. ▁ ▁Minor ▁parties ▁and ▁independ ents ▁ ▁Although ▁American ▁politics ▁have ▁been ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁two - party ▁system , ▁several ▁other ▁political ▁parties ▁have ▁also ▁emer ged ▁throughout ▁the ▁country ' s ▁history . ▁The ▁oldest ▁third ▁party ▁was ▁the ▁Anti - M ason ic ▁Party , ▁which ▁was ▁formed ▁in ▁up state ▁New ▁York ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 8 . ▁The ▁party ' s ▁cre ators ▁fe ared ▁the ▁Fre em asons , ▁bel ieving ▁they ▁were ▁a ▁powerful ▁secret ▁society ▁that ▁was ▁attempting ▁to ▁rule ▁the ▁country ▁in ▁def iance ▁of ▁republic an ▁principles . ▁ ▁Modern ▁U . S . ▁political ▁party ▁system ▁ ▁The ▁modern ▁political ▁party ▁system ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁is ▁domin ated ▁by ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁and ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party . ▁These ▁two ▁parties ▁have ▁won ▁every ▁United ▁States ▁president ial ▁election ▁since ▁ 1 8 5 2 ▁and ▁have ▁controlled ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Congress ▁to ▁some ▁extent ▁since ▁at ▁least ▁ 1 8 5 6 . ▁There ▁are ▁numerous ▁minor , ▁or ▁third ▁parties . ▁The ▁Libert arian , ▁Green , ▁Reform , ▁Independent ▁and ▁other ▁parties ▁have ▁won ▁elections ▁throughout ▁history ▁at ▁different ▁levels , ▁but ▁the ▁success ▁of ▁those ▁parties ▁is ▁sparse . ▁ ▁Major ▁parties ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁ ▁The ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁is ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁major ▁political ▁parties ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁ ▁F ounded ▁as ▁the ▁Democratic - Rep ublic an ▁Party ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 2 ▁by ▁Thomas ▁Jefferson ▁and ▁James