Democratic-Republican Party facts for kids

The Democratic-Republican Party was an important political party in the early history of the United States. It was started in 1792 by two famous leaders, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. This party became very popular and was the main political group in the country until the 1820s.

Later, the party split into different groups. One of these groups eventually became the Democratic Party we know today. People called members of this early party by different names, like Republicans, Jeffersonians, or Democrats.

It's important to remember that this old party is not the same as the modern-day Republican Party. They are two different groups from different times.

How the Party Started

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison created the Democratic-Republican Party to stand against the ideas of the Federalist Party. The Federalist Party was led by Alexander Hamilton, who was the Secretary of the Treasury at the time.

The Democratic-Republicans disagreed with many of Hamilton's plans for the country's money and how it dealt with other nations. They also had different ideas about how the U.S. Constitution should be understood.

What the Party Believed In

The Democratic-Republican Party believed in a few key things:

• They wanted a weaker central government and stronger state governments. They thought states should have more power.
• They supported farmers and people who lived in rural areas. They believed that a country of independent farmers was the best kind of society.
• They were generally friendly with France and were against the Jay Treaty of 1794, which was an agreement with Britain. Britain and France were at war then.
• They wanted to limit the power of banks and big businesses.

The Party's Time in Power

The Democratic-Republican Party grew quickly. In 1800, Thomas Jefferson became the first Democratic-Republican president. During his time, the United States made the Louisiana Purchase. This huge land deal in 1803 doubled the size of the country. Albert Gallatin was a key figure, serving as Secretary of the Treasury under both Jefferson and Madison.

After Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe also became presidents from this party. Their time in office is sometimes called the "Era of Good Feelings" because there was less political fighting.

The Party Splits Up

By the 1820s, the Democratic-Republican Party started to break apart. Different leaders had different ideas about the future of the country.

One important leader was Andrew Jackson. He led a group of Democratic-Republicans who believed in giving more power to the common people. This group eventually formed the modern Democratic Party. Other groups from the original party also formed new political parties.

Images for kids

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  The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 totaled 827,987 square miles (2,144,476 square kilometers), doubling the size of the United States.

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  Albert Gallatin served as Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Jefferson and Madison.

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  James Monroe, the third Democratic-Republican president

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  John Randolph of Roanoke was a prominent member of a group of Southern plantation owners known as the Old Republicans.

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  Andrew Jackson led a faction of Democratic-Republicans that ultimately coalesced into the Democratic Party.

See also

In Spanish: Partido Demócrata-Republicano (Estados Unidos) para niños