Two-Party System in US Politics

What did George Washington warn against?

Potential divisiveness of parties

What were the first political parties?

The Federalists and Democratic-Republicans

What led to the formation of political parties?

Different views on government power and policy

Who led the Federalists in the 1790s?

Alexander Hamilton

Who led the Democratic-Republicans in the 1790s?

Thomas Jefferson

What did the Federalists advocate for?

A strong central government and supported industry and commerce

What did the Democratic-Republicans advocate for?

States’ rights and more supportive of agriculture and rural interests

After the Democratic-Republican part split, what two parties were formed?

Democratic and Whig party

In what year did the Democratic-Republican party split and the Federalists dissolve?

1820s

What was the Whig party’s focus?

economic modernization and the expansion of federal power, opposing Jackson’s policies

When was the Republican party founded?

1854

With whose election did the two-party system solidify?

Abraham Lincoln

What is the winner-takes-all electoral system?

The candidate with the most votes wins, even if they don’t achieve a majority

What is the downside of the winner-takes-all system?

The system discourages smaller parties because only top vote-getter earns representation

What are the downside of the Electoral College?

The electoral college further marginalizes third party candidates who struggle to secure enough votes in any single state

What kind of politics can the two-party system lead to?

polarized politics

What can polarized politics lead to?

Gridlock, with each side prioritizing party loyalty over compromise

What’s the advantage of the two-party electoral system?

Voters face a clearer choice typically between a conservative and a liberal option. This simplifies decision making and policy direction.

How does the two-party electoral system promote stability?

Fostering agreement within each party and allowing one party to hold power, unlike multi-party systems that require coalition governments.

How does only having two major political parties feed into the idea of limited representation?

With only two political parties some voters may feel that their views aren’t fully represented.

Why do minor parties like Libertarian and Green parties struggle in the two-party system?

Minor parties often struggle to gain traction, leaving issues important to these groups underrepresented in national discourse

In the 2000 and 1992 elections, which two candidates heavily influenced the votes?

Ralph Nader and Ross Perot

What are political party platforms?

a formal set of principles/goals outlining their positions on issues such as economic policy, health care, and foreign policy

What behavior do U.S. voters tend to show?

U.S. voters align themselves with a party based on shared values and policy preferences, leading to partisan loyalty.

What is ranked-choice voting?

A system where voters rank candidates in order of preference (e.g. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) rather than selecting one candidate

What is proportional representation?

Political parties or candidates gain legislature seats in proportion to the number of votes they receive