Whig Party (United States) facts for kids
For the Whig party in Britain see Whig Party, Britain
The Whig Party was an important political party in the United States. It was active from 1833 to 1856. The party was formed because its members disagreed with the policies of President Andrew Jackson and the Democratic Party.
The Whigs believed that Congress should have more power than the President. They wanted to make the country more modern. They chose the name "Whig" to remind people of the American Whigs from 1776. These were the people who fought for America's independence. "Whig" was a common name for anyone who opposed a ruler with too much power.
Important Whig Leaders
The Whig Party had many famous leaders. Some of these included Daniel Webster, William Henry Harrison, and Henry Clay from Kentucky.
The party also had four war heroes who became leaders. These included Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. Even Abraham Lincoln was a Whig leader in Illinois before he became a Republican.
Whig Presidents
During its time, two Whig candidates were elected President:
- William Henry Harrison
- Zachary Taylor
Both Harrison and Taylor sadly died while they were in office. After Harrison's death, John Tyler became president. However, he was later removed from the Whig Party. After Taylor's death, Millard Fillmore became president. He was the last Whig to hold the highest office in the country.
Why the Whig Party Ended
The Whig Party eventually broke apart because of a big disagreement. This disagreement was about whether to allow slavery to spread into new areas of the country.
The group within the party that was against slavery was very strong. They stopped their own president, Millard Fillmore, from being chosen to run again in the 1852 election. Instead, the party chose General Winfield Scott, but he lost the election.
After this, many Whig leaders left politics or joined other parties. For example, Abraham Lincoln temporarily left politics. Many voters who supported the Whigs then started supporting the Republican Party. Some also joined other smaller parties or the Democratic Party.
By the 1856 election, the Whig Party was no longer strong enough to be a national party. At its last big meeting, the party supported Millard Fillmore, who was then part of the American Party. After this, the Whig Party faded away.
See also
In Spanish: Partido Whig (Estados Unidos) para niños
