North American colonies and the United States political system changes - Essay Example

The first party system had emerged between the Democratic-Republicans and the Federalists especially since he Logan Act of 1799 was enabled. The harassment faced by Mrs. Deborah Logan while her husband went to France for diplomatic resolution of the impending war, suggests the growing difference between Federalists and Republics. The Jeffersonian Republicans defended Mrs. Logan’s position while the Federalists Congress passed the act forbidding any private citizens from interfering in tactful foreign policy issues (like Dr.

Logan did). This controversy gradually led to the division of opinions over important matters. In a republican framework, such growth of groups signified corruption. The elections of 1800s showed a tendency towards party system. In 1799 the Congress introduced 19 amendments and successful introduced the tax law. Slavery became an important issue of politics with southerners and northerners having different opinions (southerners favored slavery while some Quaker groups thought it should be ended).

Washington was agreed upon to be the most suitable candidate as the first Republican President and he took office in 1789. By this time two political parties prevailed – Republicans and Federalists. Meanwhile a handful of Americans thought that electoral system would be most suitable. In a monarchy any difference of opinions led to factional divisions. Meanwhile both Jefferson and Madison opposed Hamilton’s measures and criticized them to be biased towards the wealthy groups. Hamilton accused them of trying to harm the republic.

Their differences went further unresolved and increased as the periodic aggression from France and Britain came up again. The French Revolution embedded a dream in the Americans to reform the republic. Above forty Democratic societies were developed between 1793 and 1800 and the members had the goals of liberalization in mind such as safeguarding people’s interests and supporting self served rulers. This weakened the position of Hamilton and Washington. Relations with Britain deteriorated owing to differences developing on the peace treaty grounds.

Later problems came up with the Jay Treaty after which George Washington retired. In the early 19th century, with the passage of women’s suffrage, number of candidates contesting elections increased in 1824 (five Democratic Republicans contested presidential election). The Democratic Party was the first well-organized political national party with Jackson as the President. They followed the Jefferson’s structured agro based society. He and his supporters opposed the campaigns towards reforms and thought it to be interference in one’s personal liberty.

He reinforced the principles of self-discipline and self-reliance, inherent of the Republicans. The people were declared sovereign instead of the states and courts. He followed the process of rotating the office holders in order to make the government more people oriented. (Katzman 303). Jackson’s opponents called him King Andrew I who ignored the power of the Supreme Court. Eventually a policy regarding payment for land through gold and silver instead of paper currency turned out to be a failure as the federal land holdings came down.

During the 1830s the Whig Party was formed as an opposition to the Democrats. This party composed of the National Republican and Antimason Parties. (Katzman 307) This party supported expansion with the help of an activist form of administration. They favored “corporate charters, a national bank and paper currency” all of which were opposed by the Democrats. They emphasized upon equal opportunity for all while the Democrats adopted equal rights policy. Whigs attracted anti-slavery supporters as well as the settled slave owners of the south.

This was the emergence of the second party system and the period of 1830s and 1840s entailed upheavals. The 1860s marked the Civil war, which marked eleven southern states fighting for independence from the rue of US. The north came out victorious under Abraham Lincoln’s leadership and this marked the end of the Confederacy and the slave period. Lincoln represented the Republicans who opposed westward expansion of slavery. The period from 1789 to 1860 is marked with some remarkable changes in the political scenario and policymaking derived form the Founding Fathers and this has given shape to the current culture and structure.

Reference Katzman, David, A People and A Nation, Cengage