NCpedia, Political Parties in the United States, 1788–1840

Although there were no political parties at a national level when the ninth state ratified the Constitution and George Washington was elected President of the United States in 1788, parties began to develop in the 1790s within Washington's Cabinet. This timeline traces the development of political parties from 1788 to 1840, highlighting the opposing parties, their presidential candidates, and the winning candidate in each presidential election. Annotations provide explanations for shifts in political parties and their positions.