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

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 (1850- 1853) 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. Presidential elections –J–John C. Freemont First candidate, 1856 (lost) –A–Abraham Lincoln First Republican winner, 1860 Opposed the spread of slavery, the K-N Act, and the Dred Scott decision Found support from northerners, abolitionists, eastern manufacturers, etc.

6. Dominated politics from 1832-1860 –Andrew Jackson, 1829-1837 –Martin Van Buren, 1837-1841 –James K. Polk, 1845-1849 –Franklin Pierce, 1853-1857 –James Buchanan, 1857-1861 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