Ace the 2026 Michigan Teacher Certification in Social Studies – Elevate Your Teaching Dreams!

The era that followed the Fourth Party System in American political history is characterized by significant changes in the political landscape. The correct answer refers to the emergence of the Fifth and, in some contexts, the Sixth Party Systems.

The Fourth Party System, which lasted from around 1896 to the 1930s, was dominated by the Republican Party and saw the realignment due to issues such as economic reform and the implementation of progressive policies. The shift to the Fifth Party System began during the New Deal era in the 1930s, when the Democratic Party under Franklin D. Roosevelt began to attract a broader coalition of voters, including urban workers, African Americans, and various social groups disillusioned with the Republican agenda. This period saw the establishment of a new political alignment that emphasized ideas such as government intervention in the economy and social welfare programs, which reshaped American politics and policy for decades.

The Progressive Era, while significant in social reforms and laying the groundwork for party realignments, occurred before the Fourth Party System ended. Similarly, the Reconstruction Era followed the Civil War and was foundational for the relationship between the states and federal government but is not directly aligned with party systems. The New Deal Era is part of the transition from the Fourth to