The Federalist party was dead by the 1820’s. Everyone referred to themselves as Republicans, even if in name only. With no unifying foe, Republicans had little to rally around. …show more content…
After Jackson’s loss in the House of Representatives for the Presidency, Van Buren desired to use Jackson’s personal popularity to attract supporters to the new Democratic party, then through the party conduct campaigns and policy fights. The Democrats began to “defend parties as indispensable allies of local democracy,” (Milkin pg. 25). The party system began to be defended as constitutional doctrine since it could create attachment between the people and the government. Parties would also educate the locals about the issues, give the parties the opportunity to discuss and debate the issues where voters could hear both sides. Parties would prepare people to understand and accept political topics and issues, they would also inform and organize voters and serve as a medium between the public and government (Milkis pg. 25, …show more content…
Even before the United States formally annexed western territories, the debate began whether slavery would be allowed to spread. Divisions within the parties over slavery caused division within the Democratic party, the destruction of the relatively new Whig party, and the creation of the Republican Party created in 1854 from Whig remnants and fragments of the Democratic party. Anti slavery parties began to form and win state elections as early as 1840 serving as spoilers for both Democrats and Whigs. The Whig party (created in 1830) lost members in the south because of anti slavery leaders, but they also lost support from their base because they didn’t take a hard stand against the spread of slavery. Democrats lost members with their support of popular sovereignty and their views of conciliation to slaveholders. Many northern Democrats wanted the party to fight against the extension of slavery (Reichley pg.