Abstract
‘A brief history of American political parties’ traces the development of US politics from the initial emergence of parties as the Founders differed on policies they believed served the nation's interests. The modern Democratic Party has transformed from its early manifestation as the Democratic-Republican Party, while the Republican Party was formed as a result of the division over slavery and eclipsed earlier parties, including the National Republicans and Whigs, as the major alternative to the Democrats. Despite party changes, the election process remains the same; it is still about organizing, understanding the rules and the voters, and knowing how to appeal to the voters most efficiently under the rules.
