What is the difference between a Democrat and a Republican?
Dear Student, That’s an excellent question. I have been asked that question by many other students. The modern Republican Party arose in 1854 over the issue of slavery. Republicans did not believe in slavery. Abraham Lincoln, elected in 1860, became the first Republican president. Several Southern states could not accept his views opposing slavery, and split from the Union. The Republican Party has gone through a lot of changes over the years. Today, most Republicans are labeled as conservatives on fiscal (money) and social issues. They tend to believe people in the community can solve problems better than the government can. Like the Republicans, the Democratic Party has also gone through many changes. Thomas Jefferson founded the Democratic Party in 1792. The party was actually called the Democratic-Republicans. The two groups split during the administration of Andrew Jackson (1829-1837), becoming the Democratic Party (Labour) and the National Republican Party. Today, Democrats tend
