1. Politics leading to Civil War

2. “Forgotten Presidents”  The Presidents following James K. Polk are often overlooked  They did not do anything noteworthy  They allowed conditions to continue toward Civil War  Zachary Taylor: General from Mexican-American War  Second Whig president  Preserve the Union- keep status quo  Dies only a year into office  Millard Fillmore: Vice President for Taylor  Third Whig president  Anti-Slavery BUT did not want to upset the South- kept status quo

3. “Forgotten Presidents”  Franklin Pierce: Pro-Slavery Northerner  Democrat  Allowed the Kansas-Nebraska Act- kept status quo

4. Whigs Disappear  The Whig Party could not agree on the issue of Slavery  They split between North and South  The Whig party has no leaders as both Henry Clay and Daniel Webster die  The Whig Party is left in pieces to be picked up by other parties  Whigs in South joined Democratic Party  Whigs in North had no party, yet

5. Discussion 1. Why do you believe that the Whig Party would choose Zachary Taylor to run for president? 2. Why would the Whig Party not be able to survive with the issues over slavery becoming more intense? 3. Predict what will happen to the anti-slavery parts of the Whig Party along with other anti-slavery people in the North now that the Whig Party is gone?

6. Republican Party  A new Political party in the North emerges  Combined Northern Whigs, Free Soil Party and Northern Know-Nothing Party members  Combined their beliefs  Against expansion of slavery in west  Pro- industry (tariffs)

7. Election of 1856  Issue: Slavery (Kansas-Nebraska Act)  Democrat James Buchanan Pro Slavery  Whigs: No longer existed  Know-Nothing Millard Fillmore  Former President; Favored the South (and slavery)  Free Soil Party: No candidate; supported Republican party  Republican John C. Fremont  Anti-Slavery  James Buchanan wins

8. “Forgotten Presidents” continued  James Buchanan: Former Ambassador to Great Britain  Democrat  Pro-Slavery-keep the status quo  Allows the country to reach the tipping point of war

9. Reflection  Do you believe any of the “Forgotten Presidents” deserves to be remembered? Why or why not?