Third Party System facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Third Party System

← Second 1856–1896 Fourth →

This map shows how states tended to vote in presidential elections between 1860 and 1892. Blue states usually voted for the Democratic Party. Red states usually voted for the Republican Party. Green states voted for the Populist Party in their first presidential election in 1892.

The Third Party System is a period in American history from the 1850s to the 1890s. During this time, the country's political parties changed in major ways. This era saw huge events like the American Civil War (1861–1865) and the end of slavery. It was followed by a time of rebuilding called the Reconstruction era and a period of rapid economic growth known as the Gilded Age.

This era was mostly led by the new Republican Party. They were known for winning the Civil War, ending slavery, and giving voting rights to newly freed African Americans. They also supported modern ideas like building railroads, creating national banks, and starting new colleges.

The main opponent was the Democratic Party. Elections were often very close. The Democrats only won the presidency in 1884 and 1892. However, they often controlled parts of the U.S. Congress. After 1876, the Democratic Party became very strong in the southern states.

How People Voted Back Then

Just like in the earlier Second Party System, voters during this time were very passionate about politics. Voter turnout was high, and people were extremely loyal to their chosen party. Parties held big meetings called nominating conventions to pick their candidates.

Party organizations were strong, especially in big cities. Powerful leaders, sometimes called "bosses," could count on the votes of their supporters, including many new immigrants. Newspapers were the main way people got their news, and most papers strongly supported one party or the other.

Who Supported Each Party?

Both parties were made up of different groups of people.

The Republican Party

In the North, the Republicans were favored by business owners, shopkeepers, skilled workers, and farmers with modern farms. In the South, the party got strong support from freedmen (newly freed African Americans). The party in the South was often led by local white southerners called "scalawags" and northerners who moved south after the war, known as "carpetbaggers."

The Democratic Party

The Democratic Party was a mix of different groups. It included traditional Democrats from the North and white southerners who wanted to "redeem" or take back control of the South after Reconstruction. The party was also popular with Catholic immigrants, especially Irish-Americans and German-Americans. Unskilled workers and farmers in rural areas also tended to vote Democrat.

Religion and Politics

A person's religion often influenced which party they supported. In the North, many Protestants like Methodists and Presbyterians were strong Republicans. They believed the government should help solve social problems.

Other groups, especially Catholics, Episcopalians, and some Lutherans, were usually Democrats. They wanted the government to stay out of personal moral issues. One of the biggest cultural debates was about prohibition, or banning alcohol. This was a major issue that divided the "dry" (pro-prohibition) Republicans from the "wet" (anti-prohibition) Democrats.

Source: Paul Kleppner, The Third Electoral System 1853–1892 (1979) p. 182

The Rise of the Republican Party

The Republican Party was formed in the mid-1850s during a time of great political change. The main force behind the new party was the desire to modernize the country and to stop the spread of slavery.

By the 1856 election, Republicans campaigned with the slogan "Free Soil, Free Labor, Frémont and Victory." They argued that a powerful group of slave owners, called the 'Slave Power,' had taken control of the government. They feared this group would make slavery legal everywhere, hurting free workers.

In the 1860 election, the Democratic Party split. Northern Democrats chose Stephen A. Douglas, while Southern Democrats chose John C. Breckinridge. The Republicans chose a moderate candidate, Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln won the election with enough votes from the northern states, even though he didn't win any southern states.

The Civil War and Its Aftermath

President Lincoln's leadership during the American Civil War was key to the Union's victory. The Republican Party fully supported the war effort. The Democrats were divided. Some supported the war, but others, known as "Copperheads," opposed it.

In 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared that slaves in the Confederate states were free. This was a major turning point in the war. It helped destroy the South's economy, which depended on slave labor.

After the war, political arguments continued. Republicans would remind voters of the war by "waving the bloody shirt," a phrase that referred to the sacrifices of Union soldiers. Democrats warned of problems in the North and South.

This 1881 cartoon criticizes the fancy inauguration of President Garfield. It compares it to the simple style of Thomas Jefferson (top left).

In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes removed the last federal troops from the South. This ended the Reconstruction era. After this, the Republican Party became very weak in the South for many decades.

The End of an Era: 1890–1896

In the late 1880s, new issues came up. The parties argued over tariffs (taxes on imported goods) and government spending. Party loyalties began to weaken, and more voters started to switch between parties.

A Democratic magazine makes fun of Republicans for using memories of the Civil War (the "bloody shirt") to win votes.

A major economic depression called the Panic of 1893 shook the country. This hurt the Democratic Party, which was in power. In the 1896 election, the Democrats chose William Jennings Bryan. He was a powerful speaker who supported farmers and workers.

The Republicans chose William McKinley. His campaign, run by Mark Hanna, used modern advertising techniques. McKinley promised that his policies would bring prosperity to everyone. He won the election by a large margin, carrying cities and industrial areas.

McKinley's victory marked the end of the Third Party System. It started a new period in American politics, known as the Fourth Party System.

See also

• Party systems in the United States
• American election campaigns in the 19th century
• Gilded Age
• History of the Democratic Party (United States)
• History of the Republican Party (United States)
• Political parties in the United States