Second Party System facts for kids

The Second Party System was a time in United States history when two main political parties were very powerful. This period lasted from about 1828 to 1854. During this time, more people became interested in voting and joining political groups. They went to rallies and showed up to vote on election day. Many newspapers also started supporting specific parties, making people feel very loyal to their chosen group.

The two main parties were the Democratic Party, led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whig Party, started by Henry Clay. The Whigs were made up of people who used to be in the National Republican Party and others who didn't agree with Jackson.

There were also some smaller, but important, parties. The Anti-Masonic Party (1827-1834) helped create new political ideas. The Liberty Party in the 1840s was an important group that wanted to end slavery. Another anti-slavery party was the Free Soil Party in 1848 and 1852.

This system was a big part of American politics, society, economics, and culture during the time known as the Jacksonian Era. After 1854, it was replaced by the Third Party System.

What Made This Party System Special?

A historian named Richard P. McCormick helped define what the Second Party System was like. He pointed out several key things:

• It was a unique system, different from what came before.
• It took about 15 years to fully develop across the country.
• It grew because leaders who wanted to become president built their own national groups of supporters.
• A leader's popularity often depended on the region. For example, John Quincy Adams was popular in New England, while Andrew Jackson was strong in the American Southwest.
• For the first time, both the South and West had two strong political parties. Before this, these areas usually only had one main party.
• In most regions, the two main parties had similar levels of support.
• The parties could be affected by issues specific to a region, like slavery.
• The same two main parties were found in almost every state.
• The Anti-Masonic party was only popular in states where the two main parties were not very strong.
• Political meetings called caucuses became less common, and conventions (larger meetings of party members) became more important for discussing politics.
• Campaigning started to focus more on getting the popular vote (votes from everyday people).
• Voters became more interested in elections that were very close. In earlier times, voters cared more about charming candidates or specific issues.

Who Were the Main Leaders?

Many important historical figures were leaders during the Second Party System.

• Famous Democrats included Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, John C. Calhoun, James K. Polk, Lewis Cass, and Stephen Douglas.
• Famous Whigs included Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, William H. Seward, and Thurlow Weed.

How Did the System Begin?

The 1824 United States presidential election was unusual because there weren't clear political parties. Four main people ran for president: Henry Clay, William Crawford, Andrew Jackson, and John Quincy Adams. No one got enough votes in the electoral college to win, so the United States House of Representatives had to choose the president.

Jackson had won the most popular votes from citizens and the most electoral votes, but he wasn't chosen. Instead, John Quincy Adams became president. Adams then immediately chose Clay to be his Secretary of State.

Jackson called this a "corrupt bargain." He was a very popular person, known as a hero from the War of 1812 and a famous fighter in the American Indian Wars. Jackson gathered his supporters and created the Democratic Party. Martin Van Buren, a smart political leader from New York, was a key supporter of Jackson. Van Buren helped Jackson gain support in states like Virginia and Pennsylvania.

The new Democratic Party defeated Adams in the 1828 U.S. presidential election, and Jackson became president. Van Buren became his Secretary of State and later Vice President. Adams, Clay, and their supporters became known as the National Republicans.

The Bank War: A Big Fight Over Money

President Andrew Jackson didn't like the idea of giving special advantages to certain groups. He strongly opposed the Second Bank of the United States. This Bank was a federal institution that acted a bit like a central bank (similar to today's Federal Reserve System).

The Bank was run by a banker named Nicholas Biddle and supported by Henry Clay. Jackson disliked all banks and didn't believe in paper money; he thought only gold and silver coins should be used as money. As president, he managed to close the Second Bank.

Jackson continued to challenge the banking system. In July 1836, he issued his Specie Circular. Specie means gold and silver coins. This rule said that people could only use gold and silver coins, not paper money, to buy federal land. This made many businessmen and bankers join the Whig party. Cities that relied on commerce (trade) and industry also became Whig supporters. On the other hand, Jackson became more popular with farmers (who grew food for themselves, not to sell) and day laborers.

The Spoils System: Jobs for Supporters

In U.S. politics, the Spoils System was when a political party gave government jobs to its supporters. These jobs were like rewards to encourage people to keep working for the party.

Jackson used the spoils system a lot when he was president. He rewarded his supporters and promised future jobs to local and state politicians who joined his team. He believed in rotation in office, meaning people should only stay in a job for a short time. He thought this would stop the civil service (government workers) from becoming corrupt. Other Democratic Party leaders also wanted to give government jobs to friends and loyal party members. Overall, Jackson replaced less than 20% of the original government workers.

Jackson encouraged the use of the spoils system, and it became an important part of both the Second and Third Party Systems. The spoils system was eventually ended in the 1890s.

Images for kids

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  Democratic poster in 1840 warning that Whigs' Log Cabin campaign was a trap for poor people

See also

In Spanish: Sistema de segundo partido para niños