American History (Political Parties) - Essay Example

It is also important to realize that the party leadership originally consisted of the former anti-slavery members of the Whig Party and the Democratic Party and they argued that free men on free soil was a superior system to slavery, in view of moral and economic aspects of the system. When the Free Soil Party evolved in the 1840s, it functioned as a third party which developed out of the split between pro- and anti-slavery movements. "National politics was controlled primarily by two parties, Democratic and Whig.

Within both parties there were supporters and opponents of slavery, and the issue became more heated as the U.S. added territory. Proponents of slavery wanted to extend it into the newly acquired territories, while opponents wanted the territories to remain free. The issue grew especially heated among members of the state Democratic Party in New York." (Free-Soil Party) This is the platform upon which the Free-Soil Party was established in August 1848 at a meeting of anti-slavery members of the Whig Party and the Liberty Party.

The most important slogan of the Free Soil Party was "free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men" and it rigorously opposed the extension of slavery into the western territories. The Free Soil Party, though a short-lived political party, illustrates the Second Party System in the U.S. . The historians and political scientists refer to the Second Party System to name the political party system which was in existence in the United States from about 1828 to 1854. The First Two-Party System in the U.S. politics incorporated the Federalists and the Republicans during 1780s - 1801.

During the period 1836 - 1850, the Second Two-Party System was in place incorporating the Democrats, led by Andrew Jackson, and the Whigs, under the leadership of Henry Clay. The minor parties during this period included the Anti-Masonic Party, the abolitionist Liberty Party, and the anti-slavery Free Soil Party in 1848 and 1852. There have been several pertinent reasons for the death of the Second Party System and one of the major reasons is the Kansas-Nebraska Act and new political parties.

"The Kansas-Nebraska Act fatally weakened America's second two-party system, splitting both parties along regional lines. Northern Whigs found themselves at odds with southern members of the party; southern Whigs abandoned the party altogether to join the Democrats, who were more clearly supporting slavery. Many Northern Democrats were increasingly sympathetic to parties like the Free Soilers. At the same time, several new political parties emerged, all of which spoke mostly regional issues. By 1856, there were no longer any national political parties.

" (Schultz, 224) Therefore, there are various pertinent reasons behind the Death of the Second Two Party System and new political parties arose in place of this system included the Anti-Masonic Party, the abolitionist Liberty Party, and the anti-slavery Free Soil Party. It is important to realize that America's Second Two-Party System was destroyed mainly due to the