Other
Nhi: Unrestraint Begets Calamity: "The American Whig Review," 1845 1852
Scroll through this scholarly site from the National Humanities Institute to find information about the Whigs' role in the Compromise of 1850 and the end of its political clout by the election of 1852.
Digital History
Digital History: The Breakdown of the Party System
As the Whig Party collapsed and the new Republican Party was forming, there was a flash-in-the pan party, the Know Nothing Party, that filled the void for a few years. Read about the success of the party in electing legislation, and find...
Other
Republican Party: Our History
Read the first few paragraphs of this article to find out about the formation of the Republican Party in 1854 and how it affected the political scene in the last part of the 1850s.
University of Virginia
Miller Center at Uva: u.s. Presidents: James Buchanan: A Life in Brief
A brief look at James Buchanan as president and the controversies he faced. From the Miller Center.
Alabama Humanities Foundation
Encyclopedia of Alabama: Know Nothing Party
The Know-Nothing Party, a semi-secret political party from the mid-1800's, is explained in this report. The party lasted only a brief time, for its main purpose was to curb immigration and naturalization led by fear that the German and...
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Us History: 1844 1877: Failure of Compromise
A quick comprehension check over the failure of compromise.
University of Groningen
American History: Essays: The American Whig Party (1834 1856)
This article presents the second part of the history of the Whig Party to find out why the issue of slavery brought about its demise.
Digital History
Digital History: The War's Significance
Did the Southern slaveholders rush headlong into a war with Mexicoin an attempt to spread slavery in new territories? Read about those who felt this was the reason for the war.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Political Divisions
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart details the growing political divisions in the United States in the decade before the Civil War. It includes information on the election of 1856, the Dred Scott Decision, the Lincoln...