Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: America's Love Affair with the Two-Party System

By

Marc Horger

Return to Article

From heaven, George Washington warns party men to let all three pillars of Federalism, Republicanism, and Democracy stand to hold up Peace and Plenty as well as Liberty and Independence in this Federalist poster from about 1800.

Federalist poster

From heaven, George Washington warns party men to let all three pillars of Federalism, Republicanism, and Democracy stand to hold up Peace and Plenty as well as Liberty and Independence in this Federalist poster from about 1800.

Election Day in Philadelphia (1815) by John Lewis Krimmel.

Representation of voting

Election Day in Philadelphia (1815) by John Lewis Krimmel, picturing the site of Independence Hall and demonstrating the importance of elections as public occasions

Portrait of Andrew Jackson by Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl.

Andrew Jackson

Portrait of Andrew Jackson by Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl

In this illustration from Judge, Theodore Roosevelt is depicted as an elephant trainer.

Teddy Roosevelt

In this illustration from Judge, Theodore Roosevelt is depicted as an elephant trainer after winning the presidency as the Republican nominee in 1904.

This cartoon printed in 1833 depicts Andrew Jackson slaying the monster banks.

Andrew Jackson

This cartoon printed in 1833 depicts Andrew Jackson slaying the monster banks as Henry Clay swoons in the background.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt shakes hands with Al Smith in 1930.

FDR and Al Smith

Franklin Delano Roosevelt shakes hands with Al Smith in 1930.

FDR signs the Social Security Act into law in 1935.

Social Security Act

FDR signs the Social Security Act into law in 1935 as prominent Democrats, members of the New Deal coalition, look on. Photo from the Library of Congress.

This 1877 cartoon by Thomas Nast represents the formation of the Solid South after the Civil War.

"The Color Line Is Broken"

This 1877 cartoon by Thomas Nast represents the formation of the Solid South after the Civil War.

Portrait of Henry Clay by Henry F. Darby, c. 1858.

Henry Clay

Portrait of Henry Clay by Henry F. Darby, c. 1858

An 1806 portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull.

Alexander Hamilton

An 1806 portrait of Alexander Hamilton by John Trumbull

Ross Perot stands next to a portrait of George Washington.

H. Ross Perot

Ross Perot stands next to a portrait of George Washington in his Dallas office, 1986. Photo by Allan Warren.

This cartoon shows prominent Progressives standing in front of Republicans in 1912.

Republicans versus Progressives

This cartoon shows prominent Progressives standing in front of Republicans in 1912, as both parties held national conventions in Chicago.

A handbill for Whig candidate Henry Clay in 1844.

Henry Clay Handbill

A handbill for Whig candidate Henry Clay in 1844

Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president.

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president

Senator Rand Paul filibusters in opposition to John C. Brennen's nomination to be CIA director.

Rand Paul Drone Filibuster

In this C-SPAN2 screen shot from March 2013, Senator Rand Paul filibusters in opposition to John C. Brennen's nomination to be CIA director.

A Populist Party candidate nominating convention in Columbus, Nebraska, in 1890.

Populist Convention

A Populist Party candidate nominating convention in Columbus, Nebraska, in 1890.

William Jennings Bryan is pictured as a snake devouring the Democratic Party in this Judge cartoon from 1896.

Populist Party snake

William Jennings Bryan is pictured as a snake devouring the Democratic Party in this Judge cartoon from 1896.

This political cartoon shows Andrew Jackson hanging John Quincy Adams from a tree.

Jackson Hangs Adams

This political cartoon shows Andrew Jackson hanging John Quincy Adams from a tree, presumably after winning the presidential election of 1828.

James Blaine, the Republican presidential candidate in 1884.

James G. Blaine

James Blaine, the Republican presidential candidate in 1884

Nancy and Ronald Reagan in 1964.

The Reagans

Nancy and Ronald Reagan in 1964. Photo courtesy of the Reagan Library, National Archives.

Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law in 1964.

Civil Rights Act

Lyndon B. Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act into law in 1964. Photo by Cecil Stoughton.

Share:

Related Themes

Explore More

The Sexual Revolution that Wasn’t Quite

Cover of Sexual Injustice Supreme Court Decisions from Griswold to Roe by Marc Stein.

Thurgood Marshall: A Justice For All

Thurgood Marshall

The Imperial Presidency Pushes Back

Photo of FDN & ARDE Frente Sur Commandas in the Nueva Guinea zone of Southeast Nicaragua, 1987

Grace Wisher: The Black Girl Who Helped Stitch the Star-Spangled Banner

The original Star-Spangled Banner is on view at the National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

Solar Eclipses in American History

The Statue of Liberty during the June 10, 2021 solar eclipse.

Cite this Site

Marc Horger , "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: America's Love Affair with the Two-Party System" , Origins: Current Events in Historical Perspective

May, 2013

https://origins.osu.edu/article/breaking-hard-do-americas-love-affair-two-party-system.