Political History and Events

The Populist Party (or People's Party) was an agrarian-based political movement in the late 19th century that advocated for the free coinage of silver and the direct election of senators.

Recall, referendum, and initiative were all democratic reforms designed to increase citizen participation in government. Patronage, or the spoils system, was a corrupt practice that Progressives sought to eliminate.

The Populist Party, or People's Party, advocated for the free coinage of silver to increase the money supply, which they believed would help farmers burdened by debt.

Following the Civil War and the end of Reconstruction, the Democratic Party became the dominant political force in the South, maintaining this 'Solid South' for nearly a century.

The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature where representation in both houses was based on population, favoring larger states.

In the United States, the right to vote is extended to all citizens who are 18 years of age or older, regardless of property ownership or background.

The President and Vice President are officially elected by the Electoral College, a body of electors established by the Constitution, rather than by a direct popular vote.

Not every state holds both a primary and a caucus. States choose one or the other to determine their delegates for the national nominating conventions.

Party nominees are officially selected by delegates at the national nominating conventions. These delegates are pledged based on the results of state primaries and caucuses.

Delegates are the individuals selected at the state level to represent the voters at the national party conventions. They are the ones who cast the votes to officially nominate the party's candidate.

Iowa traditionally holds the first caucus, and New Hampshire traditionally holds the first primary election of the presidential nominating season.

Primary elections are internal party contests. Candidates from the same political party compete against each other to win the party's nomination for the general election.

Primaries are state-run elections funded by taxpayers, while caucuses are private meetings organized and managed by the political parties themselves.