Changes

===Whigs and Democrats===

===Whigs and Democrats===

Andrew Jackson's 1824 campaign for president divided the Republican Party into Jacksonians (who later organized as the Democratic Party) and anti-Jacksonians, who contested the 1828 and 1832 elections as the National Republican Party. This party nominated Henry Clay, who proposed a nationalist agenda called the "American System." After National Republican Party collapsed, anti-Jacksonians reorganized as the Whig Party. The coherent ideology of the National Republicans was abandoned so that the new party could tailor its appeal regionally. Although the Whigs proclaimed themselves conservative, the political positions of the party's various state organizations diverged widely. Its nominees for president were non-ideological war heroes.

Andrew Jackson's 1824 campaign for president divided the Republican Party into Jacksonians (who later organized as the Democratic Party) and anti-Jacksonians, who contested the 1828 and 1832 elections as the National Republican Party. This party nominated Henry Clay, who proposed a nationalist agenda called the "American System." After the National Republicans collapsed, anti-Jacksonians reorganized as the Whig Party. The coherent ideology of the National Republicans was abandoned so that the new party could tailor its appeal regionally. Although the Whigs proclaimed themselves conservative, the political positions of the party's various state organizations diverged widely. Its nominees for president were non-ideological war heroes.

The modern Republican Party was founded in 1854 as an anti-slavery party. Although the new party adopted the name of Jefferson's party, it is not linked to it organizationally. In the election of 1860, Lincoln, the Republican nominee, emphasized that federal control of slavery in the federal territories was a conservative idea, based on a straightforward reading of the U.S. Constitution. Stephen Douglas, the Democratic nominee, supported the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision, which proclaim slaves private property protected by the U.S. Constitution, beyond federal control. The liberal wing of the Republican party, or Abolitionists, favored the abolition slavery nationally, a position not based on the Constitution. Once the slavery issue was resolved, the Democrats became simply the party of the South, the Republicans the party of the North.

The modern Republican Party was founded in 1854 as an anti-slavery party. Although the new party adopted the name of Jefferson's party, it is not linked to it organizationally. In the election of 1860, Lincoln, the Republican nominee, emphasized that federal control of slavery in the federal territories was a conservative idea, based on a straightforward reading of the U.S. Constitution. Stephen Douglas, the Democratic nominee, supported the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision, which proclaim slaves private property protected by the U.S. Constitution, beyond federal control. The liberal wing of the Republican party, or Abolitionists, favored the abolition slavery nationally, a position not based on the Constitution. Once the slavery issue was resolved, the Democrats became simply the party of the South, the Republicans the party of the North.