The Evolution of Political Parties, Campaigns, and Elections

Landmark Documents, 1787-2007

Randall E. Adkins

• Publisher: CQ Press
• Year: 2008
• Print ISBN:
  9780872895782
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781483371078
• Topic: Politics & International Relations
• Subtopic: American Government
• Index: Politics & International Relations

Primary source materials are a great way for students to experience firsthand a historic event, to more fully understand a pivotal actor or figure, or to explore legislation or a judicial decision. Students leave these readings better prepared to grapple with secondary sources. In fact, they can often support a different interpretation or more critically engage with analysis. This new volume—with 50 documents that include speeches, court cases, letters, diary entries, excerpts from autobiographies, treaties, legislation, regulations and reports, documentary photographs, ad stills, public opinion polls, transcripts, and press releases—is a great starting point for any parties and elections course. Careful editing, pithy headnotes, and discussion questions all enhance this useful reader.

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• 1. Constitution: Provisions Concerning Elections
• 2. The Federalist Papers, No. 10
• 3. Alexander Hamilton’s Letter to Edward Carrington
• 4. George Washington’s Letter to Thomas Jefferson and Jefferson’s Response to Washington
• 5. Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to Philip Mazzei and George Washington’s Letter to Jefferson
• 6. John Beckley’s Letters to William Irvine
• 7. George Washington’s Farewell Address
• 8. Thomas Jefferson’s First Inaugural Address
• 9. The Tennessee General Assembly’s Protest Against the Caucus System
• 10. Martin Van Buren’s Letter to Thomas Ritchie
• 11. Henry Clay’s Speech Concerning the Whig Party and Henry Clay’s Letter to the Whig Party Convention
• 12. Alexis de Tocqueville’s “Parties in the United States”
• 13. The Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions from the Seneca Falls Women’s Rights Convention
• 14. Abraham Lincoln’s “A House Divided” Speech
• 15. The Wade-Davis Manifesto
• 16. Thomas Nast’s Cartoons of William “Boss” Tweed
• 17. Abram Hewitt’s “Secret History of the Disputed Election, 1876–77”
• 18. John McPherson’s Speech Opposing the Pendleton Act
• 19. Woodrow Wilson’s “Wanted—A Party”
• 20. The Massachusetts Australian Ballot Law
• 21. The Omaha Platform
• 22. William Jennings Bryan’s “Cross of Gold” Speech
• 23. Robert LaFollette’s “Peril in the Machine” Speech
• 24. William Riordan’s “The Strenuous Life of the Tammany District Leader”
• 25. The Tillman Act
• 26. George Norris’s Resolution to Change the Membership of the House Rules Committee
• 27. The Publicity Act of 1910
• 28. Theodore Roosevelt’s “Confession of Faith” Speech
• 29. Franklin Roosevelt’s “Commonwealth Club” Speech
• 30. George Norris’s “The Model Legislature” Address
• 31. Huey Long’s “Every Man a King” Radio Address
• 32. The Literary Digest Poll
• 33. Franklin Roosevelt’s Message to Congress on the Hatch Act
• 34. The Taft-Hartley Act
• 35. James Rowe’s Memorandum to Harry Truman
• 36. The First Kennedy-Nixon Debate
• 37. Baker v. Carr (1962)
• 38. The “Peace, Little Girl” Television Advertisement
• 39. Lyndon Johnson’s Message to Congress on the Voting Rights Act
• 40. The McGovern-Fraser Commission Report
• 41. Buckley v. Valeo (1976)
• 42. Birch Bayh’s Resolution to Amend the Constitution to Provide for Direct Popular Election of the President
• 43. Bill Clinton’s Remarks on Signing the National Voter Registration Act
• 44. The Contract with America
• 45. Bush v. Gore (2000)
• 46. Report of the National Commission on Federal Election Reform
• 47. Russ Feingold’s Speech Supporting the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act and Mitch McConnell’s Speech Opposing the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act
• 48. Colorado Amendment 36, Allocating Presidential Electors Proportionally
• 49. Memo of Understanding Regarding the Presidential Debates between George W. Bush and John Kerry
• 50. The Price-Herman Commission Report
• Topical Guide