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The '''Whig Party''' was (along with the [[Democratic Party]]) one of the two main parties of the [[Second Party System]] in the United States, 1830 to mid-1850s. It operated in every state after its formation by [[Henry Clay]] in 1832 to promote modernizing policies and battle President [[Andrew Jackson]]'s policies. Important leaders included Clay in Kentucky, [[Daniel Webster]] in Massachusetts, and [[Abraham Lincoln]] in Illinois. It elected its candidates for president in 1840 and 1848, but they both soon died. The party ran its last national candidate in 1852, then quickly collapsed because it could not keep together its northern and southern wings when the slavery issue came to dominate politics.

The '''Whig Party''' was (along with the [[Democrat Party]]) one of the two main parties of the [[Second Party System]] in the United States, 1830 to mid-1850s. It operated in every state after its formation by [[Henry Clay]] in 1832 to promote modernizing policies and battle President [[Andrew Jackson]]'s policies. Important leaders included Clay in Kentucky, [[Daniel Webster]] in Massachusetts, and [[Abraham Lincoln]] in Illinois. It elected its candidates for president in 1840 and 1848, but they both soon died. The party ran its last national candidate in 1852, then quickly collapsed because it could not keep together its northern and southern wings when the slavery issue came to dominate politics.

==Origins==

==Origins==

[[Image:1840almanac.jpg|thumb|1840 Whig campaign almanac]]  

[[Image:1840almanac.jpg|thumb|1840 Whig campaign almanac]]  

The Whigs were ready to enact their programs in 1841 when Harrison died after 30 days and was succeeded by [[John Tyler]], an old-line Democrat who never believed in Whiggery. Factionalism ruined the party's program, as the Whigs expelled Tyler and he vetoes their bills. The Texas issue defeated Clay's last presidential bid in 1844. In 1848 opportunity beckoned as the Democrats split. By ignoring Clay and nominating a famous war hero, General [[Zachary Taylor]], the Whigs papered over their deepening splits on slavery, and won.

The Whigs were ready to enact their programs in 1841 when Harrison died after 30 days and was succeeded by [[John Tyler]], an old-line Democrat who never believed in Whiggery. Factionalism ruined the party's program, as the Whigs expelled Tyler and he vetoes their bills. The Texas issue defeated Clay's last presidential bid in 1844. In 1848 opportunity beckoned as the Democrats split. By ignoring Clay and nominating a famous war hero, General [[Zachary Taylor]], the Whigs papered over their deepening splits on slavery, and won.

==Organization==

==Organization==

Rejecting the automatic party loyalty that was the hallmark of tight Democratic party organization, the Whigs suffered from factionalism. On the other hand, they had a superb network of newspapers that provided an internal information system. In the 1840s Whigs won 49 percent of gubernatorial elections, with strong bases in the manufacturing Northeast and in the border states. The trend over time, however, was for the Democratic vote to grow faster, and for the Whigs to lose more and more marginal states and districts. After the close 1844 contest, the Democratic advantage widened and the Whigs could win the White House only if the Democrats split.

Rejecting the automatic party loyalty that was the hallmark of tight Democratic party organization, the Whigs suffered from factionalism. On the other hand, they had a superb network of newspapers that provided an internal information system. In the 1840s Whigs won 49 percent of gubernatorial elections, with strong bases in the manufacturing Northeast and in the border states. The trend over time, however, was for the Democrat vote to grow faster, and for the Whigs to lose more and more marginal states and districts. After the close 1844 contest, the Democrat advantage widened and the Whigs could win the White House only if the Democrats split.

==Whig Issues==

==Whig Issues==

==Whig Supporters==

==Whig Supporters==

The Whigs won votes in every social-economic class, including the poorest. They appealed more to the upper half of the social-economic scale. The Democrats likewise won support up and down the scale, but they often sharpened their appeals to the lower half by ridiculing the aristocratic pretensions of the Whigs. Most bankers, storekeepers, factory owners, master mechanics, clerks and professionals favored the Whigs. Commercially oriented farmers in the North voted Whig, as did most large-scale planters in the South. In general, the commercial and manufacturing towns and cities were heavily Whig, save for Democratic wards filled with recent Irish Catholic and German immigrants. The 1830s saw waves of Protestant religious revivals, which injected a moralistic element into the Whig ranks. Non-religious individuals who found themselves targets of moralism, such as calls for  

The Whigs won votes in every social-economic class, including the poorest. They appealed more to the upper half of the social-economic scale. The Democrats likewise won support up and down the scale, but they often sharpened their appeals to the lower half by ridiculing the aristocratic pretensions of the Whigs. Most bankers, storekeepers, factory owners, master mechanics, clerks and professionals favored the Whigs. Commercially oriented farmers in the North voted Whig, as did most large-scale planters in the South. In general, the commercial and manufacturing towns and cities were heavily Whig, save for Democrat wards filled with recent Irish Catholic and German immigrants. The 1830s saw waves of Protestant religious revivals, which injected a moralistic element into the Whig ranks. Non-religious individuals who found themselves targets of moralism, such as calls for prohibition, denounced the Whigs as Puritans and sought refuge in the Democrat Party.

prohibition, denounced the Whigs as Puritans and sought refuge in the Democratic party.

==Demise and Legacy==

==Demise and Legacy==

The Whigs were unable to deal with the slavery issue after 1850. Their southern leaders nearly all owned slaves. The northeastern Whigs, led by [[Daniel Webster]], represented businessmen who loved the national flag and a national market, but cared little about slavery one way or another. However many Whig voters in the North felt that slavery was incompatible with a free labor-free market economy, and supported the [[Wilmot Proviso]] that did not pass Congress but would have stopped the expansion of slavery.  No one discovered a compromise that would keep the party united. Furthermore, the burgeoning economy made full-time careers in business or law much more attractive than politics for ambitious young Whigs. Thus the party leader in Illinois, [[Abraham Lincoln]], simply abandoned politics after 1849. When new issues of nativism, prohibition and anti-slavery burst on the scene in the mid 1850s, no one looked to the fast- disintegrating Whig party for answers. In the north most ex-Whigs joined the new Republican party, and in the South they flocked to a new short-lived "American" party. During the Lincoln Administration, ex-Whigs enacted much of the "American System;" later their southern cousins dominated the white response to reconstruction. In the long run, America adopted Whiggish economic policies coupled with a Democratic strong presidency.

The Whigs were unable to deal with the slavery issue after 1850. Their southern leaders nearly all owned slaves. The northeastern Whigs, led by [[Daniel Webster]], represented businessmen who loved the national flag and a national market, but cared little about slavery one way or another. However many Whig voters in the North felt that slavery was incompatible with a free labor-free market economy, and supported the [[Wilmot Proviso]] that did not pass Congress but would have stopped the expansion of slavery.  No one discovered a compromise that would keep the party united. Furthermore, the burgeoning economy made full-time careers in business or law much more attractive than politics for ambitious young Whigs. Thus the party leader in Illinois, [[Abraham Lincoln]], simply abandoned politics after 1849. When new issues of nativism, prohibition and anti-slavery burst on the scene in the mid 1850s, no one looked to the fast- disintegrating Whig party for answers. In the north most ex-Whigs joined the new Republican Party, and in the South they flocked to a new short-lived "American" party. During the Lincoln Administration, ex-Whigs enacted much of the "American System;" later their southern cousins dominated the white response to reconstruction. In the long run, America adopted Whiggish economic policies coupled with a Democratic strong presidency.

==See also==

==See also==