1.In what ways can the election of 1896 be considered a turning point in US politics?
922302
It was the first election based upon the Mormon vote, in which polygamy played an important role
1031682
I don't think social change can happen through Party politics, at least not now. Congress is so polarized they couldn't order pizza together, never mind effect any kind of positive social change. \n\nI think change will have to come from outside, with popular opinion driving Congress, not the other way around. I think that's what's starting to happen with immigration, and to some extent, the war.\n\nBi-partisanism should be the way positive social change is forged. Unfortunately, that's not likely to happen any time soon.
178565
A French Diplomat said in the late 1700's that the Democracy would last only as long as it took for the masses to realize that they could vote themselves money out of the public trough.\n\nThat's happening now.  Ineligible people are on welfare and unemployment, illegals are clogging our services, and "progressive" politicians are voting more and more benefits.
522610
C E L E B R A T E Good Times Come On!\none can only hope, but things can turn on a dime in politics, and the sun doesn't shine on the same dogs a*s everyday.
854958
The Battle of Saratoga in September of 1777 was a major victory for the American forces and a turning point of the war.\n\nhttp://www.kidport.com/RefLib/UsaHistory/AmericanRevolution/Saratoga.htm\n\nThe Battle of Saratoga in September and October 1777 was a decisive American victory that was to result in France entering the conflict on behalf of the Americans during the American Revolutionary War.\n\nThe capture of an entire British Army secured the northern American states from further attacks out of Canada and prevented New England from being isolated. It emboldened France to join the war on behalf of the Americans.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Saratoga
351747
I doubt it. Americans are too lazy to involve themselves in something so strenuous as taking a stand for something. Just look at our anti-war movement; everybody is so apathetic that nobody really does anything about it. I can't imagine an issue strong enough to ultimately divide the entire nation in this day and age. Perhaps if people wanted to rapidly shift to socialism or something similar not seen in America before, maybe that will start something.
138899
I think the terms 'important' and 'predictor' are a bit off the mark. An important predictor would be useful in determining the outcome, but Missouri doesn't really provide us any useful information until election night, at which point commentators are likely to be fixed on larger swing states capable of deciding the election (i.e., Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the 2004 election).\n\nAs to why, I think it probably has to do with geographical placement between the north and south and between the midwest and the west. This makes it less likely to follow regional trends.\n\nFYI, the same statistic that you referenced also holds true for Ohio.
947699
A very important note is that the transfer of power between the parties was handled relatively peacefully and without a great deal of foot-dragging (except in the House, which deadlocked while trying to decide whether to elect Jefferson or Burr). It set the tone for the transfer of power between governments in America, which tend to transfer pretty cleanly, even after acrimonious and bitter campaigns.
968294
It's all banal rhetoric. Democrats will enjoy their first 100-day 'honeymoon' with the American public, then things will settle into just another state of complicity. Nothing will get done. Nothing will change. Republicans and Democrats will fight like little ten-year-old kids until they start doing their real work: raising money for their re-election.                 -RKO-
1008735
Step one is electing a Democratic Congress in November.\nTwo words: Subpeona Power.\n\nJohn Nichols, the editor of the Capitol Times, is coming out with a new book called "The Genius of Impeachment." His basic argument is that impeachment is not a crisis - it is the remedy for when elected officials create a crisis. Bush has created a crisis (more than one actually) - it is time for him to go.
201004
The French Revolution was a major turning point in European history.  The major socialist revolutions of the twentieth century in Russia, China and Cuba were inspired the French example. \n\nSome other consequences included:\n\nPower remained centralized anew, but the door was open for role of wealth and merit, not heritage to become important.\n\nCitizenship, political rights: emerging liberalism \n\nEmergence of bourgeoisie, as in England, points toward Industrial Revolution, and toward\n\nRise of nationalism: nation (people) as sovereign \n\nPower of people (sans-culottes): toward socialism\n\nI've included links with more information.
696000
Well, when I took my political science courses in college, we learned that the most important time to rally is right before the election.  Many people have not made up their minds, and the chance to change the public's mind at last minute is great.  \n\nI already know who I'm voting for though.
881635
1893 - The monarchy is overthrown, and Hawaii asks America to help establish a new government.\n\n1898 - Hawaii becomes an American territory.\n\n1959 - Hawaii becomes a state.
865639
That was then, this is now.\n\nDuring a time before "parties" truly had a foothold, independent ideas were not exactly welcomed or respected on the surface, but the "right" thing to do was more easily done without all the media hype and financial funding.\n\nIt is a different world now.  George Washington even warned us against party politics as being the demise of Democracy, and we didn't follow his heed.  \n\nWe are now in a situation where there is absolutely nothing moderate about government, and anyone that feels moderate has to split a ticket.\n\nSad really...
109232
I believe that process has already started.  Look at Coretta Kings funeral, the confirmation hearings of Sam Alito and the Democrats stance on the partiot act.  Everytime a Democrat opens his/her mouth, our candidates get more votes.
641516
The Progressive Movement\nProgressive banner\nThe Progressive Movement was concerned about a variety of issues, including monopolies cornering the markets.\n\nThe dawn of the 20th century in Nebraska and across the nation signaled the birth of the Progressive Movement. Supporters of the movement were found in both major political parties, Democrat and Republican. While some of the alternative parties, like the Populists, were still in existence, their experiences in the 1890s had shown how hard it is to succeed outside of the two major parties. So, proponents of the Progressive Movement tended to work within the major parties, and they advanced a whole host of issues. Reformers tried to improve social conditions by implementing forward-thinking or "progressive" goals.\n\nMany of the progressive concerns in the 20th Century had roots in our previous history.\n\n    * Suffrage. When the U.S. was founded, only white men were allowed to vote and elect representatives to government. In the new 20th Century, many women were demanding suffrage, or the right to vote.\n    * Prohibition. For many social reformers, alcohol was a social evil that caused the breakdown of marriages, violence and abuse. There were many in the country who wanted to prohibit liquor.\n    * Race. During the 1800s, African American slaves were freed and became citizens, at least in name. But as blacks began to move around the country, tensions between the races boiled over.\n    * Native Americans. Throughout the 1800s, native tribes were pushed west and finally onto small parcels of land "reserved" for them, the reservations. But their legal status within the United States had not been resolved.\n    * During the 1800s, children were often forced to work long hours in back breaking jobs. The 20th Century saw a movement to outlaw child labor.\n    * Workers, young and old, were simply out on the street if they were injured on the job. Workers' compensation systems were devised during the early 1900s.\n    * Direct Elections. Before the turn of the century, members of the U.S. Senate were elected by the politicians in each state legislature. The direct election of senators by the voters was a major electoral reform.\n    * Political Reform. In many states, progressive reformers wanted to give more power to the people by allowing citizen groups to initiate new laws themselves -- the initiative -- or to review the actions of legislatures -- the referendum. These reformers pushed through "Initiative and Referendum" systems that allowed citizens to circulate petitions to put issues and proposals on the ballot. The reformers in many states also pushed through systems to allow for the recall of elected officials.\n    * Anti-Monopoly Reforms. In the new 20th Century, many businesses were becoming big business. The U.S. was a huge marketplace with lots of potential consumers, and businesses began to try and monopolize that market. They wanted to limit or eliminate competition so they could control prices and profits. Reformers said their business practices were unfair and sought to break up the monopolies or "trusts."\n\nIn Nebraska, also, these issues had been debated for years. Suffrage for women had been a reoccurring issue in Nebraska from the territorial days and had reemerged with vigor in the early 1870s. But, it would not be until the early 1900s that the state legislature would pass legislation allowing women limited voting rights -- women could vote in municipal elections and for presidential electors. A prohibition law would be passed almost at the same time as the suffrage law.\n\nProgressives faced bitter resistance from conservatives who tended to support unregulated social and economic systems, and opposed unions, reformers, socialists, communists, and anarchists. They believed that progressive reforms would take power away from the traditional power brokers -- and actually, that was precisely the point. The co
1104228
most like Bush and Gore \n\nwas the election Rutherford B. Hayes..... the election was decided in the house....1876\nhe was later called RutherFraud