【史海回眸】历史上，美国诸多“第三党”来去匆匆

Core Viewpoint - Elon Musk has announced the establishment of a new political party called the "American Party," aiming to participate in the upcoming midterm elections in the U.S. and secure minority seats in both the House and Senate [1] Historical Context of Third Parties in the U.S. - The U.S. has a long history of third parties, starting with the Anti-Masonic Party in 1831, which was the first third party in American politics [1][3] - The Anti-Masonic Party held its first national presidential candidate nomination convention in 1831, where William Wirt was nominated for the 1832 presidential election, receiving 8% of the popular vote in Vermont [3][4] - The Anti-Masonic Party lasted about ten years and influenced American politics by promoting anti-Masonic sentiments and establishing the practice of national conventions for presidential nominations [4] Emergence and Decline of Other Third Parties - Following the Anti-Masonic Party, other third parties emerged, such as the Know Nothing Party and the People's Party, with the Know Nothing Party gaining significant traction in the 1854 elections [5][6] - The People's Party, founded in 1891, opposed monopolies in banking and railroads and garnered over 1 million votes in the 1892 elections, but eventually declined after aligning with the Democratic Party in 1896 [6][7] Modern Third Parties - Contemporary third parties include the Independent Party, Reform Party, and Green Party, with the Reform Party being established by billionaire Ross Perot in 1995 after his independent presidential run in 1992 [8][9] - The Reform Party's influence has diminished in the 21st century, similar to other third parties that have historically struggled to maintain a lasting presence in U.S. politics [9]