Two Party System In U.S.

The reemergence of the two party system in America during the early to mid-1800s was due greatly to the battles for states' rights and the economic issues of the time. These two topics were closely associated with each other and they helped contributed to the political struggle between the Democrats and the Whigs. The political divisions had occurred one part due to Jackson's veto of the re-chartering of the Bank of the United States, the Tariff of Abominations, and the disastrous effects the Panic of 1837 had on the economy. Jackson's veto of the Maysville Road Bill and South Carolina's nullification of the Tariff of Abominations had an enormous effect on the separations of political support as they pertained to states' rights. These factors all contributed to the prolonged existence of the two-party system in America.

The economic issues the nation faced during the time period played a vital role in separating political opinion throughout the nation. When Congress passed the protective Tariff of 1828, or Tariff of Abominations, the division between the northern manufacturers and southern planters became more evident. The southerners were greatly angered with what they perceived as an unreasonable tax, and so they, angered by the Democrats, began to show their support of the National Republicans and later Whigs. The political war over the Bank of the United Stats also divided the strong political opinions even further. When Jackson vetoed the "anti western" bill to re-charter the Bank of the United States, it effectively set the western frontiersmen against the eastern businessmen, because westerners were in debt to many of the eastern creditors. The absence of the federal bank took a great deal of power away from the federal government, and thus separated the fervent centralists against the ardent states rightists. The panic that occurred in 1834 also had an unexpected effect on the separation between the rising political parties. To end the panic, the Whigs suggested the expansion of federal credit and higher tariffs, but President Van Buren enacted the Independent Treasury System. Many harsh criticisms were formed about his plan and as a result, the conflict between the Whigs and Democrats stiffened and increased the dissection between the two. These economic changes helped to create political divisions, which ultimately led to a distinct two party system.

Many politicians also made attempts to either increase states rights or to increase those of the federal

...