Sandra Day O'Connor

Sandra Day O’Connor

Early Life:

Sandra Day O’Connor was born in 1930 in Texas, and would be appointed to the Supreme Court by President Reagan in 1981, and would continue to serve until 2006. She would graduate high school two years early, and would go onto to receive a law degree from Stanford University. She would graduate one year early from law school, and met fellow Justice Rehnquist at Stanford as well. Though struggling to find a legal job due to her gender, she served as an Arizona State Senator, and became the first female majority leader in any state senate. She also had a job working for the Quartermaster Corps, and in 1979, was appointed to the Arizona Supreme Court of Appeals. In 1981, she was unanimously approved by the Senate, being the first ever female Supreme Court Justice.

Supreme Court:

Connor would serve as an important member of the Supreme Court. She was the swing vote in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, promoted women’s rights, and equal treatment. Despite being a conservative justice, O’Connor was known as an unpredictable voter in several case decisions. This dedication towards the center made her an important vote in numerous case decisions, and allowed her to become a noteworthy justice. In 2006, she retired to take care of her ailing husband. After her retirement, she founded a website that teaches civic engagement. Justice Alito would replace her on the court, and he still serves on the court today.

Source:

https://www.oyez.org/justices/sandra_day_oconnor

Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton

Early Life:
William J. Clinton was born in August of 1946 and in 1993, he would become the 42nd President of the United States. He was the first president to be a part of the “baby-boomer” generation. He would serve until 2001. Clinton would eventually receive a law degree from Yale University, where he met his future wife, Hillary Clinton. In 1976, Clinton would be elected to be the Attorney General of Arkansas, and in 1978 won the governorship. He would run again as governor, and serve from 1982-1992. In 1992, Clinton won the Democratic presidential nomination, and his running mate would be Al Gore. Clinton would best George H.W. Bush, and become president in 1993.

Presidency:

Clinton was elected to the presidency at age 46, being one of the youngest presidents in American history. Under Clinton, America enjoyed an era of peace and prosperity, in which he enacted various domestic legislation, and put measures to curb the budget. Notably, Clinton also signed the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, which allowed for free trade between the North American nations. Clinton also elected numerous females to high positions, such as Ginsberg to the Supreme Court. Clinton would win re-election in 1996. During his second term, Clinton established permanent trade agreements with China, and the nation experienced a large boom in the technology industry. Clinton would be plagued by scandals, notably involving an affair with an intern. Clinton would be impeached partly because of this incident, but was acquitted by the Senate. Nonetheless, the event had a severe impact on his reputation and affected his popularity.

Legacy:

After his terms ended, Clinton would remain active in public service, which he had a deep passion for early in his youth. His wife, Hillary Clinton, would become the Secretary of State, after losing the 2008 presidential election.

Source:

http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/bill-clinton

George Moscone

George Moscone

Introduction:

George Moscone was born in November of 1929, shortly after the beginning of the Great Depression. He was an Italian-American lawyer, was the 37th Mayor of San Francisco, was the father of four children, served in the United States Navy, and was assassinated in 1978, along with San Francisco Supervisor, Harvey Milk.

Political Life:
George Moscone would begin his political career by running to be a member of the California State Assembly in 1960, though he lost this election. He managed to be elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors three years later, however. Moscone would also be elected to the California State Senate and became aligned with a group known as the Burton Machine, a group of progressive politicians. He soon became the Majority Leader of the Democratic Party, and in 1975 ran and was elected to be the mayor of San Francisco. Moscone did receive some public scrutiny from the People’s Temple in San Francisco Investigations.

Assassination:

Former Board of Supervisors member, Dan White, assassinated Harvey Milk and George Moscone on November 27th, 1978, after Moscone refused to appoint Dan White to an appointment in the city. Dan White was convicted of manslaughter, due to the infamous “Twinkie defense,” and Dianne Feinstein replaced Moscone and would become a notable politician.

Impacts:

While serving on the Board of Supervisors, Moscone would use his power to assist a variety of people, notably racial minorities. Though Moscone was a heterosexual, he was a proud supporter of gay rights, and passed a bill that repealed a sodomy law. Moscone was also responsible for the San Francisco Giants baseball team staying in the city, and was the first mayor to appoint numerous minorities to office positions. Moscone also played a key role in paving the way for the Americans with Disabilities Act bill to be passed. Moscone Center and Moscone Recreation Center in San Francisco are named after George Moscone and he served as the Mayor of San Francisco for more than two years.

Source:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Moscone

Oklahoma City Bombing

Oklahoma City Bombing

Background:

On April 19th, 1995, in Oklahoma City, OK, an American launched a terrorist attack that left 168 people dead, with dozens more injured. The terrorist attack would be the worst attack on U.S. territory until the attacks 9/11. The attack took place at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building and the terrorists used a truck bomb to launch the attack. McVeigh was a former soldier and one of the terrorists responsible for this attack and was a member of a right-wing survivalist group in Michigan. Terry Nichols, a former soldier who had met McVeigh in the army, was also responsible for the attack, and was a member of the survivalist group as well.

McVeigh:

McVeigh was an anti-government militant who had a deep mistrust of communism and of communist governments, such as Soviet Russia. After the end of the Cold War, however, McVeigh became wary of his own government, and was radicalized by incidences such as the shootings of federal agents. McVeigh planned to bomb the Oklahoma City building because several government organizations, such as the Secret Service and the DEA, were located there. On June 2, 1997, two years after the attack, McVeigh was convicted and in July of 2001, he was executed by lethal injection. He was the first federal prisoner to be executed in 38 years.

Impacts:

300 buildings within the explosion were harmed by the attack, and 19 children were killed in the bombing. 168 people were killed in the incident, and McVeigh was executed, with Nichols serving 161 life sentences in prison. The Murrah Building was demolished the next month, but a national museum and memorial was created at the site of the bombing. This attack, though perpetrated by an American, no doubt influenced politicians and their foreign policies, and may have been a reason for President Bush’s War on Terror.

Source:

http://www.history.com/topics/oklahoma-city-bombing

Three Mile Island

Three Mile Island

Background:

In 1979, an incident at the Three Mile Island would occur that would lead to American interest in environmental protection. Three Mile Island was a nuclear power plant facility in Pennsylvania, where a partial nuclear reactor core meltdown occurred. As a result, radioactive gases were released into the atmosphere. The immediate health effects on the population were not significant, though the entire incident did have important impacts.

Impacts:

The impacts of the Three Mile Island incident were few but important. Public fears were escalated and led to doubt about nuclear power and the scientists who had advocated for alternative forms of energy, several nuclear power plants were closed, and the licensing of nuclear reactions was imposed, to provide some sort of regulation to a dangerous, yet possibly beneficial industry. As a result of the Three Mile Island incident, nuclear energy was stalled for many years.

Effects:

The incident at Three Mile Island also led to demonstrations that reached around 200,000 people in New York, led to nuclear power plant construction virtually ending in the following decade, and led to the reactor remaining unstable, and was rendered useless later on. Though the Three Mile Island is a rare occurrence, it does illustrate the dangers of nuclear products and the need for strict regulation in the nuclear industries.

Source:

http://www.history.com/topics/three-mile-island

The Burger Court

The Burger Court

Introduction:

The Burger Court, named after Chief Justice Warren Burger, was thought to be a new force of conservatism in politics, but in actuality, Chief Justice Burger expanded what were thought to be liberal policies and furthered the cause of integration. This came as a surprise to many as Nixon, a Republican, had appointed Burger to replace Warren, but like many other of Nixon’s actions, it proved to defy preconceptions.

Notable Cases:

The Burger Court was responsible for verdicts in numerous cases that shaped the era of the late twentieth century. In New York Times v. The United States (1971), the Court permitted newspapers, such as the New York Times, to publish the Pentagon Papers, a series of secret Department of Defense documents. The court used the concept of freedom of press to justify its decision. Another important and controversial case under the Burger Court was Roe v. Wade (1973). This case became associated with abortion, and the Court upheld a woman’s right to privacy and a woman’s decision to have an abortion. This case was incredibly controversial at the time, and is still relevant today as a prominent political issue. Finally, the Burger Court also gave the decision in Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education (1971) and upheld the process of busing and upheld a lower court’s decision for extensive transportation to schools, which would lead to faster integration in schools.

Impacts:

Cases such as the Swann Case impacted thousands of schools across the nation, and sped integration in the South. In fact, schools in the South were more integrated than schools in the North, demonstrating the influence of the Swann Case. In Roe v. Wade, women were allowed to choose whether or not to have an abortion, which would become a notorious political issue. It took extreme confidence to give a decision to the topic of abortions, and may not have occurred without Burger, showing his influence on the court. Finally, in the Times v. the US, freedom of the press was given precedent and was proved constitutional, which would allow the growth of the mainstream media in the following years. The Burger Court was involved in numerous other decisions, all of which shaped the course of American history during the time. It is important to remember that while the judicial branch of the government is not always at the center of attention, it plays a significant role into American politics, and determines the future of our country.

Sources:

Give Me Liberty (textbook)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burger_Court

The Voting Rights Act

The Voting Rights Act of 1965

Background:

The Voting Rights Act was passed during President Johnson’s term as President in 1965, which allowed federal officers to register voters, and widened the franchisement of black Americans. It was influenced by King’s protests at Selma, during which a famous voting rights march took place. The protesters were attacked by state police, and the incident was televised, leading Johnson to take action.

The Act:
The act was passed in Congress in 1965 with an overwhelming majority. It was signed into law by President Johnson who had invited civil rights leaders to witness this action. The act aimed to increase the suffrage of black Americans, which was incredibly low in the South, through abolishing literacy tests, allowed federal officers to register voters, and authorized the Attorney General to investigate poll taxes. Though the law was passed, like many pieces of legislation, it lacked effective enforcement. Nonetheless, the act still improved voter turnout significantly, and in Mississippi there was a 53% voter increase in a matter of five years.

Influence:

The Voting Rights Act is a significant piece of American legislation that affirmed the rights of all Americans, no matter their race. Not only increasing African-American suffrage numbers, the act led to the Supreme Court decision to abolish poll taxes in state elections in 1966. The act has been amended to protect the rights of non-English speaking American voters as well. It is important to note that while the 15th Amendment, passed in 1870, did prevent states from denying the right to vote based on color, blacks in the South were denied this basic right of American citizenship. The Voting Rights Act is a key piece of civil rights legislation, and should be remembered as a good step in the right direction towards civil rights and changing attitudes of Americans.

Source:

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/voting-rights-act

Malcolm X

Malcolm X

Early Life:

Malcolm Little, who would become Malcolm X, was born in May of 1925 in Omaha. His father was a civil rights activist, though was unfortunately killed, leading to X settling in Boston. X would soon be arrested and served seven years in prison, using the time to improve his education. It was there that X became a member of the Nation of Islam, a black Muslim organization. Through this organization X would begin his own civil rights campaign.

Activism:

X soon became a spokesperson for the Nation of Islam, and in a matter of 11 years, he had managed to increase the organization’s membership by 29,500 members. X soon became a prominent member in the Nation of Islam, but in 1964 he withdrew from the organization, after having a disagreement with the Nation of Islam leader, Elijah Muhammad. In ‘64, X made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and it was there that he saw Muslims of all different races getting along, inspiring his future activist ideals.

Organization of Afro-American Unity:
After his pilgrimage, X created a new organization, entitled the Organization of Afro-American Unity. Delivering a speech in 1964 describing the organization’s purpose, X advocated for equal civil rights for blacks, to inspire blacks to counter violence and police brutality with violence, and to raise awareness of his organization. X differed from other civil rights leaders such as King, as he openly advocated for violence as a means to achieve equality. X would give numerous speeches in Harlem, New York, where certain streets are named after him.

Death and Influence:
Assassination attempts on X’s life soon came after the founding of his Organization on Afro-American Unity, by the Nation of Islam. In 1965, three gunmen, all whom were part of the Nation of Islam, attacked X, killing him. X is buried in New York, and his influence of civil rights is still felt today. His actions, though perhaps not as famous as King’s, still influenced the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, giving equal rights to all races. Without X’s influence, countless civil rights organizations would not be the way they were during the ‘60s, and possibly the Civil Rights Movement would have been less progressive.

Source:

http://malcolmx.com/biography/

The Hull House

The Hull House

Introduction:

Settlement houses were being created during the late 19th century, with the primary purpose of helping immigrants who had recently arrived in America. These houses, usually named after their architects, provided help in English, could act as daycares, and provided basic level education classes. After reading about them in past chapters, I grew interested in the Hull House specifically, and its history.

The Hull House:

Founded by Jane Addams and less notably, Ellen Gates Starr, the Hull House was founded in the year 1889, in Chicago, Illinois. Addams was inspired after visiting a social reform institute, similar to the early day Hull House, and rented out part of the Hull Mansion to launch her creation. Originally serving as a kindergarten school, which grew in popularity around this time period as well, the Hull House soon grew to include a nursery and daycare center, primarily for working mothers. As time progressed, Hull House grew in both size and prestige, eventually able to provide college level curriculum to people of all backgrounds, but still notably those who had recently emigrated to Chicago.

Legacy:

Today, the Hull House is still open and can be visited in Chicago. Now a museum, the house serves as a reminder of important social reformists, dedicated to helping immigrants. The Hull House, specifically its founders, were able to champion state child labor reforms, preventing the exploitation of child labor, and allowed for the creation of establishments and government agencies to regulate and protect underage children and minors. Additionally, the Hull House would have never garnered as much attention as it did, if it were not for pieces of literature that spread its ideals. Alice Hamilton and Florence Kelley’s novels all spread positive news about Hull House, helping the house and its attendants.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the Hull House served as a notable American social reform institution, that inspired many other settlement houses to follow in its example. These houses further spread knowledge, and assisted immigrants among others, allowing American literacy rates to be increased, and spread word of needed reforms to the American public. It is apparent that settlement houses, like the Hull House, greatly influenced American education, and without them, our country and its people would be at great danger for illiteracy.

Source:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hull-House

William Magear Tweed: The Boss

William Magear Tweed: The Boss

Introduction:

The political machine system, also known as the “boss” system, was dominant during the late 19th century, and is still present today. These political machines were able to wield an enormous amount of power, in some cases even reaching the national level. However, most bosses were content to control their local domain through various tactics and methods, including corruption. Yet, despite all of this, one of the “bosses,” stood out among the rest. Saying, “I don’t care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating,” and “As long as I count the votes, what are you going to do about it,” Boss Tweed was notorious. William Magear Tweed controlled Tammany Hall of New York, and would become the most caricatured and infamous “boss” in American history.

Early Political History:

William Magear Tweed, soon to be known as Boss Tweed, was elected to his first government position in 1851. In 1852, he was elected to Congress, and in 1856, he managed to consolidate his position in Tammany Hall. Tammany Hall was an executive committee under the Democratic Party in New York, and would be influential and a necessity in Boss Tweed’s domination. Through his numerous political offices, the boss was able to place his friends in important offices, creating the legendary Tweed Ring. In 1860, Tweed wielded an immense amount of power, then being the head of Tammany Hall, thereby controlling the party’s city nominations. He was able to place friends and other individuals in vast positions of power, such as in the Senate and House of Representatives. Tweed was later able to control the entire government of New York, creating a cycle of money flowing directly to him. Recall that bosses used their influence to get into positions of political power, use that political power to gain inside secrets and other valuable knowledge, eventually extorting it for financial gain, all being distributed back to the boss and politicians, creating a vicious cycle. Boss Tweed used this system, with minor changes, and instead of focusing on insider information, he funneled through the city legislature numerous overpriced bids, all leading to the city overcompensating him drastically.

Conclusion:

Despite the tremendous power and influence Tweed had over New York, he was eventually arrested, and the movement to take him down became a key focus of many reformers. He eventually died in prison, but served as a symbol to all as the epitome of the political machine system. Boss Tweed was able to receive amounts ranging from 30-200 million dollars from New York through his illegal methods, and was able to avoid prison time for a ridiculously long period of time. It is also important to note that the boss, despite only reaching power through illegal means, is still regarded as an “American politician” today.

Source:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Magear-Tweed

Hanna: Maker of Presidents

Hanna: Maker of Presidents

Introduction:

President McKinley was elected to the presidency in the year 1897, and was assassinated in 1901. He became president in a critical time, and managed to defeat a popularly supported silverite candidate, by the name of William Jennings Bryan. However, McKinley owes a large part of his victory to one man, Marcus Alonzo Hanna. After reading briefly about Hanna in the American Pageant, I developed an interest in the so called, “president maker.”

Who was Hanna?

The textbook gives very little information about Hanna, telling us that he was an industrialist, had intimate feelings for McKinley, and was a Hamiltonian. However, the true character and life of Marcus Alonzo Hanna goes far deeper. Hanna was a prosperous industrialist, owning an incredibly rich Cleveland coal and iron enterprise. Like Morgan and Vanderbilt, he soon expanded into other industries, that helped to add to his immense fortune. Hanna, a firm Hamiltonian and Republican, believed that the prosperity of the Republican party depended on business, a laissez faire economy, and a helpful government. Hanna, once getting his friend into the presidency, soon became interested in politics himself, and became a senator until his death.

What was the significance of Hanna?

Hanna was the first in a long line of “political kingmakers,” or a person who is responsible for getting someone into a position of power through their own influence. Hanna, besides giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to McKinley’s campaign, was also responsible for managing the first costly campaign. McKinley’s total budget, or war chest, at the time was around 3.5 million dollars, and to put that in comparison in today’s time, today’s political organizations and other groups spend around 5 billion dollars for their candidate. Prior to the election of 1896, no candidate had ever amassed such a war chest, and through Hanna’s successful running of it, politicians would be spending more and more on their campaigns. Additionally, Hanna was able to use his vast influence and resources to create posters, pamphlets, and other forms of propaganda in favor of McKinley and against Bryan. According to the textbook, McKinley’s campaign had both money and mud. Finally, Hanna represented the key perception of big businesses at the time, that they had too much power and too much influence in the government. The political bosses brought their local regions into a new realm of corruption, famous industrialists like Morgan were able to save the federal government on more than one occasion, and Hanna, and those like him, were able to put their friends in power to further themselves.

Conclusion:

Whatever one makes of Hanna, it is apparent that he is a key historical figure. Additionally, Hanna represented the epitome of the power big business had, and set the stage for a long dynasty of political campaign norms.

Source:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mark-Hanna

American Pageant, 11th Edition

William Henry Vanderbilt

William Henry Vanderbilt: Robber Baron or Captain of Industry?

Introduction:

During a class lecture on robber barons and captains of industry, our class learned about Cornelius Vanderbilt. However, as the video progressed an interesting fact was mentioned. Cornelius Vanderbilt’s son, William Henry, was able to double the fortune his father had amassed, a significant amount in itself. Hence, the purpose of this blogpost is to determine whether or not William Henry was a robber baron or captain of industry when creating this incredibly large fortune.

Early Life:
William Henry was born in the springtime of 1821, in New Jersey. He was one of the many children produced by Cornelius Vanderbilt, and his wife, Sophia Johnson. Towards the 1840s, William Henry started taking an interest in the Long Island Rail Road, which had Cornelius on the Board of Directors.

Long Island Rail Road Years:
William Henry soon proved his worth and was able to become a major executive at the Long Island Rail Road. However, when his father, Cornelius, died in 1877, William Henry had inherited the entire Vanderbilt industry. William continued his work in the railroad company, helped many major transportation projects in New York flourish, and was able to control numerous railroad companies, which had a direct influence on major cities, such as Chicago and Indianapolis.

Robber Baron Qualities:

William Henry Vanderbilt, like many contemporaries at the time who were in charge of large businesses, did not pay his workers well, made them work long hours, and did not care for the laboring conditions. Additionally, he had hundreds of dissatisfied workers who frequently striked on railways. Vanderbilt also used his power and influence to get Congressmen to not pass certain legislation, and introduce others that would benefit him, and other powerful wealthy capitalists. These actions were often at the expense of the poorer classes. It was even said that William Henry said that, “The public be damned!” when confronted about his influence over politicians and legislation.

Captain of Industry Qualities:

Despite some of his more unscrupulous actions, William Henry had skill as an entrepreneur. In 1857, he managed to put Staten Island Railroad back into business, and made it a profitable venture. In 1864, he became a Vice President at New York and Harlem Railroad, and the Hudson River Railroad. He was able to use company stocks and techniques such as vertical combination to control a vast portion of the railroad industry, and become very successful at it, as well. An interesting fact about William Henry is that unlike his father, he was not very philanthropic, and only gave small donations to the now titled Vanderbilt University. As stated previously, William Henry managed to increase his family wealth by two times as much, making the total Vanderbilt fortune a value of 200 million.

Conclusion:

William Henry, despite his amazing success in the railroad industry, is believed to be a robber baron. However, he still did do positive things in the business industry, helping shape the American economy today.

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/william-henry-vanderbilt-21010571

https://prezi.com/edl7tooik5mu/william-vanderbilt/

President Garfield: The Second

President Garfield: The Second

Introduction:

President Lincoln was assassinated on April 14th, 1865, and his death shocked the nation. However in the year 1881, Garfield was assassinated by another mentally deranged man. This was very interesting to me, as less than 20 years after Lincoln was killed, another soon followed. In today’s time, a president getting assassinated is virtually impossible(in fact I am probably being monitored right now for writing this), but what was the “presidential protection” during the 1880's? This is what I plan to share.

The Secret Service and Chief Wood:

The Secret Service is largely believed to have the sole purpose of protecting elected officials, namely the president, and their family. Former presidents are still under this protection, but the Secret Service also as another purpose. Founded on July 5, 1865, shortly after Lincoln was assassinated, the service was created to prevent the “illegal production of money.” William Wood, a notable Civil War veteran, was appointed as the chief of the newly formed agency. He soon proved his worth, and the service’s headquarters were established in the Department of the Treasury. However, the Secret Service did not begin protecting presidents until after the assassination of Presidents Garfield and McKinley, and would only start protecting presidents after Roosevelt won the office.

Before the Civil War:
Before the Civil War, many presidents were assaulted, received threatening letters, and were not accompanied wherever they went. No secret service had been created, but no presidents had been assassinated. So when Congress passed an act to establish a patrol in the White House to protect the property, many believed it would give protection to the president. It did not, and was mainly an anti-vandalism task force, protecting the White House, instead of our leaders. After Lincoln, no presidential protection was immediately created or improved.

Post the Civil War:
After the Civil War, the War Department assigned soldiers to guard the president, the White House, and the White House grounds. Policemen in Washington D.C. also continued in aiding the president, but it was not until after Lincoln was assassinated that a Congressional Committee launched an investigation into the protection of the president. The investigation revealed that such a threat to the president was unnecessary, and no further protection was assigned, until the presidency of Roosevelt.

Sources:

https://clinton2.nara.gov/WH/kids/inside/html/spring98-2.html

http://www.archives.gov/research/jfk/warren-commission-report/appendix7.html

Rise of the Free Soilers

Rise of the Free-Soilers

Introduction:

The Free Soilers were a simple political party with only one main issue on their platform, an issue that plagued the country of America during the 1800’s and would lead to Civil War. Slavery. The Free Soilers were determined to prevent slavery from spreading out of the South, into the new and forming territories, specifically those in the West. After listening to a class lecture about Manifest Destiny, we learned about the Election of 1848. Zachary Taylor, one of the last Whig Presidents, was competing against Lewis Cass, a Democrat, former Secretary of War, future Secretary of State, and a governor of Michigan. Taylor won, but what was most surprising about the election for me was that another party emerged. Similar to Election of 1828, when the Anti-Masonic Party emerged, the Free Soilers had garnered a lot of support in a short amount of time. Both parties were mostly against one issue, the Masonic Society and the institution of slavery respectively, but were able to gain enormous amounts of support. Yet, the Free Soilers were unfortunately short lived. However, the importance of the Free Soiler Party is, in my opinion, the most important aspect of the Election of 1848, and one I plan to break down for the purpose of spreading knowledge about the party.

Origin and History:

Many historians believe the that Wilmot Proviso served as the point in history where the party gathered support. The Wilmot Proviso was an attempt by a representative named David Wilmot to make slavery illegal in territories gained through Mexico. He attempted to do this covertly, but it eventually failed. Nonetheless, many abolitionists quickly jumped on the bandwagon to support the Free Soiler Party, even the “Little Magician,” former President Van Buren. The Free Soiler party soon gained immense support in the state of New York, and would even be able to nominate a candidate in the Election of 1852, who would lose, but still showed the party’s resilience.

Outcomes and Conclusion:

The Free Soilers soon died out, but their effects on American politics are still felt today. In the Election of 1848, the Free Soilers managed to garner about 300,000 votes (About Education), though a small amount compared to today’s time, back then it was enough to give sway to Tyler, who would eventually defeat Cass for the Presidency. Tyler, hero of the Mexican-American War, chose like many of his predecessors to ignore the issue of slavery, but did not allow it to spread as well, a victory for Free Soilers. Many Free Soilers began joining the newly formed Republican Party, after the fall of the Whigs, lending to the party’s support and its position against slavery. It is through this action that the Republican Party could come about, lending to the separation of powers through a strong and resilient two party system. Lincoln, the first Republican President, would win the election and go to war with the South, eventually leading to his Emancipation Proclamation.

The Free Soilers represented the growing attitude present in the Northern states about slavery, and how many believed it was inhumane and should be abolished. A party was soon formed around this sole issue, and managed to garner enough support to actually have a candidate for the presidency. This task is simply incredible, and shows the growing sectionalism in America. The formation also represents the 1st Amendment, and how despite being a controversial issue, a party was still formed around it, spreading the democratic ideals of freedom and liberty. While many believe that the Civil War was initially fought over preserving the Union, it was still started over the issue of slavery, and the Free Soilers played their part in the conflict and the eventual abolition of the practice.

Source:

http://history1800s.about.com/od/1800sglossary/g/Free-Soil-Party-definition.htm