Ch. 10.3 The Birth of the Republican Party
1. New Political Parties Emerge
A. Slavery Divides Whigs
• Northern Whigs opposed the fugitive
slave act and Compromise of 1850.
• Southern Whigs backed the Compromise
to appear supportive of slavery and
the Union.
• Slavery divided the party along sectional
lines.
• Franklin Pierce- Democratic candidate
who won the election of 1852.
B. Nativism
• The favoring of native born Americans
over immigrants.
• Know-Nothing Party- A name given to
the American Party; formed in the 1850s
to prevent any political influence of
immigrants.
2. Antislavery Parties Form
• Free-Soil Party- A political party formed
in 1848 to oppose the extension of slavery
into U.S. territories.
A. The Free-Soilers
• Believed that white workers could not
get jobs in competition with slaves.
B. Republican Party
• Republican Party- Modern political
party that was formed in 1854 by
opponents of slavery in the territories.
• Horace Greeley- One of the founders
of the Republican party.
• The Republican party was united in opposing
the Kansas-Nebraska Act and keeping
slavery out of the territories.
C. The 1856 Election
• John C. Fremont- Republican candidate.
• James Buchanan- Democratic candidate.
• Issue is over the extension of slavery into
the territories.
• Buchanan wins but this showed the strength
of the Republican party.