Some additional information about each candidate:
- Hillary Clinton was the first female major-party nominee for president in the United States. She was a former first lady, U.S. senator, and secretary of state.
- Donald Trump was a businessman and reality TV star who had never held elected office before. He was the Republican nominee for president.
- Gary Johnson was the former governor of New Mexico. He was the Libertarian Party nominee for president.
- Jill Stein was a physician and environmental activist. She was the Green Party nominee for president.
The 2016 US presidential election was one of the most divisive in American history. The candidates' views on a wide range of issues were very different, and the election was ultimately decided by a narrow margin.
There are hundreds of political parties in the United States, but only two major parties have a significant presence in national elections: the Democratic Party and the Republican Party. These two parties are often referred to as the "two-party system".
In addition to the two major parties, there are a number of minor parties that have a smaller but still significant presence in some states and localities. These parties include the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, the Constitution Party, and the Reform Party.
Some of these minor parties have been able to win elections at the local level, and a few have even won seats in Congress. However, no minor party has ever won the presidency of the United States.
The two-party system in the United States is a result of a number of factors, including the winner-take-all system for electing presidents and the single-member district system for electing representatives to Congress. These systems make it difficult for third parties to gain a significant foothold in national elections.
However, the two-party system is not static, and it has changed over time. For example, the Whig Party was once a major party, but it collapsed in the mid-19th century. The Republican Party was founded in the 1850s, and it quickly became one of the two major parties.
It is possible that the two-party system in the United States could change in the future. If a third party were to gain enough support, it could become a major party. However, it is also possible that the two-party system will continue to be the dominant force in American politics for many years to come.