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The '''First Party System''' is the term political scientists and historians give to the political system governing the United States between 1792 and the early 1820s. It featured two national parties that competed for control of the Presidency, Congress, and the states: the '''[[Federalist Party]]''' (created by [[Alexander Hamilton]]) and the '''[[Democratic-Republican Party]]''' (or '''Jeffersonian Republican Party''') (created by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]). Partisan politics virtually ended during the [[Era of Good Feelings]] (1816-1824), as the Federalists shrank to a few isolated strongholds. In 1824-28, as the [[Second Party System]] emerged, the Democratic-Republican Party split into the Jacksonian faction (which became the modern Democratic Party in the 1830s) and the [[Henry Clay]] faction which became the [[Whigs|Whig Party]].

The '''First Party System''' is the term political scientists and historians give to the political system governing the United States between 1792 and the early 1820s. It featured two national parties that competed for control of the Presidency, Congress, and the states: the '''[[Federalist Party]]''' (created by [[Alexander Hamilton]]) and the '''[[Democratic-Republican Party]]''' (or '''Jeffersonian Republican Party''') (created by [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]]). Partisan politics virtually ended during the [[Era of Good Feelings]] (1816-1824), as the Federalists shrank to a few isolated strongholds. In 1824-28, as the [[Second Party System]] emerged, the Democratic-Republican Party split into the Jacksonian faction (which became the modern Democratic Party in the 1830s) and the [[Henry Clay]] faction which became the [[Whig Party]].

 

==Washington Administration (1789–1797)==

==Washington Administration (1789–1797)==

At first there were no parties in the new nation. Factions soon formed around such dominant personalities as Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and Secretary of State [[Thomas Jefferson]], who opposed Hamilton's broad vision of a powerful government. Jefferson especially objected to Hamilton's flexible view of the [[U.S. Constitution|Constitution]], which Hamilton stretched to include a national bank. Washington was re-elected without opposition in 1792.  

At first there were no parties in the new nation. Factions soon formed around such dominant personalities as Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and Secretary of State [[Thomas Jefferson]], who opposed Hamilton's broad vision of a powerful government. Jefferson especially objected to Hamilton's flexible view of the [[U.S. Constitution|Constitution]], which Hamilton stretched to include a national bank. Washington was re-elected without opposition in 1792.  

==Newspapers as party weapons==  

==Newspapers as party weapons==  

[[Image:~party3.JPG|thumb|330px|Federalist poster about 1800. Washington (in heaven) tells partisans to keep the pillars of Federalism, Republicanism  and Democracy]]

[[Image:~party3.JPG|thumb|330px|Federalist poster about 1800. Washington (in heaven) tells partisans to keep the pillars of Federalism, Republicanism  and Democracy]]  

Pasley (2000) shows [[John Fenno]] began publishing his ''Gazette of the United States'' in April 1789 hoping it would become the official paper of the new government; soon Hamilton was encouraging and subsidizing him. Jefferson and Madison persuaded Philip M. Freneau, a brilliant poet, to found the ''National Gazette'' in Philadelphia in October 1791. The ''National Gazette'' at first served as a successful political tool for the Jeffersonians as it defined arguments against Hamilton's policies while rebutting Fenno's editorials. The ''National Gazette'' collapsed in 1793 due to weak circulation and the political fallout over Jefferson and Madison's financial involvement in founding the paper.  

[[Newspaper|Newspapers]] became party weapons. [[John Fenno]] began publishing his ''Gazette of the United States'' in April 1789 hoping it would become the official paper of the new government; soon Hamilton was encouraging and subsidizing him. Jefferson and Madison persuaded [[Philip M. Freneau]], a brilliant poet, to found the ''National Gazette'' in Philadelphia in October 1791. The ''National Gazette'' at first served as a successful political tool for the Jeffersonians as it defined arguments against Hamilton's policies while rebutting Fenno's editorials. The ''National Gazette'' collapsed in 1793 due to weak circulation and the political fallout over Jefferson and Madison's financial involvement in founding the paper.  

[[Image:NEWS1800.JPG|thumb|275px|left|rapid growth of party newspapers]]

[[Image:NEWS1800.JPG|thumb|275px|left|rapid growth of party newspapers]]