THE AMERICAN PARTY SYSTEMS

Framers' Non-Partisan System (1789-1792)

First Party System (1796-1816)

Federalists (↓) vs. Democratic-Republicans (↑)

(commercial) (agrarian)

(Northeast & especially New England) (mostly South & West)

Congressional Caucus nominating system

“Era of Good Feelings” and One-Party Factionalism (1820-1828)

collapse of Federalist Party

collapse of Congressional Caucus

Second Party System (1832-1852)

Democrats vs. Whigs

(agrarian and lower-class) (commercial and upper-class)

basically non-sectional

rise of mass parties and campaigns / extended suffrage and increased turnout

rise of national nominating convention

Civil War Disruption (1856-64)

Democrats (↓) vs. Republicans (↑)

(pro-south) (North)

Third Party System (1868-1892)

Republicans vs. Democrats

(commercial/industrial) (agrarian plus immigrants)

     (most of North) (South plus some North)

very close and high-turnout elections from 1874 through 1892

rise of political machines based on patronage

highpoint of party-dominant nominating politics

Fourth Party System (1896-1928)

Republicans vs. Democrats

        (commercial/industrial) (agrarian plus some immigrants)

                (Northeast) (South plus some West and cities)

maximal sectionalism/declining turnout

rise of Progressive political reforms (Australian ballot, voter registration, primaries, etc.)

introduction of Presidential primaries and the rise of "mixed system" of nomination

Fifth (New Deal) Party System (1932-1968)

Democrats vs. Republicans

            (labor/ethnic/urban plus South) (business and upper-class in North & West)

class-based politics (outside of South)

increased turnout

Sixth (Dealigned) Party System (1972-?)

Democrats vs. Republicans

        (labor/minority/”liberals”) (business/whites/”conservatives”)

   (Northeast & West Coast) (South and “Middle America”)

largely non-sectional but declining turnout

era of divided government

post-1968 party reform and proliferation of Presidential primaries

rise of candidate-oriented nominating politics