The Opposition Party was formed during the slavery controversy in the mid-19th century, splitting from the Whig Party over the Kansas-Nebraska Act. They attempted to continue the Whig legacy but declined after 1854. Another group of former Whigs formed the Constitutional Union Party, which quickly disintegrated. This period of political turmoil saw the formation and dissolution of a number of political parties, eventually leading to the emergence of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party as the two major political parties in the United States.
The Opposition Party was a short-lived political party in the United States that was formed during the slavery controversy in the mid-19th century. This period of political turmoil saw the formation and dissolution of a number of political parties which split over the issue of slavery. Eventually, the abolitionists prevailed and slavery was outlawed in the United States, but not before the political and social landscape changed dramatically.
The opposition party’s roots lie in the Whig Party, a political party that has been marred by internal strife almost from the start. In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act which allowed the new territories to decide whether to enter as slave or free states caused a schism in the Whig Party. Some Whigs supported the law, while others were enraged that the Missouri Compromise had been ignored. Some Whigs split off to form the abolitionist Republican Party, while a small group formed the Opposition Party. Others have joined forces with the Democrats and a number of other small political parties.
Politically, the Opposition Party was very similar to the original Whig Party and attempted to continue the Whig legacy. They did not adopt the Whig name because they felt it had been tainted by dispute and this party could be regarded as merely a continuation of the Whigs under another name. Initially, the opposition party managed to elect a number of members to Congress, mainly because the Republicans did not organize in time. After 1854, however, the opposition party’s numbers and influence declined. By 1858, the party was essentially dead.
Another group of former Whigs created the Constitutional Union Party and persuaded former members of the Opposition Party to join them. This party attempted to maintain a neutral position on slavery to promote the preservation of the whole of the United States. This did not prove effective, and the party quickly disintegrated as the United States descended into civil war as a number of Southern states seceded and attempts to maintain a union through political means were abandoned.
This was a turbulent period in American political and social history that brought about dramatic changes in the relatively new nation. The slavery debate proved extremely explosive, and the political landscape changed rapidly as parties formed, reformed, and changed their former political positions. Eventually, the highly organized Democratic Party and the newly formed Republic Party emerged with enormous influence, becoming the two major political parties in the United States.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
