Overview
This lecture examines the realignment of American political parties in the 1850s, focusing on the emergence of the Republican Party, its diverse coalition, and the centrality of opposition to the expansion of slavery.
Party Realignment in the 1850s
- The Republican Party's voters included not only former Whigs but also about 20% Northern Democrats.
- Many Northern Democrats joined Republicans due to opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Southern dominance of the Democratic Party.
- The Whig Party collapsed, while the Know-Nothings and Republicans rose in prominence.
- The Democratic Party lost significant support from its Northern base.
Factions Within the Republican Party
- Republicans were a coalition of ex-Whigs, ex-Democrats, and some Know-Nothings, each with different policy preferences.
- The only unifying issue was opposition to the westward expansion of slavery.
- Ex-Democrats brought strong Jacksonian unionism, supporting the use of force over compromise in sectional crises.
- Conservative Whigs were more inclined to compromise, while moderate Whigs like John Sherman and Abraham Lincoln became the majority.
- Radical factions existed within the party, but moderates dominated.
Republicans and Nativism
- The party sought to distance itself from nativism to attract immigrant voters, especially in the Midwest.
- By 1856, issues like nativism and temperance lost salience within the Republican Party.
- Democrats continued to accuse Republicans of being anti-immigrant to divide them.
- Republican economic goals required immigration, making nativism incompatible with their outlook.
Free Labor Ideology and Sectional Tensions
- The free labor ideology became the dominant belief in the North by 1860.
- The Republican Party opposed the "slave power" as a threat to free labor, more so than Catholicism.
- Republican promotion of economic development and Western settlement relied on a steady flow of immigrants.
- The ascendancy of free labor ideology alarmed Southerners and contributed to both Southern secession and Northern resolve to preserve the Union.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Free Labor — the belief that individuals should have the right to work and improve themselves without slavery.
- Nativism — anti-immigrant sentiment, especially opposition to Catholic immigrants.
- Jacksonian Unionism — strong support for preserving the Union by force if necessary, based on Andrew Jackson's actions.
- Kansas-Nebraska Act — 1854 law allowing settlers to choose slavery’s legality, sparking major party realignment.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Prepare for the next lecture on James Buchanan and his presidency.
- Review how party coalitions and the slavery issue transformed American politics before the Civil War.