1. Politics of the 1800’s

2. Whig Party The People’s Party, 1832-1856
Pres. Election winners
William Henry Harrison (1840)
Died of pneumonia
First President to die in office
Zachary Taylor (1848)
Died from eating cherries and milk
Second President to die in office
Belief in the Federal Government
Limit power of the individual
Slavery divided the party
“Conscience Whigs” - Northerners joined the new Republican Party
“Cotton Whigs” - Southerners joined the Democratic Party
Whig Party The People’s Party,

3. Free-Soil Party, 1848-1854 "free soil, free speech, free labour, and free men"
Anti-slavery sentiment
Goal: Keep slavery out of the west (prevent the spread of slavery)
Presidential Election losers
Martin Van Buren (1848)
John Parker (1852)
Eventually folded as a party and joined the Republican Party in 1854

4. Know-Nothing Party American Party (1845-1856)
Know-Nothing Party – secrecy, difficult to find out any information
Millard Fillmore
Was Zachary Taylor’s VP; took over the Oval Office ( ) after Taylor’s death
Ran as the American Party candidate 1856 (lost)
Party platform
Survival of the Union
Nativism (focus of party)
Slavery divided the party in 1855

5. Republican Party 1854-present Presidential elections
Opposed the spread of slavery, the K-N Act, and the Dred Scott decision
Supported the transcontinental railroad
Found support from Westerners, farmers, and eastern manufacturing
Presidential elections
John C. Freemont
First candidate, 1856 (lost)
Abraham Lincoln
First Republican winner, 1860

6. Democratic Party, 1832-present
Dominated politics from
Andrew Jackson,
Martin Van Buren,
James K. Polk,
Franklin Pierce,
James Buchanan,
As a national party, they had a weak stance on slavery. In 1860, slavery ended up dividing the party.
Northern Democrats nominating Stephen Douglas
Southern Democrats choosing John C. Breckinridge