Scholars have identified how many critical, or realigning, periods in American politics?

• A. Two.
• B. Three.
• C. Five.
• D. Four.

Answer: (C)

Realigning periods are times when the party system undergoes a major shift: voters switch large-scale loyalties, and new coalitions and policy agendas redefine American politics for a generation. Scholars typically identify five of these transformative moments in U.S. history. They correspond to the 1800 shift that brought Jeffersonian Republicans to power as Federalists waned; the 1828 rise of Jacksonian democracy and broadening franchise; the 1860 realignment around slavery and the Civil War, which established a strong Republican era; the 1896 realignment linked to industrialization and monetary issues; and the 1932 realignment sparked by the Great Depression, creating a durable New Deal coalition for the Democrats. While there is debate about the nuances and whether some shifts are as deep as others, five is the standard count.