0.7 collapse of the second party system

what were held in 1854

1854 mid-term elections

saw collapse of second-party system

whigs collapsed → kansas-nebraska was blamed on democrats so should have been a good opportunity, but it had divided northern/southern whigs

decline began before

• failure to deal with issues on immigration and catholicism

• failed to respond to nativist concerns

at the same time the Know-nothing movement rised, as did the emergence of the republican party

how many immigrants came from 1845 - 54

3 million

over 1 million were irish catholics, escaping potato famine

many feared papal plot, between 1850-54 catholic bishops, priests and churches nearly doubled

resented growing political power of catholic voters, saw it as a threat to democracy

Know-nothing party

members meant to respond with ‘i know nothing’

gained popularity due to the unpopularity of the Kansas-Nebraska act and its association with democrats

emergence of republic party

kansas-nebraska had awakened concerns of slave power

keen to support party opposed to expansion of slavery

several anti-slavery coalitions formed, republican became most popular

what government was set up in Kansas

Topeka government

set up by settlers in kansas

free-staters were divided - moderates / fanatics

fanatics - held abolitionist views (minority)
moderates - openly racist - opposed slavery because it would mean more black people

what did the Topeka government do

banned black people, enslaved / free, from kansas

when and what was bleeding knasa