5 4 , ▁following ▁the ▁spl inter ing ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic - Rep ublic an ▁Party . ▁Two ▁major ▁parties ▁domin ated ▁the ▁political ▁landscape : ▁the ▁Wh ig ▁Party , ▁led ▁by ▁Henry ▁Clay , ▁that ▁grew ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Republican ▁Party ; ▁ ▁and ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party , ▁led ▁by ▁Andrew ▁Jackson . ▁The ▁Democr ats ▁supported ▁the ▁prim acy ▁of ▁the ▁Pres iden cy ▁over ▁the ▁other ▁branches ▁of ▁government , ▁and ▁opposed ▁both ▁the ▁Bank ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁modern izing ▁programs ▁that ▁they ▁felt ▁would ▁build ▁up ▁industry ▁at ▁the ▁exp ense ▁of ▁the ▁tax p ayer . ▁ ▁The ▁Wh igs , ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁advoc ated ▁the ▁prim acy ▁of ▁Congress ▁over ▁the ▁executive ▁branch ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁policies ▁of ▁modern ization ▁and ▁economic ▁protection ism . ▁Central ▁political ▁batt les ▁of ▁this ▁era ▁were ▁the ▁Bank ▁War ▁and ▁the ▁Spo ils ▁system ▁of ▁federal ▁patron age . ▁The ▁ 1 8 5 0 s ▁saw ▁the ▁collapse ▁of ▁the ▁Wh ig ▁party , ▁largely ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁decl ine ▁in ▁its ▁leadership ▁and ▁a ▁major ▁int ra - party ▁split ▁over ▁sla very ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁Kansas – N eb r aska ▁Act . ▁In ▁addition , ▁the ▁f ading ▁of ▁old ▁economic ▁issues ▁removed ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁un ifying ▁forces ▁holding ▁the ▁party ▁together . ▁ ▁Third ▁Party ▁System : ▁ 1 8 5 4 – 1 8 9 0 s ▁ ▁The ▁Third ▁Party ▁System