The Whig Party

Active: 1833-1856. The Whig Party formed in opposition to Andrew Jackson's policies, championing modernization and moral reform in American society.

Origins and Name

Named after the British Whigs who opposed absolute monarchy, the American Whig Party emerged in opposition to President Andrew Jackson, whom they viewed as an authoritarian "King Andrew."

Core Principles

  • Congressional supremacy over presidential power
  • Modernization and economic development
  • Federal funding for infrastructure ("internal improvements")
  • Protective tariffs
  • National Bank
  • Public education
  • Moral reform and temperance

Key Leaders

Henry Clay

Party founder, "The Great Compromiser," architect of the American System

Daniel Webster

Famous orator, champion of nationalism and the Union

William Henry Harrison

First Whig president (1841), died after one month in office

Zachary Taylor

Military hero and second successful Whig president (1849-1850)

The American System

Henry Clay's comprehensive economic program included:

Infrastructure

Federal funding for roads, canals, and railroads

Protective Tariffs

To promote American manufacturing

National Bank

To provide stable currency and promote commerce

Electoral Success

1840

William Henry Harrison elected president

1848

Zachary Taylor elected president

1850

Millard Fillmore becomes president after Taylor's death

Decline and Dissolution

The party collapsed in the 1850s due to several factors:

  • Internal divisions over slavery
  • Compromise of 1850 controversy
  • Rise of the Republican Party
  • Death of key leaders (Clay and Webster in 1852)
  • Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854

Legacy

Though the party dissolved, many Whig principles and members transferred to the new Republican Party. Their vision of modernization, economic development, and moral reform influenced American politics for generations. Abraham Lincoln began his political career as a Whig before becoming a Republican.

The Whigs' emphasis on checks and balances, opposition to executive overreach, and support for economic development continue to influence American political discourse.