1850s American politics

The 1850s in American politics was a turbulent decade marked by deep divisions over slavery, westward expansion, and states’ rights. Key issues included whether new territories would allow slavery, leading to tensions between the North (which generally opposed it) and the South (which supported it). The decade saw the collapse of the Whig Party and the rise of the Republican Party, founded on opposition to slavery’s expansion. Events like the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott decision heightened conflicts, ultimately setting the stage for the Civil War. It was a time of intense ideological struggle shaping the nation’s future.