List and explain the principles, programs, and sources of support of the two major parties, Democrats and Whigs

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The Democrats and the Whigs Party
The Democratic party is indeed the oldest party in the United States and also one of the oldest parties among other world parties. The party traces it roots back to the Democratic-Republican party formed by both Thoman Jefferson and James Madison. However, the modern Democratic party was founded by Andrew Jackson around the year 1828. The Whig party was a United States political party that was active in the middle 19th century (Carpenter, Daniel & Benjamin 237). The party indeed existed for two decades and had two of its candidates elected as president that were Harison and Tyler. Both elected presidents in the Whigs party died while they in office. My goal in this paper is indeed to show the principles, programs, and sources of support of this two major parties.
Principles of the Democratic partyThe party holds the principle of liberalism. The party indeed upholds both classical liberalism and also social liberalism, and it even gains a lot of supporters due to this principle. The party holds this principle by promoting universal health care, through enacting the passing of the patient protection and affordable care act. The party also pushes for legalization of marriage between people of the same sex and also strict laws on guns (Grossman & David 122). The party also further pushes on the protection of abortion rights and also environmental conservation laws.
The party also holds the principle of progressiveness by ensuring that all citizens can acquire education and also by investing on scientific inventions.

The Democrats who holds this principle also push for an increment in wages, equal pay and also collective bargaining rights. The progressive Democrats also push for stout laws and regulations on corporations and also are at the forefront in the fight of political corruption.The Democrats also hold the principle of centrism. The Democrats who hold this principle are regarded to be more growth and business oriented. They are also more supportive of free trade and also the use of military force such as the war in Iraq. Their support on welfare reforms and cutting of taxes indicates that they have the will to reduce government welfare in the country.
Programs of the Democrats
The Democrats have held various programs based on economic, social and legal issues affecting the country. The Democrats have various economic programs such as the development of infrastructure and also the creation of employment programs by the government to provide jobs to the people. The Democrats have also advocated on the program of the rise of the minimum wage and ensuring that every citizen has a right to a fair wage.They have also been involved in ending economic inequality through the progressive tax structure which makes sure the wealthy people pay more taxes than the poor.
The Democrats have also pushed for the provision of affordable healthcare programs among all the United States citizens. They have also pushed for the provision of better education among all children in America by improving public school standards. Democrats have also advocated for low cost and publicly funded college education to make sure everyone can pay their tuition fee. The Democrats have also come up with a program of reducing crimes and homicides by introducing gun control measures. They also oppose the use of torture by prisoners held by the United States Army. They indeed view torture as inhumane and decreases the United States moral standing in the rest of the world. The party has also pushed for the reform of the immigration system so that the people who migrated to the United States illegally can have legal citizenship. The party has also supported abortion as a legal and safe practice but has also reduced the cases of adoption by educating people on the use of contraceptives and also reasons for adoption.
Sources of Support of the Democratic Party
The Democrats receive a lot of support from highly educated people and intellectuals in the country. The youth have also been found to vote for the Democratic party in every election since the era of Bill Clinton. Most women in the country have also been identified to be supporters of the Democratic party. The party also receives support from African-Americans, Native Americans, Jewish Americans, Asian Americans, Arab and Muslim Americans and the Latino Americans. Moreover, the party receives more support from the lesbians, bisexual, gay and transgender persons in the country.
Principles of the Whigs Party
One of the principles of the Whig party is that the government of the United States is limited by the constitution and it should conduct its duties and powers under the constitution. Any other power that is not granted by the constitution to the government is left to the people and the States to decide. Another principle of the Whig party is that everyone should obey the constitution and also adhere to any laws and treaties signed between themselves. Another principle of the party is that the Republic should not form any alliances with other foreign countries. Moreover, they should not impose ideas on other countries through the use of force rather they would be good examples and teach them the advantage of free institutions ( Harris, Tim 1669). The Whig party also advocated for a single term of presidency and also an imposition of taxes for the government to acquire revenues that it needs to run the country. Moreover, the party also suggested for the creation of a suitably regulated company which was to be used to conduct trade in the country.
Programs of the Whigs Party
The Whig party indeed promoted rapid industrial and economic growth in the United States. The party advocated for a more modernized economy where skills, the level of expertise and bank credits would be more useful rather than land ownership and physical strength. The party also advocated for faster industrialization by imposing high tariffs and also increasing the supply of money from the government (Crapol 176). The Whig party was also involved in the development of infrastructure through the construction of roads and canal systems. The party was also involved in the construction of public schools, colleges, cultural institutions to help modernize the country. The party was also involved in charity programs which were used to help the disadvantaged communities in the country.
Source of Support of the Whigs Party
The Whig party received most of its support from people in the professional and business class. It indeed received support from lawyers, doctors, bankers, ministers, factory owners and commercial and large scale farmers ( Chase& Malcom 89). The party indeed received its support from the manufacturing and commercial towns rather than from the poor.
In conclusion both the Democrats and the Whigs are indeed some of the most influential parties in America. They both had good principles, very development oriented programs and also a huge number of supporters in the country. Although the Whig party has been faced with various challenges, the Democratic party is still running with the current president from it. Both the Whigs and Democrats parties have contributed very good leaders including governors, senators, and presidents in the United States. They have indeed contributed to the economic, social and legal development of the United States for a long time and therefore they should be embraced for this act.
Works cited
Carpenter, Daniel, and Benjamin Schneer. “Party Formation through Petitions: The Whigs and the Bank War of 1832–1834.” Studies in American Political Development 29.02 (2015): 213-234.
Chase, Malcolm. “Caroline fever, Robert Chaloner and the North Riding Whigs.” Northern History 52.1 (2015): 85-100.
Crapol, E. P. (2014). President John Tyler, Henry Clay, and the Whig Party. A Companion to the Antebellum Presidents 1837-1861, 173-194.
Grossmann, Matt, and David A. Hopkins. “Ideological Republicans and group interest Democrats: The asymmetry of American party politics.” Perspectives on Politics 13.01 (2015): 119-139.
Harris, Tim. Politics under the later Stuarts: party conflict in a divided society 1660-1715. Routledge, 2014.