(Copperheads)
146-549: The Northern Democratic Party was a leg of the Democratic Party during the 1860 presidential election, when the party split in two factions because of disagreements over slavery. They held two conventions before the election, in Charleston and Baltimore , where they established their platform. Democratic Candidate Stephen A. Douglas was the nominee and lost to Republican Candidate Abraham Lincoln , whose victory prompted
292-431: A chair. County, town, city, and ward committees generally are composed of individuals elected at the local level. State and local committees often coordinate campaign activities within their jurisdiction, oversee local conventions, and in some cases primaries or caucuses, and may have a role in nominating candidates for elected office under state law. Rarely do they have much direct funding, but in 2005 DNC Chairman Dean began
438-408: A coalition of farmers, city-dwelling laborers and Irish Catholics. Both parties worked hard to build grassroots organizations and maximize the turnout of voters, which often reached 80 percent or 90 percent of eligible voters. Both parties used patronage extensively to finance their operations, which included emerging big city political machines as well as national networks of newspapers. Behind
584-454: A contentious issue the extension of slavery to the territories . On the other hand, many Democrats feared industrialization the Whigs welcomed....For many Democrats, the answer to the nation's social ills was to continue to follow Thomas Jefferson's vision of establishing agriculture in the new territories in order to counterbalance industrialization. In 1848 a major innovation was the creation of
730-537: A key part of the bipartisan conservative coalition in an alliance with most of the Midwestern Republicans. The economically activist philosophy of Franklin D. Roosevelt, which has strongly influenced American liberalism , shaped much of the party's economic agenda after 1932. From the 1930s to the mid-1960s, the liberal New Deal coalition usually controlled the presidency while the conservative coalition usually controlled Congress. Issues facing parties and
876-501: A movement. Reformers eager to turn their programs into legislation called for a more active government. But Democrats tended to oppose programs like educational reform and the establishment of a public school system....Nor did Jackson share reformers' humanitarian concerns. He had no sympathy for American Indians , initiating the removal of the Cherokees along the Trail of Tears . The party
1022-759: A necessary source of government revenue. They supported the Independent Treasury (the Jacksonian alternative to the Second Bank of the United States) not as a scheme to quash the special privilege of the Whiggish monied elite, but as a device to spread prosperity to all Americans . Sectional confrontations escalated during the 1850s, the Democratic Party split between North and South grew deeper. The conflict
1168-571: A new Democratic Party on a national basis. In the 1830s, the Whig Party coalesced into the main rival to the Democrats. Before 1860, the Democratic Party supported expansive presidential power , the interests of slave states , agrarianism , and expansionism , while opposing a national bank and high tariffs . The Democratic-Republican Party split over the choice of a successor to President James Monroe . The faction that supported many of
1314-411: A popular Democratic song. The emotionally similar song " Beautiful Day " by the band U2 has also become a favorite theme song for Democratic candidates. John Kerry used the song during his 2004 presidential campaign and several Democratic congressional candidates used it as a celebratory tune in 2006. As a traditional anthem for its presidential nominating convention, Aaron Copland 's " Fanfare for
1460-511: A pro-slavery constitution on Kansas; acquire Cuba (where slavery already existed); accepting the Dred Scott decision of the Supreme Court; and adopting a federal slave code to protect slavery in the territories. President Buchanan went along with these demands, but Douglas refused and proved a much better politician than Buchanan, though the bitter battle lasted for years and permanently alienated
1606-613: A program (called the "50 State Strategy") of using DNC national funds to assist all state parties and pay for full-time professional staffers. In addition, state-level party committees operate in the territories of American Samoa , Guam , and Virgin Islands , the commonwealths of Northern Mariana Islands and Puerto Rico , and the District of Columbia , with all but Puerto Rico being active in nominating candidates for both presidential and territorial contests, while Puerto Rico's Democratic Party
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#17328451191101752-473: A reduced role for the government in the economy, and a liberal policy for the sale of public lands to encourage settlement; they opposed high tariffs to encourage industry. The Jackson policies were kept, such as Indian removal and the Trail of Tears . Van Buren personally disliked slavery but he kept the slaveholder's rights intact. Nevertheless, he was distrusted across the South. The 1840 Democratic convention
1898-461: A synthesis of neoliberal economic policies with cultural liberalism , with the voter base after Reagan having shifted considerably to the right . In an effort to appeal both to liberals and to fiscal conservatives, Democrats began to advocate for a balanced budget and market economy tempered by government intervention ( mixed economy ), along with a continued emphasis on social justice and affirmative action . The economic policy adopted by
2044-550: A vigorous campaign attacking Eastern moneyed interests, but he lost to Republican William McKinley . The Democrats took control of the House in 1910, and Woodrow Wilson won election as president in 1912 (when the Republicans split) and 1916. Wilson effectively led Congress to put to rest the issues of tariffs, money, and antitrust, which had dominated politics for 40 years, with new progressive laws. He failed to secure Senate passage of
2190-480: A young (35 years old) upstart, Congressman William Jennings Bryan made the magnificent "cross of gold" speech, which brought the crowd at the convention to its feet and got him the nomination. He would lose the election, but remained the Democratic hero and was renominated and lost again in 1900 and a third time in 1908. Grover Cleveland led the party faction of conservative, pro-business Bourbon Democrats , but as
2336-432: A younger generation of leaders, who like Hart had been inspired by the pragmatic idealism of John F. Kennedy. Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was one such figure, who was elected president in 1992 as the Democratic nominee. The Democratic Leadership Council was a campaign organization connected to Clinton that advocated a realignment and triangulation under the re-branded " New Democrat " label. The party adopted
2482-531: Is an organization supporting the candidacies of Democratic gubernatorial nominees and incumbents. Likewise, the mayors of the largest cities and urban centers convene as the National Conference of Democratic Mayors . The DNC sponsors the College Democrats of America (CDA), a student-outreach organization with the goal of training and engaging a new generation of Democratic activists. Democrats Abroad
2628-625: Is chaired by Representative Suzan DelBene of Washington . Similarly, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC), chaired by Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, raises funds for Senate races. The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC), chaired by Majority Leader of the New York State Senate Andrea Stewart-Cousins , is a smaller organization that focuses on state legislative races. The Democratic Governors Association (DGA)
2774-499: Is contrary to common practice outside of the United States where blue is the traditional color of the right and red the color of the left. Jefferson-Jackson Day is the annual fundraising event (dinner) held by Democratic Party organizations across the United States. It is named after Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Andrew Jackson , whom the party regards as its distinguished early leaders. The song " Happy Days Are Here Again "
2920-600: Is organized only to nominate presidential candidates. The Democrats Abroad committee is organized by American voters who reside outside of U.S. territory to nominate presidential candidates. All such party committees are accorded recognition as state parties and are allowed to elect both members to the National Committee as well as delegates to the National Convention. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) assists party candidates in House races and
3066-403: Is the largest party in the U.S. and the fourth largest in the world . Including the incumbent Biden, 16 Democrats have served as president of the United States. The Democratic-Republican Party splintered in 1824 into the short-lived National Republican Party and the Jacksonian movement which in 1828 became the Democratic Party. Under the Jacksonian era, the term "The Democracy" was in use by
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#17328451191103212-479: Is the organization for Americans living outside the United States. They work to advance the party's goals and encourage Americans living abroad to support the Democrats. The Young Democrats of America (YDA) and the High School Democrats of America (HSDA) are young adult and youth-led organizations respectively that attempt to draw in and mobilize young people for Democratic candidates but operates outside of
3358-517: Is the unofficial song of the Democratic Party. It was used prominently when Franklin D. Roosevelt was nominated for president at the 1932 Democratic National Convention and remains a sentimental favorite for Democrats. For example, Paul Shaffer played the theme on the Late Show with David Letterman after the Democrats won Congress in 2006. " Don't Stop " by Fleetwood Mac was adopted by Bill Clinton 's presidential campaign in 1992 and has endured as
3504-581: The 1866 elections , the Radical Republicans won two-thirds majorities in Congress and took control of national affairs. The large Republican majorities made Congressional Democrats helpless, though they unanimously opposed the Radicals' Reconstruction policies . The Senate passed the 14th Amendment by a vote of 33 to 11 with every Democratic senator opposed. Realizing that the old issues were holding it back,
3650-435: The 1984 and 1988 presidential elections , respectively. Many Democrats attached their hopes to the future star of Gary Hart , who had challenged Mondale in the 1984 primaries running on a theme of "New Ideas"; and in the subsequent 1988 primaries became the de facto front-runner and virtual "shoo-in" for the Democratic presidential nomination before a sex scandal ended his campaign. The party nevertheless began to seek out
3796-533: The 2020 presidential election . He began his term with extremely narrow Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate. During the Biden presidency, the party has been characterized as adopting an increasingly progressive economic agenda . In 2022, Biden appointed Ketanji Brown Jackson , the first Black woman on the Supreme Court . However, she was replacing liberal justice Stephen Breyer , so she did not alter
3942-746: The American Civil War and wanted an immediate peace settlement with the Confederates . War Democrats in American politics of the 1860s were members of the Democratic Party who supported the Union and rejected the policies of the Copperheads (or Peace Democrats). The War Democrats demanded a more aggressive policy toward the Confederacy and supported the policies of Republican President Abraham Lincoln , when
4088-473: The American Civil War broke out a few months after his victory in the 1860 presidential election . Democratic Party (United States) The Democratic Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States . Since the late 1850s, its main political rival has been the Republican Party ; the two parties have since dominated American politics. The Democratic Party
4234-603: The American Civil War , the party generally supported slavery or insisted it be left to the states. After the war until the 1940s, the party opposed civil rights reforms in order to retain the support of Southern white voters. The Republican Party was organized in the mid-1850s from the ruins of the Whig Party and Free Soil Democrats. It was dominant in presidential politics from 1860 to 1928. The Democrats elected only two Presidents during this period: Grover Cleveland (in 1884 and 1892) and Woodrow Wilson (in 1912 and 1916). Over
4380-409: The Copperheads , who strongly opposed them. No party politics were allowed in the Confederacy , whose political leadership, mindful of the welter prevalent in antebellum American politics and with a pressing need for unity, largely viewed political parties as inimical to good governance and as being especially unwise in wartime. Consequently, the Democratic Party halted all operations during the life of
4526-452: The Copperheads . The Democratic Party did well in the 1862 congressional elections , but in 1864 it nominated General George McClellan (a War Democrat) on a peace platform and lost badly because many War Democrats bolted to National Union candidate Abraham Lincoln. Many former Democrats became Republicans, especially soldiers such as generals Ulysses S. Grant and John A. Logan . The Northern Democratic Party declared their support for
Northern Democratic Party - Misplaced Pages Continue
4672-491: The Democratic National Committee (DNC) to coordinate state activities in the presidential contest. Senator Lewis Cass , who held many offices over the years, lost to General Zachary Taylor of the Whigs. A major cause of the defeat was that the new Free Soil Party , which opposed slavery expansion, split the Democratic vote. The Free Soil Party attracted Democrats and some Whigs and had considerable support in
4818-629: The Democratic National Convention . The national convention is subject to the charter of the party and the ultimate authority within the Democratic Party when it is in session, with the DNC running the party's organization at other times. Since 2021, the DNC has been chaired by Jaime Harrison . Each state also has a state committee, made up of elected committee members as well as ex officio committee members (usually elected officials and representatives of major constituencies), which in turn elects
4964-567: The Democratic-Republican Party , founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1793, and had largely collapsed by 1824 . It was built by Martin Van Buren who assembled many state organizations to form a new party as a vehicle to elect Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. The pattern and speed of formation differed from state to state. By the mid-1830s almost all the state Democratic parties were uniform. The spirit of Jacksonian democracy animated
5110-565: The Democratic-Republican Party , founded by Thomas Jefferson , James Madison and other influential opponents of the conservative Federalists in 1792. That party died out before the modern Democratic Party was organized; the Jeffersonian party also inspired the Whigs and modern Republicans. Historians argue that the modern Democratic Party was first organized in the late 1820s with the election of war hero Andrew Jackson of Tennessee, making it
5256-581: The Free Soil Party to oppose the spread of slavery, running as its candidate in the 1848 presidential election , before returning to the Democratic Party and staying loyal to the Union. The Democrats split over slavery, with Northern and Southern tickets in the election of 1860 , in which the Republican Party gained ascendancy. The radical pro-slavery Fire-Eaters led walkouts at the two conventions when
5402-500: The New Deal . New Deal liberalism meant the regulation of business (especially finance and banking) and the promotion of labor unions as well as federal spending to aid the unemployed, help distressed farmers and undertake large-scale public works projects. It marked the start of the American welfare state. The opponents, who stressed opposition to unions, support for business and low taxes, started calling themselves "conservatives". Until
5548-797: The Versailles Treaty (ending the war with Germany and joining the League of Nations). The weakened party was deeply divided by issues such as the KKK and prohibition in the 1920s. However, it did organize new ethnic voters in Northern cities. After World War I ended and continuing through the Great Depression , the Democratic and Republican Parties both largely believed in American exceptionalism over European monarchies and state socialism that existed elsewhere in
5694-634: The Vietnam War in the 1960s was another divisive issue that further fractured the fault lines of the Democrats' coalition. After the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in 1964, President Johnson committed a large contingency of combat troops to Vietnam, but the escalation failed to drive the Viet Cong from South Vietnam, resulting in an increasing quagmire , which by 1968 had become the subject of widespread anti-war protests in
5840-560: The Wall Street Crash of 1929 and the ensuing Great Depression , the party employed social liberal policies and programs with the New Deal coalition to combat financial crises and emergency bank closings, with policies continuing into World War II . The party kept the White House after Roosevelt's death in April 1945, electing Harry S. Truman in 1948 to a full term. During this period,
5986-502: The War Democrats , who supported the military policies of Republican President Lincoln; and the Copperheads , who strongly opposed them. In the South party politics ended in the Confederacy . The political leadership, mindful of the fierce divisions in antebellum American politics and with a pressing need for unity, rejected organized political parties as inimical to good governance and as being especially unwise in wartime. Consequently,
Northern Democratic Party - Misplaced Pages Continue
6132-613: The election of 1864 , which featured Andrew Johnson on the Union ticket to attract fellow Democrats. Johnson replaced Lincoln in 1865, but he stayed independent of both parties. The Democrats benefited from white Southerners' resentment of Reconstruction after the war and consequent hostility to the Republican Party. After Redeemers ended Reconstruction in the 1870s and following the often extremely violent disenfranchisement of African Americans led by such white supremacist Democratic politicians as Benjamin Tillman of South Carolina in
6278-826: The gold standard and opposed Bimetallism . They strongly supported reform movements such as Civil Service Reform and opposed corruption of city bosses, leading the fight against the Tweed Ring . The leading Bourbons included Samuel J. Tilden , David Bennett Hill and William C. Whitney of New York, Arthur Pue Gorman of Maryland, Thomas F. Bayard of Delaware, Henry M. Mathews and William L. Wilson of West Virginia, John Griffin Carlisle of Kentucky, William F. Vilas of Wisconsin, J. Sterling Morton of Nebraska, John M. Palmer of Illinois, Horace Boies of Iowa, Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar of Mississippi and railroad builder James J. Hill of Minnesota. A prominent intellectual
6424-481: The gold standard ; opposed bimetallism ; and crusaded against corruption, high taxes and tariffs. Cleveland was elected to non-consecutive presidential terms in 1884 and 1892 . Agrarian Democrats demanding free silver , drawing on Populist ideas, overthrew the Bourbon Democrats in 1896 and nominated William Jennings Bryan for the presidency (a nomination repeated by Democrats in 1900 and 1908). Bryan waged
6570-544: The popular vote in 2000 and 2016 but lost the Electoral College in both elections (with candidates Al Gore and Hillary Clinton , respectively). These were two of the four presidential elections in which Democrats won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College , the others being the presidential elections in 1876 and 1888 . The modern Democratic Party emerged in the late 1820s from former factions of
6716-522: The popular vote , but after a controversial election dispute over a Florida recount settled by the U.S. Supreme Court (which ruled 5–4 in favor of Bush ), he lost the 2000 election to Republican opponent George W. Bush in the Electoral College . In the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as well as the growing concern over global warming , some of
6862-468: The progressive movement in the United States (1890s–1920s) and opposed imperialistic expansion abroad while sponsoring liberal reforms at home despite supporting racism and discrimination against African Americans in government offices and elsewhere. Starting with Franklin D. Roosevelt , the party dominated during the Fifth Party System , which lasted from 1932 until about the 1970s. In response to
7008-480: The unmarried . On social issues, it advocates for abortion rights , voting rights , LGBT rights , action on climate change , and the legalization of marijuana . On economic issues, the party favors healthcare reform , universal child care , paid sick leave and supporting unions . In foreign policy, the party supports liberal internationalism as well as tough stances against China and Russia . Democratic Party officials often trace its origins to
7154-628: The 1830s, the Locofocos in New York City were radically democratic, anti-monopoly and were proponents of hard money and free trade . Their chief spokesman was William Leggett . At this time, labor unions were few and some were loosely affiliated with the party. The Presidency of Martin Van Buren was hobbled by a long economic depression called the Panic of 1837 . The presidency promoted hard money based on gold and silver, an independent federal treasury,
7300-412: The 1880s and 1890s, the South, voting Democratic, became known as the " Solid South ". Although Republicans won all but two presidential elections, the Democrats remained competitive. The party was dominated by pro-business Bourbon Democrats led by Samuel J. Tilden and Grover Cleveland , who represented mercantile, banking, and railroad interests; opposed imperialism and overseas expansion; fought for
7446-508: The 1950s, a minority in the party's Southern wing joined with conservative Republicans to slow and stop progressive domestic reforms. Following the Great Society era of progressive legislation under Lyndon B. Johnson , who was often able to overcome the conservative coalition in the 1960s, the core bases of the parties shifted, with the Southern states becoming more reliably Republican and
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#17328451191107592-561: The 1980s, the Democratic Party was a coalition of two parties divided by the Mason–Dixon line: liberal Democrats in the North and culturally conservative voters in the South, who though benefitting from many of the New Deal public works projects, opposed increasing civil rights initiatives advocated by northeastern liberals. The polarization grew stronger after Roosevelt died. Southern Democrats formed
7738-611: The Common Man " is traditionally performed at the beginning of the Democratic National Convention. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is responsible for promoting Democratic campaign activities. While the DNC is responsible for overseeing the process of writing the Democratic Platform, the DNC is more focused on campaign and organizational strategy than public policy . In presidential elections, it supervises
7884-540: The Confederacy (1861–1865). Partisanship flourished in the North and strengthened the Lincoln Administration as Republicans automatically rallied behind it. After the attack on Fort Sumter , Douglas rallied Northern Democrats behind the Union, but when Douglas died the party lacked an outstanding figure in the North and by 1862 an anti-war peace element was gaining strength. The most intense anti-war elements were
8030-748: The Constitution. The party opposed a national bank and Great Britain . After the War of 1812 , the Federalists virtually disappeared and the only national political party left was the Democratic-Republicans, which was prone to splinter along regional lines. The era of one-party rule in the United States, known as the Era of Good Feelings , lasted from 1816 until 1828, when Andrew Jackson became president. Jackson and Martin Van Buren worked with allies in each state to form
8176-575: The Constitution: that all efforts of the abolitionists or others, made to induce congress to interfere with questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences, and that all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and permanency of the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend to our political institutions. The Panic of 1837 led to Van Buren and
8322-618: The DNC. History of the United States Democratic Party The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties of the United States political system and the oldest active political party in the country , as well as in the world. The Democratic Party was founded in 1828. It is also the oldest active voter-based political party in the world. The party has changed significantly during its nearly two centuries of existence. Once known as
8468-504: The Democratic Party came in the late 1850s as Democrats increasingly rejected national policies demanded by the Southern Democrats. The demands were to support slavery outside the South. Southerners insisted that full equality for their region required the government to acknowledge the legitimacy of slavery outside the South. The Southern demands included a fugitive slave law to recapture runaway slaves; opening Kansas to slavery; forcing
8614-424: The Democratic Party halted all operations during the life of the Confederacy (1861–1865). Partisanship flourished in the North and strengthened the Lincoln Administration as Republicans automatically rallied behind it. After the attack on Fort Sumter , Douglas rallied Northern Democrats behind the Union, but when Douglas died the party lacked an outstanding figure in the North and by 1862 an anti-war peace element
8760-443: The Democratic Party left it powerless. Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States. Douglas campaigned across the country calling for unity and came in second in the popular vote, but carried only Missouri and New Jersey. Breckinridge carried 11 slave states , coming in second in the Electoral vote, but third in the popular vote. During the Civil War , Northern Democrats divided into two factions:
8906-502: The Democratic Party that opposed them persisted in the South until the 1960s. On foreign policy, both parties have changed positions several times. The Democratic Party evolved from the Jeffersonian Republican or Democratic-Republican Party organized by Jefferson and Madison in opposition to the Federalist Party. The Democratic-Republican Party favored republicanism ; a weak federal government ; states' rights ; agrarian interests (especially Southern planters); and strict adherence to
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#17328451191109052-460: The Democratic Party was the party of the "common man". It opposed the abolition of slavery. From 1828 to 1848, banking and tariffs were the central domestic policy issues. Democrats strongly favored—and Whigs opposed—expansion to new farm lands, as typified by their expulsion of eastern American Indians and acquisition of vast amounts of new land in the West after 1846. The party favored the war with Mexico and opposed anti-immigrant nativism . In
9198-407: The Democratic Party while red has become the identifying color for the Republican Party. That night, for the first time all major broadcast television networks used the same color scheme for the electoral map: blue states for Al Gore (Democratic nominee) and red states for George W. Bush (Republican nominee). Since then, the color blue has been widely used by the media to represent the party. This
9344-407: The Democratic Party, including the former Clinton administration , has been referred to as " Third Way ". The Democrats lost control of Congress in the 1994 elections to the Republicans, however, in 1996 Clinton was re-elected, becoming the first Democratic president since Franklin D. Roosevelt to win a second full term. Clinton's vice president Al Gore ran to succeed him as president, and won
9490-421: The Democrats but had the effect of alienating Southern whites who would eventually gravitate toward the Republican Party, particularly after the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1980. Many conservative Southern Democrats defected to the Republican Party , beginning with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the general leftward shift of the party. The United States' involvement in
9636-409: The Democrats control of every Southern state (by the Compromise of 1877 ), but the disenfranchisement of blacks took place (1880–1900). From 1880 to 1960, the " Solid South " voted Democratic in presidential elections (except 1928). After 1900, a victory in a Democratic primary was " tantamount to election " because the Republican Party was so weak in the South. After being out of office since 1861,
9782-434: The Democrats led to a Republican victory and Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States. As the American Civil War broke out, Northern Democrats were divided into War Democrats and Peace Democrats . The Confederate States of America deliberately avoided organized political parties. Most War Democrats rallied to Republican President Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans' National Union Party in
9928-444: The Democrats tried a " New Departure " that downplayed the War and stressed such issues as stopping corruption and white supremacy , which it wholeheartedly supported. President Johnson , elected on the fusion Union Party ticket, did not rejoin the Democratic Party, but Democrats in Congress supported him and voted against his impeachment in 1868. After his term ended in 1869 he rejoined the Democrats. War hero Ulysses S. Grant led
10074-412: The Democrats won the popular vote in three consecutive elections, and the electoral vote (and thus the White House) in 1884 and 1892. Although Republicans continued to control the White House until 1884, the Democrats remained competitive (especially in the mid-Atlantic and lower Midwest ) and controlled the House of Representatives for most of that period. In the election of 1884 , Grover Cleveland ,
10220-429: The Democrats' drop in popularity. The Whigs nominated William Henry Harrison as their candidate for the 1840 presidential race. Harrison won as the first president of the Whigs. However, he died in office a month later and was succeeded by his Vice President John Tyler . Tyler had recently left the Democrats for the Whigs and thus his beliefs did not align much with the Whig Party. During his presidency, he vetoed most of
10366-449: The Northeast. Former Democratic President Van Buren ran as the Free Soil nominee in 1848 and finished second ahead of Cass in the anti-slavery states of Vermont and Massachusetts and in his home state of New York. Had Cass won New York as Polk had 4 years prior, he would have won the election. Free Soils warned that rich slave owners would move into new territories such as Nebraska and buy up the best lands and work them with slaves. To protect
10512-537: The Northeastern states becoming more reliably Democratic. The party's labor union element has become smaller since the 1970s, and as the American electorate shifted in a more conservative direction following the presidency of Ronald Reagan , the election of Bill Clinton marked a move for the party toward the Third Way , moving the party's economic stance towards market-based economic policy. Barack Obama oversaw
10658-418: The Northern and Southern wings. When the new Republican Party formed in 1854 on the basis of refusing to tolerate the expansion of slavery into the territories, many northern Democrats (especially Free Soilers from 1848) joined it. The formation of the new short-lived Know-Nothing Party allowed the Democrats to win the presidential election of 1856. Buchanan, a Northern " Doughface " (his base of support
10804-567: The Obama presidency, the party moved forward reforms including an economic stimulus package, the Dodd–Frank financial reform act, and the Affordable Care Act . In the 2010 midterm elections , the Democratic Party lost control of the House as well as its majorities in several state legislatures and governorships. In the 2012 elections , President Obama was re-elected, but the party remained in
10950-509: The Republican Party only elected one president ( Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956) and was the minority in Congress all but twice (the exceptions being 1947–49 and 1953–55). Powerful committee chairmanships were awarded automatically on the basis of seniority, which gave power especially to long-serving Southerners. Important Democratic leaders during this time included Presidents Truman (1945–1953), John F. Kennedy (1961–1963), and Lyndon B. Johnson (1963–1969). Republican Richard Nixon won
11096-559: The Republican eagle. The rooster was also adopted as an official symbol of the national Democratic Party. In 1904, the Alabama Democratic Party chose, as the logo to put on its ballots, a rooster with the motto "White supremacy – For the right." The words "White supremacy" were replaced with "Democrats" in 1966. In 1996, the Alabama Democratic Party dropped the rooster, citing racist and white supremacist connotations linked with
11242-406: The Republicans to landslides in 1868 and 1872 . When a major economic depression hit the United States with the Panic of 1873 , the Democratic Party made major gains across the country, took full control of the South, and took control of Congress. The Democrats lost consecutive presidential elections from 1860 through 1880, nevertheless Democrats have won the popular vote in 1876 . Although
11388-587: The Republicans won their biggest landslide ever, taking full control of the House. The Democrats lost nearly all their seats in the Northeast. The third party Populists also were ruined. However, Cleveland's silverite enemies gained control of the Democratic Party in state after state, including full control in Illinois and Michigan and made major gains in Ohio, Indiana, Iowa and other states. Wisconsin and Massachusetts were two of
11534-556: The Texas issue. John Mack Faragher 's analysis of the political polarization between the parties is: Most Democrats were wholehearted supporters of expansion, whereas many Whigs (especially in the North ) were opposed. Whigs welcomed most of the changes wrought by industrialization but advocated strong government policies that would guide growth and development within the country's existing boundaries; they feared (correctly) that expansion raised
11680-424: The U.S. House and expanded its majority in the U.S. Senate, along with several gains at the state level. In July 2024, after a series of age and health concerns , Biden became the first incumbent president since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 to withdraw from running for reelection, the first since the 19th century to withdraw after serving only one term, and the only one to ever withdraw after already winning
11826-495: The United States after World War II included the Cold War and the civil rights movement . Republicans attracted conservatives and, after the 1960s, white Southerners from the Democratic coalition with their use of the Southern strategy and resistance to New Deal and Great Society liberalism. Until the 1950s, African Americans had traditionally supported the Republican Party because of its anti-slavery civil rights policies. Following
11972-552: The United States and elsewhere. With increasing casualties and nightly news reports bringing home troubling images from Vietnam, the costly military engagement became increasingly unpopular, alienating many of the kinds of young voters that the Democrats had attracted in the early 1960s. The protests that year along with assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Democratic presidential candidate Senator Robert F. Kennedy (younger brother of John F. Kennedy) climaxed in turbulence at
12118-499: The Whig Party, which finally collapsed in 1852, fatally weakened by division on slavery and nativism . The fragmented opposition could not stop the election of Democrats Franklin Pierce in 1852 and James Buchanan in 1856 . The eight years during which Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan held the presidency were disasters; historians agree that they rank as among the worst presidents. The Party increasingly split along regional lines on
12264-521: The White House in 1912 and 1916 . Since Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president in 1932, the Democratic Party has promoted a liberal platform that includes support for Social Security and unemployment insurance . The New Deal attracted strong support for the party from recent European immigrants but diminished the party's pro-business wing. From late in Roosevelt's administration through
12410-576: The White House in 1968 and 1972, leading to the end of the New Deal era; however, the party became extremely successful in the House, holding it with a majority for 42 years (from 1953 until the Republican Revolution in 1995). Democrats have won five out of the last twelve presidential elections, winning in the presidential elections of 1992 and 1996 (with Bill Clinton , 1993–2001), 2008 and 2012 (with Barack Obama , 2009–2017), and 2020 (with Joe Biden , 2021–2025). Democrats have also won
12556-505: The agrarian and strict constructionist orthodoxies of the past and embraced commerce, technology, regulation, reform and internationalism. The movement attracted a circle of outstanding writers, including William Cullen Bryant , George Bancroft , Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne . They sought independence from European standards of high culture and wanted to demonstrate the excellence and exceptionalism of America's own literary tradition . In economic policy, Young America saw
12702-413: The agrarian party elements representing poor farmers in the South and West. After the Republican landslide in the 1894 House elections , the agrarian element, marching behind the slogan of free silver (i.e. in favor of inflation), captured the party. They nominated William Jennings Bryan in the 1896, 1900, and 1908 presidential elections, although he lost every time. Both Bryan and Wilson were leaders of
12848-416: The artisan and the ordinary farmer – by ending federal support of banks and corporations and restricting the use of paper currency , which they distrusted. Their definition of the proper role of government tended to be negative, and Jackson's political power was largely expressed in negative acts. He exercised the veto more than all previous presidents combined. Jackson and his supporters also opposed reform as
12994-524: The bill into law in 1854. The Act opened Kansas Territory and Nebraska Territory to a decision by the residents on whether slavery would be legal or not. Previously it had been illegal there. Thus the new law implicitly repealed the prohibition on slavery in territory north of 36° 30′ latitude that had been part of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Supporters and enemies of slavery poured into Kansas to vote slavery up or down. The armed conflict
13140-548: The blame. The party polarized between the pro-gold pro-business Cleveland faction and the anti-business silverites in the West and South. A fierce struggle inside the party ensued, with catastrophic losses for both the Bourbon and agrarian factions in 1894, leading to the showdown in 1896. Just before the 1894 election, President Cleveland was warned by an advisor: Aided by the deep nationwide economic depression that lasted from 1893 to 1897,
13286-604: The campaign, Kennedy attracted a new generation of younger voters. In his agenda dubbed the New Frontier , Kennedy introduced a host of social programs and public works projects, along with enhanced support of the space program , proposing a crewed spacecraft trip to the moon by the end of the decade. He pushed for civil rights initiatives and proposed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , but with his assassination in November 1963, he
13432-409: The central government as the enemy of individual liberty. The 1824 "corrupt bargain" had strengthened their suspicion of Washington politics. ... Jacksonians feared the concentration of economic and political power. They believed that government intervention in the economy benefited special-interest groups and created corporate monopolies that favored the rich. They sought to restore the independence of
13578-432: The confusion of the Democrats that year, and won the 1968 election to become the 37th president. He won re-election in a landslide in 1972 against Democratic nominee George McGovern , who like Robert F. Kennedy, reached out to the younger anti-war and counterculture voters, but unlike Kennedy, was not able to appeal to the party's more traditional white working-class constituencies. During Nixon's second term, his presidency
13724-472: The convention, including those on slavery, taxes, and the possibility of a central bank. Regarding slavery, the Convention adopted the following resolution: Resolved, That congress has no power under the Constitution, to interfere with or control the domestic institutions of the several states, and that such states are the sole and proper judges of every thing appertaining to their own affairs, not prohibited by
13870-430: The court's 6–3 split between conservatives (the majority) and liberals. After Dobbs v. Jackson (decided June 24, 2022), which led to abortion bans in much of the country , the Democratic Party rallied behind abortion rights . In the 2022 midterm elections , Democrats dramatically outperformed historical trends and a widely anticipated red wave did not materialize. The party only narrowly lost its majority in
14016-518: The delegates would not adopt a resolution supporting the extension of slavery into territories even if the voters of those territories did not want it. These Southern Democrats nominated the pro-slavery incumbent vice president, John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, for president and General Joseph Lane , of Oregon, for vice president. The Northern Democrats nominated Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois for president and former Georgia Governor Herschel V. Johnson for vice president. This fracturing of
14162-400: The enemy of individual liberty. The 1824 " corrupt bargain " had strengthened their suspicion of Washington politics. ... Jacksonians feared the concentration of economic and political power. They believed that government intervention in the economy benefited special-interest groups and created corporate monopolies that favored the rich. They sought to restore the independence of the individual –
14308-469: The few states that remained under the control of Cleveland's allies. The opposition Democrats were close to controlling two-thirds of the vote at the 1896 national convention , which they needed to nominate their own candidate. However, they were not united and had no national leader, as Illinois governor John Peter Altgeld had been born in Germany and was ineligible to be nominated for president. However,
14454-451: The hotly-contested Democratic National Convention that summer in Chicago (which amongst the ensuing turmoil inside and outside of the convention hall nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey ) in a series of events that proved to mark a significant turning point in the decline of the Democratic Party's broad coalition. Republican presidential nominee Richard Nixon was able to capitalize on
14600-499: The image persisted and evolved. Its most lasting impression came from the cartoons of Thomas Nast from 1870 in Harper's Weekly . Cartoonists followed Nast and used the donkey to represent the Democrats and the elephant to represent the Republicans. In the early 20th century, the traditional symbol of the Democratic Party in Indiana, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Ohio was the rooster, as opposed to
14746-489: The individual—the artisan and the ordinary farmer—by ending federal support of banks and corporations and restricting the use of paper currency, which they distrusted. Their definition of the proper role of government tended to be negative, and Jackson's political power was largely expressed in negative acts. He exercised the veto more than all previous presidents combined. ... Nor did Jackson share reformers' humanitarian concerns. He had no sympathy for American Indians, initiating
14892-507: The issue of slavery in the territories. When the new Republican Party formed in 1854, many anti-slavery ("Free Soil") Democrats in the North switched over and joined it. In 1860 two Democrats ran for president and the United States was moving rapidly toward civil war. The 1840s and 1850s were the heyday of a new faction of young Democrats called " Young America ". It was led by Stephen A. Douglas , James K. Polk, Franklin Pierce and New York financier August Belmont . This new faction broke with
15038-469: The key Whig bills. The Whigs disowned him. This allowed for the Democrats to retake power in 1845. Foreign policy was a major issue in the 1840s as war threatened with Mexico over Texas and with Britain over Oregon. Democrats strongly supported Manifest Destiny and most Whigs strongly opposed it. The 1844 election was a showdown, with the Democrat James K. Polk narrowly defeating Whig Henry Clay on
15184-642: The lead of the Fire-Eaters by walking out of the Democratic National Convention at Charleston 's Institute Hall in April 1860. They were later joined by those who, once again led by the Fire-Eaters, left the Baltimore Convention the following June when the convention rejected a resolution supporting extending slavery into territories whose voters did not want it. The Southern Democrats, also referred to as Seceders, nominated John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky,
15330-539: The leadership of Nancy Pelosi . Democrats were extremely critical of President Trump, particularly his policies on immigration, healthcare, and abortion, as well as his response to the COVID-19 pandemic . In December 2019, Democrats in the House of Representatives impeached Trump , although he was acquitted in the Republican-controlled Senate. In November 2020, Democrat Joe Biden defeated Trump to win
15476-479: The minority in the House of Representatives and lost control of the Senate in the 2014 midterm elections . After the 2016 election of Donald Trump , who lost the popular vote to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton , the Democratic Party transitioned into the role of an opposition party and held neither the presidency nor Congress for two years. However, the party won back the House in the 2018 midterm elections under
15622-497: The nation's first well-organized national party ... and tight party organization became the hallmark of nineteenth-century American politics. Behind the platforms issued by state and national parties stood a widely shared political outlook that characterized the Democrats: The Democrats represented a wide range of views but shared a fundamental commitment to the Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian society. They viewed
15768-598: The necessity of a modern infrastructure with railroads, canals, telegraphs, turnpikes and harbors. They endorsed the " market revolution " and promoted capitalism . They called for Congressional land grants to the states, which allowed Democrats to claim that internal improvements were locally rather than federally sponsored. Young America claimed that modernization would perpetuate the agrarian vision of Jeffersonian democracy by allowing yeomen farmers to sell their products and therefore to prosper. They tied internal improvements to free trade , while accepting moderate tariffs as
15914-420: The new law implicitly repealed the prohibition on slavery in territory north of 36° 30′ latitude that had been part of the Missouri Compromise of 1820. Supporters and enemies of slavery poured into Kansas to vote slavery up or down. The armed conflict was Bleeding Kansas and it shook the nation. A major re-alignment took place among voters and politicians. The Whig Party fell apart and the new Republican Party
16060-413: The old Jeffersonian principles , led by Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren , became the modern Democratic Party. Historian Mary Beth Norton explains the transformation in 1828: Jacksonians believed the people's will had finally prevailed. Through a lavishly financed coalition of state parties, political leaders, and newspaper editors, a popular movement had elected the president. The Democrats became
16206-541: The overwhelming northern opposition to equal rights for black men. When Whig Vice President Millard Fillmore replaced Taylor, Democrats in Congress led by Stephen Douglas passed the Compromise of 1850 designed to avoid civil war by putting the slavery issue to rest while resolving issues involving territories gained following the War with Mexico. However, in state after state the Democrats gained small but permanent advantages over
16352-525: The party from the early 1830s to the 1850s, shaping the Second Party System , with the Whig Party as the main opposition. After the disappearance of the Federalists after 1815 and the Era of Good Feelings (1816–1824), there was a hiatus of weakly organized personal factions until about 1828–1832, when the modern Democratic Party emerged along with its rival, the Whigs. The new Democratic Party became
16498-409: The party of the "common man", the early Democratic Party stood for individual rights and state sovereignty, and opposed banks and high tariffs. In the first decades of its existence, from 1832 to the mid-1850s (known as the Second Party System ), under Presidents Andrew Jackson , Martin Van Buren , and James K. Polk , the Democrats usually bested the opposition Whig Party by narrow margins. Before
16644-460: The party platforms, acceptance speeches of candidates, editorials, pamphlets and stump speeches , there was a widespread consensus of political values among Democrats. As a textbook coauthored by Mary Beth Norton explains: The Democrats represented a wide range of views but shared a fundamental commitment to the Jeffersonian concept of an agrarian society . They viewed the central government as
16790-412: The party's key issues in the early 21st century have included combating terrorism while preserving human rights, expanding access to health care, labor rights , and environmental protection. Democrats regained majority control of both the House and the Senate in the 2006 elections . Barack Obama won the Democratic Party's nomination and was elected as the first African American president in 2008. Under
16936-414: The party's passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010. During his and Joe Biden 's presidency, the party has adopted an increasingly progressive economic agenda and more left-wing views on cultural and social issues . In the 21st century, the party is strongest among urban voters , union workers , college graduates , women , African Americans , American Jews , LGBT+ people , and
17082-460: The party, but inflation and the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979–1980 took their toll, resulting in a landslide victory for Republican presidential nominee Ronald Reagan in 1980, which shifted the political landscape in favor of the Republicans for years to come. The influx of conservative Democrats into the Republican Party is often cited as a reason for the Republican Party's shift further to
17228-453: The party, but the name "Democratic Party" was eventually settled upon and became the official name in 1844. Members of the party are called "Democrats" or "Dems". The most common mascot symbol for the party has been the donkey, or jackass. Andrew Jackson 's enemies twisted his name to "jackass" as a term of ridicule regarding a stupid and stubborn animal. However, the Democrats liked the common-man implications and picked it up too, therefore
17374-556: The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965 , the Southern states became more reliably Republican in presidential politics, while Northeastern states became more reliably Democratic. Studies show that Southern whites, which were a core constituency in the Democratic Party, shifted to the Republican Party due to racial backlash and social conservatism . The election of President John F. Kennedy from Massachusetts in 1960 partially reflected this shift. In
17520-519: The policies laid out at the 1856 Democratic convention in Cincinnati . They resolved not to change any of the policies but suggested the additions of resolutions in relation to the nature and extent of the powers of a Territorial Legislature, as well as the powers of Congress over slavery. In the 1860s, the Copperheads, also known as Peace Democrats, were a faction of Democrats in the Union who opposed
17666-401: The primaries . As of 2024, Democrats hold the presidency and a majority in the U.S. Senate , as well as 23 state governorships , 19 state legislatures , 17 state government trifectas , and the mayorships in the majority of the country's major cities. Three of the nine current U.S. Supreme Court justices were appointed by Democratic presidents. By registered members, the Democratic Party
17812-580: The pro-slavery incumbent vice president, for president and General Joseph Lane , former governor of Oregon, for vice president. The Northern Democrats proceeded to nominate Douglas of Illinois for president and former governor of Georgia Herschel Vespasian Johnson for vice president, while some southern Democrats joined the Constitutional Union Party , backing former Senator John Bell of Tennessee for president and politician Edward Everett of Massachusetts for vice president. This fracturing of
17958-428: The races after 1872 were very close they did not win the presidency until 1884 . The party was weakened by its record of opposition to the war, but nevertheless benefited from White Southerners ' resentment of Reconstruction and consequent hostility to the Republican Party. The nationwide depression of 1873 allowed the Democrats to retake control of the House in the 1874 Democratic landslide . The Redeemers gave
18104-515: The reforming Democratic Governor of New York, won the Presidency, a feat he repeated in 1892 , having lost in the election of 1888 . Cleveland was the leader of the Bourbon Democrats . They represented business interests, supported banking and railroad goals, promoted laissez-faire capitalism, opposed imperialism and U.S. overseas expansion, opposed the annexation of Hawaii , fought for
18250-557: The removal of the Cherokees along the Trail of Tears . Opposing factions led by Henry Clay helped form the Whig Party. The Democratic Party had a small yet decisive advantage over the Whigs until the 1850s when the Whigs fell apart over the issue of slavery. In 1854, angry with the Kansas–Nebraska Act , anti-slavery Democrats left the party and joined Northern Whigs to form the Republican Party . Martin van Buren also helped found
18396-459: The right during the late 20th century as well as the shift of its base from the Northeast and Midwest to the South. With the ascendancy of the Republicans under Ronald Reagan, the Democrats searched for ways to respond yet were unable to succeed by running traditional candidates, such as former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee Walter Mondale and Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis , who lost to Reagan and George H.W. Bush in
18542-622: The same period, the Democrats proved more competitive with the Republicans in Congressional politics , enjoying House of Representatives majorities (as in the 65th Congress ) in 15 of the 36 Congresses elected owing largely to their dominance of the Solid South , although only in five of these they formed the majority in the Senate . Furthermore, the Democratic Party was split between the Bourbon Democrats , representing Eastern business interests, and
18688-490: The secession of 11 Southern states and the formation of the Confederate States of America . Sectional confrontations escalated during the 1850s, the Democratic Party split between North and South grew deeper. The conflict was papered over at the 1852 and 1856 conventions by selecting men who had little involvement in sectionalism, but they made matters worse. Historian Roy F. Nichols explains why Franklin Pierce
18834-406: The symbol. The rooster symbol still appears on Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indiana, and West Virginia ballots . In New York, the Democratic ballot symbol is a five-pointed star. Although both major political parties (and many minor ones) use the traditional American colors of red, white, and blue in their marketing and representations, since election night 2000 blue has become the identifying color for
18980-480: The white farmer it was essential therefore to keep the soil "free"—that is without slavery. In 1852, with a less well known nominee than Van Buren, the free soil movement was much smaller, consisting primarily of former members of the Liberty Party and some abolitionists. It hedged on the question of full equality, as the majority wanted some form of racial separation to allow space for black activism without alienating
19126-427: The world's oldest active political party. It was predominately built by Martin Van Buren , who assembled a wide cadre of politicians in every state behind Jackson. Since the nomination of William Jennings Bryan in 1896, the party has generally positioned itself to the left of the Republican Party on economic issues. Democrats have been more liberal on civil rights since 1948, although conservative factions within
19272-533: The world. The Great Depression in 1929 that began under Republican President Herbert Hoover and the Republican Congress set the stage for a more liberal government as the Democrats controlled the House of Representatives nearly uninterrupted from 1930 until 1994, the Senate for 44 of 48 years from 1930, and won most presidential elections until 1968. Franklin D. Roosevelt , elected to the presidency in 1932, came forth with federal government programs called
19418-425: Was Bleeding Kansas and it shook the nation. A major realignment took place among voters and politicians. The Whig Party fell apart and the new Republican Party was founded in opposition to the expansion of slavery and to the Kansas–Nebraska Act . The new party had little support in the South, but it soon became a majority in the North by pulling together former Whigs and former Free Soil Democrats. The crisis for
19564-516: Was Woodrow Wilson . Republican Benjamin Harrison won a narrow victory in 1888. The party pushed through a large agenda, and raised the McKinley Tariff and federal spending so high it was used against them as Democrats scored a landslide in the 1890 elections. Harrison was easily defeated for reelection in 1892 by Cleveland. The Bourbons were in power when the Panic of 1893 hit and they took
19710-480: Was dominated by the interests of slave states until it split in 1860 over slavery . It won the presidency only twice between 1860 and 1912, although it won the popular vote two more times in that period. In the late 19th century, it continued to oppose high tariffs and had fierce internal debates on the gold standard . In the early 20th century, it partially (not all factions) supported progressive reforms and opposed imperialism , with Woodrow Wilson winning
19856-444: Was founded in 1828. Martin Van Buren of New York played the central role in building the coalition of state organizations that formed a new party as a vehicle to elect Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. The Democratic Party is the world's oldest active political party. It initially supported expansive presidential power , agrarianism , and geographical expansionism , while opposing a national bank and high tariffs . From 1848 it
20002-451: Was founded in opposition to the expansion of slavery and to the Kansas–Nebraska Act . The new party had little support in the South, but it soon became a majority in the North by pulling together former Whigs and former Free Soil Democrats. During the Civil War , Northern Democrats divided into two factions: the War Democrats , who supported the military policies of President Lincoln; and
20148-468: Was gaining strength. The most intense anti-war elements were the Copperheads. The Democratic Party did well in the 1862 congressional elections , but in 1864 it nominated General George McClellan (a War Democrat) on a peace platform and lost badly because many War Democrats bolted to National Union candidate Abraham Lincoln. Many former Douglas Democrats became Republicans, especially soldiers such as generals Ulysses S. Grant and John A. Logan . In
20294-526: Was in the pro-slavery South), split the party on the issue of slavery in Kansas when he attempted to pass a federal slave code as demanded by the South. Most Democrats in the North rallied to Senator Douglas, who preached " Popular Sovereignty " and believed that a Federal slave code would be undemocratic. In 1860 , the Democrats split over the choice of a successor to President Buchanan along Northern and Southern lines. Some Southern Democratic delegates followed
20440-439: Was known for its populism. Historian Frank Towers has specified an important ideological divide: Democrats stood for the 'sovereignty of the people' as expressed in popular demonstrations, constitutional conventions, and majority rule as a general principle of governing, whereas Whigs advocated the rule of law, written and unchanging constitutions, and protections for minority interests against majority tyranny. At its inception,
20586-522: Was not able to see its passage. Kennedy's successor Lyndon B. Johnson was able to persuade the largely conservative Congress to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and with a more progressive Congress in 1965 passed much of the Great Society , including Medicare and Medicaid , which consisted of an array of social programs designed to help the poor, sick, and elderly. Kennedy and Johnson's advocacy of civil rights further solidified black support for
20732-489: Was not up to the challenges a Democratic president had to face: In 1854, Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois—a key Democratic leader in the Senate—pushed the Kansas–Nebraska Act through Congress. President Franklin Pierce signed the bill into law in 1854. The Act opened Kansas Territory and Nebraska Territory to a decision by the residences on whether slavery would be legal or not. Previously it had been illegal there. Thus
20878-432: Was papered over at the 1852 and 1856 conventions by selecting men who had little involvement in sectionalism, but they made matters worse. Historian Roy F. Nichols explains why Franklin Pierce was not up to the challenges a Democratic president had to face: In 1854, Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois—a key Democratic leader in the Senate—pushed the Kansas–Nebraska Act through Congress. President Franklin Pierce signed
21024-473: Was rocked by the Watergate scandal, which forced him to resign in 1974. He was succeeded by vice president Gerald Ford , who served a brief tenure. Watergate offered the Democrats an opportunity to recoup, and their nominee Jimmy Carter won the 1976 presidential election. With the initial support of evangelical Christian voters in the South, Carter was temporarily able to reunite the disparate factions within
21170-446: Was the first at which the party adopted a platform. Delegates reaffirmed their belief that the Constitution was the primary guide for each state's political affairs. To them, this meant that all roles of the federal government not specifically defined fell to each respective state government, including such responsibilities as debt created by local projects. Decentralized power and states' rights pervaded each and every resolution adopted at
21316-583: Was weakest in New England , but strong everywhere else and won most national elections thanks to strength in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia (by far the most populous states at the time) and the American frontier . Democrats opposed elites and aristocrats, the Bank of the United States and the whiggish modernizing programs that would build up industry at the expense of the yeoman or independent small farmer. The party
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