Changes

The '''Free Soil party''' was a short-lived political party in the [[United States]] at the end of the [[Second Party System]]. It ran presidential candidates in 1848 and 1852, and some state candidates. After the Compromise of 1850 undercut its position some members returned to the Democratic party, others supported [[John P. Hale]] for president in 1852, but he had little impact on the election.  Most of the members by 1856 or 1860 joined the new [[Republican Party]].

The '''Free Soil party''' was a short-lived political party in the [[United States]] at the end of the [[Second Party System]]. It ran presidential candidates in 1848 and 1852, and some state candidates. After the Compromise of 1850 undercut its position some members returned to the Democratic party, others supported [[John P. Hale]] for president in 1852, but he had little impact on the election.  Most of the members by 1856 or 1860 joined the new [[Republican Party]].

It was a breakaway faction of the [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]] and was largely absorbed by the [[U.S. Republican Party, history|Republican Party]] in 1854. Its main purpose was opposing the expansion of slavery into the territories, arguing that free men on free soil comprised a morally and economically superior system to slavery. The free soilers were against the expansion of slavery but not the idea of slavery; their goal was to gain the land to the west, and keep the land free of slaves.  Slavery was seen as a social bad because it hurt free men, but (unlike the abolitionists) they did not denounce it as sinful.

It was a breakaway faction of the [[U.S. Democratic Party, history|Democratic Party]] and was largely absorbed by the Republican Party in 1854. Its main purpose was opposing the expansion of slavery into the territories, arguing that free men on free soil comprised a morally and economically superior system to slavery. The free soilers were against the expansion of slavery but not the idea of slavery; their goal was to gain the land to the west, and keep the land free of slaves.  Slavery was seen as a social bad because it hurt free men, but (unlike the abolitionists) they did not denounce it as sinful.

==Positions==

==Positions==