Contrast: Whigs and Democrats

Contrast: Whigs and Democrats

In the early to mid 1800's there were two major political parties. The Whigs led by John Quincy Adams and the Democrats led by Andrew Jackson. The Whigs got there name from the name for the Patriots of the American Revolution who were called "Whigs". The Democrats got there name from the Jeffersonian Republicans.

What these parties had in common? It's not a lot but to start they were very strong parties and they did not like each other very much. They were united in a common goal though and that was to achieve a prosperous U.S.. That's really about all I can think of but that's a good thing because if you have two political parties wanting the same thing but with different candidates then you will never get anything done.

These parties were different in many ways. For example, the Whigs were a party for modernization and the Democrats were a party for American tradition. Democrats also were against banks and corporations while the Whigs favored using federal funds to improve the country. The Democrats wanted to expand the country as quickly as possible by acquiring land through war or purchase. The Whigs on the other hand strongly opposed war and wanted a gradual gathering of land. The Whigs wanted internal growth while the Democrats wanted external growth. The Democrats wanted a more agrarian and rural America that focused on farming mainly. While the Whigs supported American industry, urban growth and free labor. The Whigs were mostly backed by Northerners who wanted industrialization, urbanization, and federal rights. That means that the Democrats were backed mainly by the Southerners who wanted agriculture, slavery, states' rights, and territorial expansion.

In 1856 the Whig party disbanded over the question of slavery in the territories and the party was divided to where it was no longer an effective party. The Whigs members then either left politics completely or went to a different party. The Democrats are still kicking today and going strong. They are one of the top two parties in the U.S. along with the Republican Party. The Democrats policies have had to change over time but the party still has some of its original ideals.

The Whigs and the Democrats have had their scuffles but all for the good of the U.S. These were the things they had in common and the things they did different