Introduction
The eighteenth century in the USA’s history was marked by critical political events that started with the Constitution’s adoption. The colonized territories obtained their independence, which set the benchmark for the future political processes, as well as the tensions related to economic interests, slavery issues, and governance opportunities. This essay will explore the process of establishing a party system in the USA’s political life in the eighteenth-nineteenth century, the democratization of politics, and the causes of the American Civil War.
The Reasons for the Rise of Partisan Politics in the Early Republic
The main reason for the rise of the first parties in the Early Republic was the establishment of the central government by the declaration of the Constitution in 1787. The first parties were the Democratic-Republican and the Federalist parties that emerged as the distinctive expressions of political views of Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, respectively (Norton et al., 2008). The differences in the views on the Constitution, the approaches to the elimination of economic crises, and other issues were the main concerns in the party development in the Early Republic.
The Development of the Second Party System
Comparison of Whig and Democratic Parties
The Second Party System was the process of the formation of the two main parties, Whig and Democratic, during the beginning of the nineteenth century. The main similarity between these two parties was their shared struggle with the dichotomy of the slavery issue (Norton et al., 2008). As for the differences, Whigs supported “corporate charters, a national bank, and paper currency,” but Democrats opposed their views (Norton et al., 2008, p. 325). Also, the Whigs supported the power of Congress, and Democrats proclaimed the power of the people.
Leaders and Constituents of the Parties
The leader of the Democratic Party was Andrew Jackson, who, together with his supporters, initiated a movement to increased democracy in the political life of the Republic. Martin Van Buren was one of the most influential constituents of the Democratic Party (Norton et al., 2008). The opponents’ movement within the newly formed Whig Party was led by Henry Clay, who integrated the Republican Party with other political parties to form a strong Congress-oriented opposition to Jackson’s party.
Increased Democratization
The Second Party System period is regarded as the contribution to the increased democratization of the politics in the Republic. This tendency might be explained by the relatively equal representation of the two parties within different regions of the country. Also, the two-party system expanded to broader territories to the states where a single party had usually been dominant. This period allowed for greater inclusion of populations’ opinions concerning politics.
Major Movements and Events that Led to the Civil War
Pro-Slavery and Abolitionist Arguments
The antebellum period was marked by the rise of anti-slavery movements. Abolitionists claimed slavery was inhumane and fought for equality. However, pro-slavery activists opposed abolitionists arguing for slavery as an affordable and effective tool in gaining economic goals. South was particularly interested in preserving slavery and oppressing abolitionists since there were farms and plantations there that needed slaves’ workforce.
Westward Expansion and Increasing Sectional Tensions
The growth of the Western territories of the Republic in the nineteenth century caused sectional tensions between the North and the South over the slavery issue in the West. Southerners were interested in the expansion of slavery to the West, while the Northerners fought against slavery. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was aimed at eliminating the issue of slavery from the debate around westward expansion (Norton et al., 2008).
Major Events that Contributed to the Outbreak of the Civil War
The overall political, social, and economic tensions between the South and North contributed to the Civil War. Firstly, the ending of the Mexican War contributed to the increased sovereignty of new states and imposed controversy as per slavery in those states. Secondly, the Fugitive Slave Act triggered an increased abolitionist movement in the North. Thirdly, the publishing and significant popularity of the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin became a contributor to intensified social movement and tensions that led to war (Norton et al., 2008). Thus, the partisan tendencies and democratization of the politics in the Early Republic have led to tensions between the parties, as well as between the South and North over slavery and other issues that ultimately led to the Civil War.
Reference
Norton, M. B., Kamensky, J., Sheriff, C., Blight, D. W., & Chudacoff, H. (2008). A people and a nation: A history of the United States. Cengage Learning.