Political Parties in the United States

1. Historical background of the two major parties
There was no provision for political in the American Constitution. President Washington was opposed to the factionalism that parties represented. Political parties, however, are a key element in the American political system. They began to foremen before Washington left office. The Federalists won the first contested election (1796). They were soon defeated by the Democratic-Republicans, the forerunner of the Democratic Party--the oldest political party in the world. …