Lesson 2: A Two-Party System Develops

Key Idea

Many early American leaders, including George Washington, hoped to govern without political parties. They believed that organized political groups, or factions, threatened national unity. These leaders feared that factions would divide the American people and weaken the new government.

Washington warned that loyalty to a party could become more important than loyalty to the country. Despite these concerns, deep disagreements over the nation's future soon led to the creation of the first political parties.

Key Idea

During George Washington's presidency, deep divisions emerged within his own cabinet. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson held fundamentally different visions for the country's future.

Hamilton argued for a strong federal government to support manufacturing and a national economy. In contrast, Jefferson feared a powerful central government and championed states' rights and a society of independent farmers.

Key Idea

As the political divide grew, newspapers began to take sides. This created a partisan press, where each paper supported either the Federalists or the Democratic-Republicans. These papers were not neutral; they were created to promote one party's views and attack the other.

Editors and writers used their newspapers to praise their own side and fiercely criticize their opponents. They published articles, essays, and even personal insults to influence public opinion. This media battle helped turn the political disagreements in the capital into a national rivalry.

Key Idea

The growing divide between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans shaped the Election of 1796. Federalist John Adams and Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson competed to become the nation's second president in the first contested presidential election in U.S. history.

Under the Constitution's original rules, the candidate with the most electoral votes became president. The person with the second-highest total would become vice president, regardless of their political party.