Democratic Party (United States)

==== Early 20th century ====
[[File:Breckinridgelong2.jpg|thumb|Leaders of the Democratic Party during the first half of the 20th century on in 1913: William Jennings Bryan, [[Josephus Daniels]], [[Woodrow Wilson]], [[Breckinridge Long]], [[William Phillips (diplomat)|William Phillips]], and Franklin D. Roosevelt]]
Agrarian Democrats demanding [[free silver]], drawing on Populist ideas, overthrew the Bourbon Democrats in 1896 and nominated [[William Jennings Bryan]] for the presidency (a nomination repeated by Democrats in 1900 and 1908). Bryan waged a vigorous campaign attacking Eastern moneyed interests, but he lost to Republican [[William McKinley]].<ref>Robert W. Cherny, ''A Righteous Cause: The Life of William Jennings Bryan'' (1994)</ref>

The Democrats took control of the House in 1910, and [[Woodrow Wilson]] won election as president in 1912 (when the Republicans split) and 1916. Wilson effectively led Congress to put to rest the issues of tariffs, money, and antitrust, which had dominated politics for 40 years, with new progressive laws. He failed to secure Senate passage of the [[Versailles Treaty]] (ending the war with Germany and joining the League of Nations).<ref>H.W. Brands, ''Woodrow Wilson'' (2003).</ref> The weak party was deeply divided by issues such as the KKK and prohibition in the 1920s. However, it did organize new ethnic voters in Northern cities.<ref>Douglas B. Craig, ''After Wilson: The Struggle for the Democratic Party, 1920–1934'' (1993)</ref>

After [[World War I]] ended and continuing through the [[Great Depression]], the Democratic and Republican Parties both largely believed in [[American exceptionalism]] over European monarchies and [[state socialism]] that existed elsewhere in the world.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Davis |first=Kenneth C. |title=Don't Know Much About History: Everything You Need to Know About American History but Never Learned |publisher=HarperCollins |year=2003 |isbn=978-0-06-008381-6 |edition=1st |location=New York |pages=321, 341 |author-link=Kenneth C. Davis}}</ref>