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At the start of the 21st Century, the
Democratic Party can look back on a proud
history — a history not just of a political
organization but of a national vision. It is a
vision based on the strength and power of
millions of economically empowered, socially
diverse and politically active Americans. Over
two hundred years ago, our Party's founders
decided that wealth and social status were
not an entitlement to rule. They believed that
wisdom and compassion could be found
within every individual and a stable
government must be built upon a broad
popular base.
The late Ron Brown — former Chairman of the Democratic Party — put it best when
he wrote, "The common thread of Democratic history, from Thomas Jefferson to Bill
Clinton, has been an abiding faith in the judgment of hardworking American
families, and a commitment to helping the excluded, the disenfranchised and the
poor strengthen our nation by earning themselves a piece of the American Dream.
We remember that this great land was sculpted by immigrants and slaves, their
children and grandchildren."
Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic Party in 1792 as a
congressional caucus to fight for the Bill of Rights and against
the elitist Federalist Party. In 1798, the "party of the common
man" was officially named the Democratic-Republican Party and
in 1800 elected Jefferson as the first Democratic President of
the United States. Jefferson served two distinguished terms
and was followed by James Madison in 1808. Madison
strengthened America's armed forces — helping reaffirm
American independence by defeating the British in the War of
1812. James Monroe was elected president in 1816 and led the
nation through a time commonly known as "The Era of Good
Feeling" in which Democratic-Republicans served with little
opposition.
The election of John Quincy Adams in 1824 was highly
contested and led to a four-way split among Democratic-
Republicans. A result of the split was the emergence of Andrew
Jackson as a national leader. The war hero, generally
considered — along with Jefferson — one of the founding
fathers of the Democratic Party, organized his supporters to a
degree unprecedented in American history. The Jacksonian
Democrats created the national convention process, the party
platform, and reunified the Democratic Party with Jackson's
victories in 1828 and 1832. The Party held its first National
Convention in 1832 and nominated President Jackson for his
second term. In 1844, the National Convention simplified the
Party's name to the Democratic Party.
In 1848, the National Convention established the Democratic National Committee,
now the longest running political organization in the world. The Convention charged
the DNC with the responsibility of promoting "the Democratic cause" between the
conventions and preparing for the next convention.
As the 19th Century came to a close, the American electorate
changed more and more rapidly. The Democratic Party
embraced the immigrants who flooded into cities and
industrial centers, built a political base by bringing them into
the American mainstream, and helped create the most
powerful economic engine in history. Democratic Party leader
William Jennings Bryan led a movement of agrarian reformers
and supported the right of women's suffrage, the progressive
graduated income tax and the direct election of Senators. As
America entered the 20th Century, the Democratic Party
became dominant in local urban politics.
In 1912, Woodrow Wilson became the first Democratic
president of the 20th Century. Wilson led the country through
World War I, fought for the League of Nations, established the Federal Reserve
Board, and passed the first labor and child welfare laws.
A generation later, Franklin Roosevelt was elected president
running on the promise of a New Deal. Roosevelt pulled America
out of the Depression by looking beyond the Democratic base
and energizing citizens around the belief that their government
could actively assist them in times of need. Roosevelt's New
Deal brought water to California's Central Valley, electrified
Appalachia and saved farms across the Midwest. The Civilian
Conservation Corps, the WPA and Social Security all brought
Americans into the system, freeing us from fear, giving us a
stake in the future, making the nation stronger.
With the election of Harry Truman, Democrats began the fight to
bring down the final barriers of race and gender. Truman
integrated the military and oversaw the reconstruction of Europe
by establishing the Marshall Plan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
Truman's leadership paved the way for civil rights leaders who followed.
In the 1960s, President John F. Kennedy challenged an
optimistic nation to build on its great history. Kennedy
proclaimed a New Frontier and dared Americans to put a
man on the moon, created the Peace Corps, and negotiated
a treaty banning atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons.
Lyndon Johnson followed Kennedy's lead and worked to pass
the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. Kennedy and
Johnson worked together to end the practice of segregation
in many southern states. Following Kennedy's assassination,
Johnson declared a War on Poverty and formed a series of
Great Society programs, including the creation of Medicare
— ensuring that older Americans would receive quality
health care.
In 1976, Jimmy Carter was elected president, helping to restore the nation's trust in
government following the Watergate scandal. Among other things, Carter negotiated
the historic Camp David peace accords between Egypt and Israel.
In 1992, Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton was elected the 42nd
President of the United States. President Clinton ran on the
promise of a New Covenant for America's forgotten working
families. After twelve years of Republican presidents, America
faced record budget deficits, high unemployment, and
increasing crime. President Clinton's policies put people first
and resulted in the longest period of economic expansion in
peacetime history. The Deficit Reduction Act of 1993 — passed
by both the House and Senate without a single Republican vote
— put America on the road to fiscal responsibility and led to
the end of perennial budget deficits. Having inherited a $290
billion deficit in 1992, President Clinton's last budget was over
$200 billion in surplus. The Clinton/Gore Administration was
responsible for reducing unemployment to its lowest level in decades and reducing
crime to its lowest levels in a generation. In 1996, President Clinton became the
first Democratic president reelected since Roosevelt in 1936. In 1998, Democrats
became the first party controlling the White House to gain seats in Congress during
the sixth year of a president's term since 1822.
In the 2000 elections, Democrats netted 4 additional Senate seats, one additional
House seat, and one additional gubernatorial seat. Vice President Al Gore won the
popular vote for President by more than 500,000 votes. In 2001, Democrats
regained control of the Senate under Majority Leader Tom Daschle, while Democrats
swept to victory in races all across the country, including races for Virginia Governor
and Lt. Governor, New Jersey Governor, and 39 out of 42 major mayoral races
including Los Angeles and Houston.
While we have accomplished a great deal — as a nation and a Party, we must
continue to move forward in the 21st Century. We must work to incorporate all
Americans into the fabric of our nation. The history of our next hundred years can
be seen in the gorgeous mosaic of America, from the wheat fields of Nebraska to
the barrios of New York City, from the mountains of Colorado to the rocky coast of
Maine. The Democratic Party is America's last, best hope to bridge the divisions of
class, race, region, religion, ethnicity and sexual orientation. We will succeed if we
continue to govern by the same principles that have made America the greatest
nation on earth — the principles of strength, inclusion and opportunity. The
Democratic Party is ready to take advantage of the opportunities we have and meet
the challenges we face.
Party History
