American Government › Section I · Political parties › Topic I.1
What parties are and how they formed
The Constitution never mentions political parties, and several of its framers hoped the country could do without them. Within a decade of ratification two parties were competing for power, and parties have organised American elections and government ever since.
In this topic
- A system nobody planned
- What a political party is
- What parties do
- Warnings against faction
- The first party system
- Worked example: the tie of 1800
- Jackson and the first mass party
- Republicans and the lasting pair
- Minor parties and their ideas
- Worked example: party or interest group?
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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