Political Parties in 1850s uss10

Old Political Parties

Nativism

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  Belief favoring native-born Americans over immigrants
  

Know-Nothing Party

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  Anti-immigration politicians formed the American Party
  
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  Used secret handshakes and passwords; members were told to answer questions by saying “I know nothing”
  
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  Eventually became known as the “Know-Nothing Party”
  

Anti-Slavery Parties Form

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  Opposed the extension of slavery into the territories
  
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  Not anti-slavery, most Free-Soilers were simply against the spread of slavery, but still opposed blacks’ right to vote and other equal opportunities.
  

Republican Party

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  Free-Soilers + Anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats = Republican Party
  
  • 
    Founded 1854 in schoolhouse in Ripon, WI
    
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  Opposed spread of slavery, against the Kansas-Nebraska Act
  
• 
  Events and issues of the mid-1850s made the Republican Party a strong force
  

1856 Election

Whigs had dissolved – they split into other parties

John C. Fremont

James Buchanan

Know-Nothing

Millard Fillmore

(Former Whig President)

Results:
Buchanan: 45% popular vote (won the entire south except Maryland)

Fremont: 33% (carried 11 of 16 free states)

Fillmore: 22%