Caucus

A caucus is most generally defined as being a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement. The exact definition varies between different countries.

Origin of the term

The origin of the word "caucus" is debated, although it is generally agreed that it came into use in English in the United States. According to some sources, it comes from the Algonquin word for "counsel," cau´-cau-as´u, and was probably introduced into American political usage through the Democratic Party machine in New York known as Tammany Hall, which liked to use Native American terms. Other sources claim that it derived from Medieval Latin caucus, meaning "drinking vessel", and link it to the Boston Club. In the Finnish language, there is also a word, kokous, meaning an official meeting. The existence of this word in the Finnish language supports the theory that it has European origins. It is also known that many Finns moved to the United States, more specifically to the East Coast and the areas surrounding the Great Lakes.

Related Topics:
United States - Algonquin - Democratic Party - New York - Tammany Hall - Native American - Latin - Boston Club - Finnish language - East Coast - Great Lakes

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