- Slavery Dominates

Politics
Find Out:

Why the Republican Party was formed

Election of 1856

&
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

REPUBLICANS EMERGE AS LEADING PARTY

1. What political party was created from problems
caused by the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

Republicans won all but 3 presidential

elections from 1860-1932

In 1854, opponents of
slavery in the territories
formed a new political
party, the Republican
Party
As the party grew it took
on Free-Soilers, some
anti-slavery Democrats
and Whigs, and KnowNothings

The Republican Party Forms

Grew from split in the Whig Party over the
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Southern Whigs were destroyed
Northern Whigs joined with other opponents
of slavery and formed the Republican Party
Ran John C. Frmont for President in 1856

2. Why did the Whig party

split?

Because the Kansas-Nebraska Act

proposed to open new territories to
slavery, there was no room for
compromise in the Whig Party since
Northerners opposed it and Southerners
supported it.

3. What was the key to the

Republican Party gaining strength in
the North?

Bleeding Kansas was blamed on the

Democrats since they supported the
Kansas-Nebraska Act

4. Who ran for President in the election of

1856?

Democrats nominate James Buchanan from

Pennsylvania (15th Pres.)
Buchanan was minister to Great Britain and out of
the country since 1853
Said little about slavery and claimed his goal was to
maintain the Union and decided to end the troubles
in Kansas by urging the admission of the territory as
a slave state.
Angered the Republicans and alienated members of
his own party.

James Buchanan
Sectional conflict rose in
1860 that the Democratic
Party split into northern
and southern sections.
Each nominating its own
candidate for the
Presidency.

LINCOLN DOUGLAS DEBATES

The 1858 race for U.S.

Senate in Illinois was hotly
contested between
Republican Abraham
Lincoln (7) and
Democratic Douglas
One of the most celebrated
debates in history ensued as
the topic was slavery in the
territories
Douglas favored popular
sovereignty while Lincoln
wanted a Constitutional
Amendment
Made Lincoln a national

Lincoln Douglas debate Du Page

County Centennial, August 27th

8. What metaphor did

Lincoln use in one his
speeches?

Lincoln used the metaphor from the Bible

that A house divided against itself
cannot stand at the Republican state
nominating convention on June 16, 1858,
as Republicans chose Lincoln to run
against Douglas for the Senate.

9. What was Lincoln's view on

slavery?

He felt slavery was a morally, socially,

and politically wrong. He did not
suggest abolishing slavery where it
existed but to not let it expand into new
territory.

10. What was Douglass view?

He did not share Lincolns belief that it was

the national government's role to prevent
the expansion of slavery. He argued for
popular sovereignty as the most
democratic way to solve it.

12. How did it help Lincoln?

Lincoln became a national figure and

strengthened his standing in the
Republican Party

Outcome.

Douglas won the election, but Lincoln

gained widespread recognition that
ultimately helped him win the
presidential election two years later.