Political Systems and Parties

Although it was not the intention of the Founding Fathers, the United States became the first country to establish nationally organized political parties. While the Constitution did not mention political parties, they developed because a number of Americans realized that they could gain political power by joining a group with other like-minded individuals. Although the United States political system evolved to have only two major parties, Democratic and Republican, third parties have occasionally affected the outcomes of important political races.

The two-party system in American society has its roots in the late 1790s. Only a few years after the country was first established, George Washington left office and warned against the establishment of political parties because he believed that political...