Witch political party is older, The Republicans or the Democrats?

Question

Heres a hint its a bit of a trick question.

Answer 1

Democrats were around first.

The Republicans formed in the 1850s.

John McCain could tell you all about it, he was one the GOP founders.

Answer 2

Lincoln was the first Republican President.

Democrats trace their roots to Andrew Jackson (at least as far as presidential representation)... but this would entail accepting the fact that they were rabidly pro-slavery before and during the Civil War... ... they were the proponents of anti-black "reconstruction" and the founders of the Ku Klux Klan.  They were strong segregationists during the first half of the 20th century, and voted against civil rights legislation all the way through the 1960's

Remember, that as a Democrat, Strom Thurmond broke the record for the longest ffilibuster arguing against civil rights.

Since they (understandably) wish to distance themselves from these historical facts, they claim that the party "split" in the late 40's and the "Dixiecrats" became Rockefeller and Reagan Republicans.

An argument can be made (Considering that Robert Byrd is a Democrat and the only former Klan member in the Congress)... that the Dixiecrats are the descendantsof the original party, and are today's Democrat party.... but that all depends on your opinion.

If they wish to say that today's democrat party is NOT the party of Jackson, Buchanan and slavery... then the Democrat party of today dates to 1949.

According to Wiki:

GOP - Founded in 1854 by anti-slavery expansion activists and modernizers, the Republican Party quickly surpassed the Whig Party as the principal opposition to the Democratic Party.

Democrat - The Democratic Party traces its origins to the Democratic-Republican Party, founded by Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and other influential opponents of the Federalists in 1792. However, the modern Democratic party truly arose in the 1830's, with the election of Andrew Jackson.

So, my point stands.  And by the way... if you read the writings of the founders, Jefferson (Big business, almost libertarian beliefs, a person who had no qualms with God influencing government, and very much against government intrusion into private business) would be a Republican today, while his counterpart John Adams would be much more in line with the Democrat party along with Alexander Hamilton.  So, again... my point stands.  Thank you for playing