ats were seen as the party of slavery and secession. Republican control of the national government lasted for 72 years except for the 16 years when Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson were in the White House.The Great Depression of the 1930s had a powerful influence on American politics. The economic disaster helped Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, get elected as President in 1932. His first administration developed what has been called the New Deal coalition. Because of the New Deal social programs, millions of Americans were attracted to the Democratic Party. Blacks, whose loyalty had been with the Republicans since the days of Lincoln, shifted their support to the Democratic Party. In spite of the upheavals caused by slavery, the Civil War, and the Depression, the Democrats and the Republicans remained the two major parties. This Democratic Party continued to dominate the Presidency for seven years after Roosevelt's death and, except for two sessions in 1947-48 and 1953-54 the Democrats controlled Congress through 1980. The New Deal coalition diminished, but did not destroy Republican power. Beginning with the election of Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952, the Republicans regained much of the public loyalty that was lost during the New Deal years. In 1980, Ronald Reagan, the Republican nominee was elected President. The American two party system is unique from other two party systems. In Britain, for example, elections are held for members of Parliament. After the election, the leader of the winning party is named Prime Minister. This individual serves both in Parliament as a legislator and in the Cabinet as an executive and policy maker. This cannot happen in the United States because of the constitutional separation of powers. A President cannot serve in Congress while in office. It is therefore possible for the Presidency and the Congress to be controlled by different parties, a situation that cannot occur in Britain. This control...
