Whig Party
From Conservapedia
The Whig Party, named after the Whigs of Great Britain, was formed in America in 1833 in response to Democratic President Andrew Jackson's actions to increase the power of the executive branch. Henry Clay and Daniel Webster were members of a political party called the National Republicans who began to find common ground with southern Democrats such as John C. Calhoun. They argued that Jackson's powers were becoming "king-like" and began referring to the Democratic Party as the Tories (loyalists to the British monarchy during the American Revolution); hence they adopted the title of Whigs for their party.
As a whole, the party was not very successful. Two Whigs were elected to the presidency, William Henry Harrison and Zachary Taylor; however, neither completed his term in office. The ultimate downfall of the party was the issue of slavery, with northern Whigs supporting abolitionism and the southern Whigs supporting the current institutions.
Whig Presidents
- William Henry Harrison (1841)
- John Tyler (1841-1845)
- Zachary Taylor (1849-1850)
- Millard Fillmore (1850-1853)
