origins and development of congress17.251/history.pdf1831 22 1 andrew stevenson, va. jackson jackson...

Origins and Development of Congress17.251/252Fall 2004

Congressional Historical Eras and Electoral Discontinuities

Critical periods

1800 1850 1900 1950 2004

1812-20 1860-65 1896-1912 1964-1968

Congressional systemsExperimental Democritizing Civil War Textbook Post-Reform

1789-1812(Experimental system)

-Loose formal organization

-Ad hocselect comms. dominate

-Floor supreme-”previous q” developed in the House

-Elite electorate (Table 3.2)-Feds vs. Reps.

Party leadershipComms.RulesDuring cong’lsystem

During critical period

Organizational dynamicsElectoral dynamics

1812-20(Transition from Experimental to

Antebellum systems)

• -Electorate expands• -Federalists discredited• -Slavery now an issue• -Napoleanic Wars end

1820-60(Antebellum system)

-Regional divisions complicate Speakershipselection (next slide)-Senate leadership remains weak

-Standings dominate selects-commchairs compete w/ Speaker

Committees take agenda control

-Mass electorate-Whigs vs. Dems.

Party leadershipComms.RulesElectoral dynamicsOrganizational dynamics

Balloting for Speaker

1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900Year

0

5

10

15

20

Num

ber o

f can

dida

tes

Candidates receiving votesCadidates receiving 10 or more votes

Balloting for Clerk

Year

1780 1800 1820 1840 1860 1880 1900

Num

ber o

f bal

lots

0

5

10

15

20

42.7OppositionAmer.Nathaniel Banks, Mass.133341855

67.1DemocratDem.Linn Boyd, Ky.1331853


48.5DemocratDem.Howell Cobb, Ga.63311849

50.4WhigWhig.Robert C. Winthrop, Mass.3301847

62.3DemocratDem.John W. Davis, Ind.1291845

65.9DemocratDem.John W. Jones, Va.1281843

58.7WhigWhigJohn White, Ky.1271841

51.7DemocratWhigRobert M.T. Hunter, Va.11261839

52.9DemocratDem.James K. Polk. Tenn.1251837

59.1JacksonJacksonJames K. Polk. Tenn.1241835

““JacksonJohn Bell, Tenn.10231834

59.6JacksonJacksonAndrew Stevenson, Va.1231833




51.2AdamsAdamsJohn W. Taylor, N.Y.2191825

Pct.NamePartyName, StateBallotsCong.Year

Largest partyWinning Speaker

42.7OppositionAmer.Nathaniel Banks, Mass.133341855



48.5DemocratDem.Howell Cobb, Ga.63311849

50.4WhigWhig.Robert C. Winthrop, Mass.3301847

62.3DemocratDem.John W. Davis, Ind.1291845

65.9DemocratDem.John W. Jones, Va.1281843

58.7WhigWhigJohn White, Ky.1271841

51.7DemocratWhigRobert M.T. Hunter, Va.11261839

52.9DemocratDem.James K. Polk. Tenn.1251837

59.1JacksonJacksonJames K. Polk. Tenn.1241835

““JacksonJohn Bell, Tenn.10231834





51.2AdamsAdamsJohn W. Taylor, N.Y.2191825

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Largest partyWinning Speaker

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1860-1865(Transition from Antebellum to Civil

War System• South excluded from national elections• Party support highly regionalized

1865-1896(Civil War System)

-Party polarization-Party “strong”

-Parties take control of committee rosters-Appr. devolution

-”Reed Rules” in the House

-Dems. v. Reps.-Dem. Strength in the South-Rep. strength in the North-Knife-edged partisan margins

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R R52nd Cong.(1891-1893)

80th Cong.(1943-45)

1896-1912(Transition from Civil War to

Textbook systems)• Economic dislocations create

Progressive/Populist movements

A Word about Senate Elections

• State legislative elections often brought about chaotic balloting

• Stories of corruption in Senate elections led to Progressive calls for reform

• 17th amendment: popular election of senators (1914)

• Still parties become more prominent

% joint ballot elections for Senate

020

4060

80P

ct.

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910Year

Effective number of Senate candidates in states

110

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1870 1880 1890 1900 1910

1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910

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Candidates Parties

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Year of election

Graphs by State

1912-1968(Textbook system)

-Party cohesion diminishes-party leaders brokers

-Comms. dominate legislating & careers-consol. in 1946

Battles over filibuster prominent in the Senate

-Regional support for parties-Dems pick up progressives and cities



Rise of careerism

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100(1816) (1836) (1856) (1876) (1896) (1916) (1936) (1956) (1976) (1996)

Congress

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Actual replacementMoving average

1968-1974(Transition from Textbook to Post-

Reform system• Anti-war sentiment divorces supporters of

strong defense from Dems.• Civil Rights movement divorces southern

Whites from Dems, but reinforces Black affiliation with Dems.

1974-now(Post-Reform System

-Parties resurgent-Leaders more assertive(Republicans esp.)

-Commsimportant, but….

Floor proceedings open up

-Reps conservative, Dems. Liberal-Regionalism per sedeemphasized



Loss of regionalism in parties80th Congress 106th Congress

Ideological separation of parties

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origins and development of congress17.251/history.pdf1831 22 1 andrew stevenson, va. jackson jackson...

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