In 1840 the issue of slavery was at the forefront of American politics. As the Native Americans were beginning to get pushed toward extinction the land west of the Mississippi was all in the hands of white Americans with the concept of manifest destiny in mind. As a result of the idea that the United States was meant to expand to the Pacific more and more land became available to plantation owners. As settlers moved farther and farther west the issue of race became important as the Mexican government, who controlled Texas at the time, had abolished enslaving Pueblo Indians but allowed the Americans settlers to bring their African slaves. When Antonio Lopez Santa Anna, a Mexican general, lead an army into the American settlements to show central authority many of the slave owners thought that he was there to liberate their slaves, this led to a revolt culminating at the battle of the Alamo.
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The Democratic Party was being split apart and new parties such as the Republicans were born. The topic of slavery wasn't the only thing that led to the creation of the Republicans however, economic and social changes also played a major role. Once the railroad system across the US was finished the economies of the north western states such as Ohio and Illinois were interconnected with north eastern states such as New York and New Jersey. The railroad system, in addition to the industrial revolution as a whole, sparked a massive economic boom across the United States as the farmers in the west could now easily transport goods between each other for a fraction of the previous cost. It was the connection between the western and eastern economies of the US that laid the framework for the rise of the Republican
The Democratic Party was being split apart and new parties such as the Republicans were born. The topic of slavery wasn't the only thing that led to the creation of the Republicans however, economic and social changes also played a major role. Once the railroad system across the US was finished the economies of the north western states such as Ohio and Illinois were interconnected with north eastern states such as New York and New Jersey. The railroad system, in addition to the industrial revolution as a whole, sparked a massive economic boom across the United States as the farmers in the west could now easily transport goods between each other for a fraction of the previous cost. It was the connection between the western and eastern economies of the US that laid the framework for the rise of the Republican