1. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
A. The Republican Party
1. By the mid 1850s, people who opposed slavery in the territories sought a new political voice.
a) Neither Whigs nor Democrats took a strong stance against slavery.
2. A group of Free-Soilers, northern Democrats, and antislavery Whigs gathered in MI in1854.
a) There they formed the Republican Party.
b) Its main goal was to keep slavery out of the western territories.
3. The new party grew quickly.
a) By 1856, it was ready to challenge the older parties for power.

2. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
b) Republicans chose John C. Frémont to run for President.
4. Frémont’s main opponent was James Buchanan of PA. (Only PA President of the United States).
a) People said that Buchanan was a northern man with southern principles.
b) President Fillmore also ran under the “Know Nothing Party”.
5. Buchanan won the election with southern and northern support.

3. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
a) The Republicans had a strong showing.
b) The South did not show any support for the Republican candidate.
B. Abe Lincoln of Illinois
1. The next test for the Republican party came in 1858 in Illinois.
a) Abraham Lincoln, a republican, challenged Senator Stephen Douglas (IL) for his seat.
b) The race captured the attention of the nation.
c) The debates were reprinted in newspapers across the nation.
2. Abraham Lincoln was born on the Kentucky frontier.

4. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
a) His parents moved often to find better land (KY INIL)
b) Lincoln was basically self taught.
3. Lincoln opened up a store in IL.
a) Studied law and launched a career in politics.
b) 8 years in the state legislature and 2 years in Congress.
c) He was bitterly opposed to the KS/NE Act.
4. When the race began, Lincoln was not a national figure.
a) He was well liked.

5. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
5. During the Senate debate, Lincoln challenged Douglas to several debates.
a) Slavery was the important issue.
b) Lincoln believed that slavery was wrong.
c) Lincoln believed that slavery was an important issue and accused Douglas of not treating the issue with enough urgency.
6. In the end, Douglas won the election, but Lincoln had grown a national reputation.
C. John Brown’s Raid

6. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
1. In 1859, the radical abolitionist, John Brown, carried his antislavery campaign from KS to the East.
a) He led a group of followers to the town of Harpers Ferry, VA (now WV).
b) There they planned to raid a federal arsenal, or gun warehouse.
c) He planned to lead a slave uprising.
2. Brown quickly gained control of the arsenal, but no slave uprising took place.

7. IV. The Republican Party Emerges
a) Federal troops under the command of Robert E. Lee killed ten raiders and captured Brown.
b) People in the North praised Brown while people in the South condemned him.
c) This further convinced the South that the North was trying to change their way of life.