The Republican Party emerged in 1854 during a very contentious period in American history. Just before the formation of the party, the U.S. Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed settlers to choose whether their state would be a free or slave state.
The GOP was formed by Whigs and Free Soil Democrats primarily to fight the extension of slavery into the territories and to encourage modernization of the economy. There is some debate as to precisely where the Grand Ol’ Party was officially born: Ripon, WI or Jackson, MI. Indeed, Ripon, WI had the first Republican county convention in March 1854, while Jackson, MI had the first statewide Republican convention with nearly 10,000 people in July 1854. However, the first national Republican Party convention was held in Pittsburgh, PA in 1856.
At its creation, the Republican Party was most popular in the North and Midwest, and less so in the South. This was mainly because the Republican Party promulgated the end of slavery. Despite the party’s unpopularity in the South, the 1854 and 1855 elections resulted with the Republican Party winning a controlling majority in the United States House of Representatives.
We all know, Abraham Lincoln was the first Republican elected President of the United States of America. However, he was not the GOP’s first Presidential candidate; instead, that honor fell to John C. Fremont who ran for President in 1856. Fremont’s motto was “Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, Fremont.” Although he lost the election, his run helped to solidify the Republican Party’s base and brought national attention to the new party.
Come back next week for another installment of “What’s A Republican? Wednesdays.” Remember to check out our blog tomorrow!
No comments:
Post a Comment