History of Third Parties

Third parties exist on the edge of mainstream politics. They enter candidates in elections they cannot hope to win. They champion issues the major parties are sometimes reluctant to touch. Third parties serve America well, however; they speak for ordinary citizens whose concerns both the state and federal government have yet to notice. As readers of this new book will learn, third parties are often the voices of change and the front-runners of progress. Beginning with the Tertium Quids in 1806 and continuing to today's Green Party, The History of Third Parties chronicles third parties and their increasing visibility in the American political system.

Children's Literature

AGERANGE: Ages 12 up.

From the early 1800s until today, third parties have played some role in the American political scene. In many instances, those parties have been relatively minor players in the U.S. elections. In other instances, third party candidates have experienced success and certainly influenced the results of significant presidential elections. In this work, Vicki Cox presents the history of both significant and not-so-significant third party candidates. This illustrated volume is part of a broader series designed to describe various aspects of American governance entitled "The U.S. Government: How it Works." As with other books in this series of textbooks, this particular addition focuses on facts rather than personalities. In a very traditional mode, the author walks her readers through the evolution of third parties and the successes and failures they have achieved. Little attention is given to allowing the personalities of third party leaders to emerge within the confines of the narrative. In addition, a rather awkward reference citation approach is used that consistently disrupts the reader's focus on the matters at hand. These factors make this a journeyman's effort, one that can serve as a source of information but not excitement. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck