Founded in 1792 by Thomas Jefferson as the party of the common man, the Democratic Party dominated American politics until the 1850s. At a time when the Civil War about to erupt, the issue of slavery tore the country apart. The Democratic Party, with its large southern vote, could not weather the storm and tore apart as well. By the turn of the 20th century, the Democratic Party regained its focus and led the way into the next century in the fight for women’s suffrage and civil rights.