Samples from:

"U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES"

Americans take particular interest in primary elections, most notably the "race for the White House" every four years. Partisan politics can become ugly, the mutual smear campaigns having little to do with the important issues at hand. Democrats and Republicans are unyielding in their beliefs for the most part, each party equally convinced of their viability to run the United States and to "speak for the people." Although claiming such, the two major political parties actually represent two vastly different aspects of the population. Democrats are well-known to champion the poor and middle class, while Republicans cater to the wealthier echelons of the country.

Originally formed as a congressional caucus to defend the Bill of Rights and to create opposition to Federalists, Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic Party in 1792. Six years later, the organization was officially dubbed the "Democratic-Republican Party" whose purpose was to be the political rallying point for "the common man." The group's name was later amended to the Democratic Party.

The Republican Party began brewing in 1854, perpetuated by anti-slavery activists and those who felt the government should allow western land to settlers free of charge. However, it wasn't until 1856 that the party was officially tagged "Republican" when John C. Fremont was nominated for President under the slogan "Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men, Fremont." At the time, Republicans were considered a "third party" as the Democrats and Whigs represented the two-party system in the United States...

*Please Note: "U.S. Political Parties" was updated in November 2012 following the presidential election.*

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