Democratic Party

The Democratic Party was founded on January 8, 1828 by President Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren.

Democrats primarily believe in small government and greater power to the States. They emphasize rights of the individuals including rights of minority groups and regulation of corporations that they believed were abusing their workers. The party also supported territorial expansion throughout the United States.

As a result, farmers and workers flocked to the party. Slave owners also tended to support this party as they believed that a strong federal government might abolish slavery.

The Panic of 1819 occured during the presidency of James Monroe, primarily as a result of actions done during the presidency of James Madison. Madison strongly believed in a central bank and the bank had some role to play in the Panic.

In 1828, Andrew Jackson ran for president on the foundation of the Democratic Party using the hatred of the banks as a way to garner support and he was elected president. He fulfilled his goals of destroying the banks. His actions held of the banks until 1913, when the Federal Reserve was established.

During the 20th Century, their beliefs differed somewhat. In the 1800s the Whig Party opposed them, but in the 1900s, their primary competition was the Republican Party.

They started to support social programs, more open immigration and a  few more individual rights such as abortion. Due to these new beliefs, programs like the New Deal during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Great Society in Lyndon B. Johnson's term, had much success.

The Democratic Party and Republican Party are the primary political parties that still exist today.