Andrew Jackson's forceful, some would claim tyrannical, tactics create deep political divisions and spawn the emergence of a new political party, the Whigs. The Whigs and the Democrats differ from one another in terms of constituencies, the characte...
The remarkable thing about the election of 1840 is that it shows that the Whigs have learned to use the weapons of their enemies, moving from a party of elites to one with mass popular appeal The Whigs hold a convention and create an election campai...
During the first part of the 20th century, the United States evolves into an industrialized economy. Cities and urban centers are forming around industry. Government, investors and workers alike are attempting to define themselves in this new world.
The institution of slavery is undermined by the Revolutionary War. Many slaves run away, serving in the Continental Army and eventually gaining their freedom. There is widespread belief that slavery will come to an end because of its incompatibility...
At the same time that Americans are struggling to win their independence on the battlefield, they are also struggling to create new institutions of government for themselves. Although each state employs its own method of creating a framework for man...
By the time the 1828 presidential election rolls around, the party has divided itself into National Republicans-Adams and his supporters-and Democratic Republicans-Andrew Jackson and his followers. The campaign on both sides degenerates into a war o...
Some artisans make the successful transitions into small-scale industry, but others are unable to compete with new factory-made goods that can be sold for a fraction of what it would cost an individual to produce. Wage labor to artisans is slave lab...
Despite the Democrats mid-term election losses in the House of Representatives in 1914, Woodrow Wilson initiates another round of reforms in 1915 and 1916 and appoints Louis Brandeis to Supreme Court. It becomes evident that there is a mismatch betw...
Theodore Roosevelt becomes the youngest man to assume the presidency when William McKinley is assassinated in 1901. Although in journalistic histories he is often portrayed as an impulsive, immature figure, Roosevelt is actually astute and intellect...
In the presidential election of 1912 Theodore Roosevelt (Progressive), Woodrow Wilson (Democrat), and Eugene Debs (Socialist) compete for the same constituencies: farmers, laborers, and immigrants. Roosevelt endorses minimum-wage legislation and cor...