Democratic-Republican Party

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Democratic-Republican Party
Historical leaders	Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe
Founded	1792
Dissolved	1834
Succeeded by	Democratic Party
Ideology	Jeffersonian democracy, Republicanism, Classical liberalism
Political position	Center-left
Colors	Green

The Democratic-Republican Party was an American political party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s that championed republicanism, political equality, and expansionism. The party was established to oppose the centralizing policies of the Federalist Party and was the dominant political party in the United States from 1801 to 1825.

History

The Democratic-Republican Party was formed in response to the perceived overreach of the Federalist Party, which was led by Alexander Hamilton. The party's founders, Jefferson and Madison, advocated for a decentralized government with limited powers, emphasizing states' rights and agrarianism. The party's ideology was rooted in Jeffersonian democracy, which promoted the interests of the common man and opposed aristocratic privilege.

The party gained significant support from farmers, artisans, and frontier settlers, who were wary of the Federalist policies that favored commercial and banking interests. The Democratic-Republicans were instrumental in the election of Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States in 1800, a victory often referred to as the "Revolution of 1800."

Ideology

The Democratic-Republican Party's ideology was based on the principles of republicanism, which emphasized civic virtue and opposition to corruption. The party supported a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution, advocating for limited federal government and greater autonomy for the states. The party also promoted Classical liberalism, which included support for individual liberties and free markets.

Key Figures

• Thomas Jefferson: Third President of the United States and principal author of the Declaration of Independence.
• James Madison: Fourth President of the United States and "Father of the Constitution."
• James Monroe: Fifth President of the United States and author of the Monroe Doctrine.

Decline and Legacy

The Democratic-Republican Party began to decline in the 1820s as internal divisions and the rise of new political factions emerged. The party eventually split into the National Republicans and the Democratic Party. The latter, led by Andrew Jackson, continued many of the Democratic-Republican principles and became one of the two major political parties in the United States.

Related Pages

• Federalist Party (United States)
• Jeffersonian democracy
• Republicanism in the United States
• Classical liberalism
• Democratic Party (United States)
• National Republican Party (United States)

See Also

• History of the United States (1789–1849)
• Political parties in the United States