clinton • Jessie Jackson• Barack Obama• James Clyburn, SC 6• Gloria Tinubu• Muhammad Ali • Shirley Chisholm• Nancy Pelosi• John Kerry• Brad Pitt• JFK• Joe Biden

Famous Republicans

• George W. Bush

• Dick Cheney

• John McCain

• Condoleezza Rice

• Tom Rice

• Lindsey Graham, SC

• Jim DeMint, SC

• Nikki Haley, SC-Gov

• Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

• Clint Eastwood

• Colin Powell

• Tim Scott, SC 1

• Joe Wilson, SC 2

• Jeff Duncan, SC 3

• Trey Gowdy, SC 4

• Mick Mulvaney, SC 5

People who think like you do: