The two-party system has been present in America for decades, and it has become one of the most prominent features of our political system. However, it has also undergone significant changes.
During the Antebellum period, the two dominant parties (Republicans and Democrats) were divided over the issue of slavery. The Republican Party was created in the late 1840s and early 1850s, and they held mostly abolitionist views. On the other hand, the Democrats consisted mostly of Southerners and rural Westerners, and they were, for the most part, pro-slavery.
During the Gilded Age, the most pressing issue was that of modernization. The Democratic Party incorporated much of the platform of the Populist Party, which tried to challenge big businesses. However, the Republicans dominated the political system between 1896 and 1932.
