The Democratic-Republicans comprised diverse elements that emphasized local and humanitarian concerns, states’ rights, agrarian interests, and democratic procedures. During Jackson’s presidency (1829–37) they dropped the Republican label and called themselves simply Democrats or Jacksonian Democrats.

Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. The Northern Democratic Party was a leg of the Democratic Party during the 1860 presidential election, when the party split in two factions because of disagreements over slavery.

Today, America is a multi-party system. The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are the most powerful. Yet other parties, such as the Reform, Libertarian, Socialist, Natural Law, Constitution, and Green Parties can promote candidates in a presidential election.

Democratic-Republicans were deeply committed to the principles of republicanism, which they feared were threatened by the supposed aristocratic tendencies of the Federalists. During the 1790s, the party strongly opposed Federalist programs, including the national bank.

The supporters of the proposed Constitution called themselves “Federalists.” Their adopted name implied a commitment to a loose, decentralized system of government. In many respects “federalism” — which implies a strong central government — was the opposite of the proposed plan that they supported.

The Ninth Amendment clearly rebutted the possible presumption that enumeration of some rights precluded the recognition of others. By its terms, it provides that the enumeration of specific rights should not be “construed to deny or disparage” other rights.

The right to privacy refers to the concept that one’s personal information is protected from public scrutiny. U.S. Justice Louis Brandeis called it “the right to be left alone.” While not explicitly stated in the U.S. Constitution, some amendments provide some protections.

Privacy is important because: Privacy gives us the power to choose our thoughts and feelings and who we share them with. Privacy protects our information we do not want shared publicly (such as health or personal finances). Privacy helps protect our physical safety (if our real time location data is private).

Article 12 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) states that “No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence nor to attack upon his honour and reputation.