The Republican Party, also known as the Grand Old Party (since 1876), is the newer of the two major parties of the United States of America with the elder party being the Democratic Party. Unlike earlier American political parties that had roots going back to the beginning of our country, the Republican Party was formed in Ripon, Wisconsin in 1854, two years before the dissolution of the party known as the Whig Party. The Republican Party was not regarded a major political party until six years after it was founded in Wisconsin. The Republican Party was created by American citizens who were anti-slavery and shared the same principles that Abraham Lincoln expressed while campaigning and throughout his presidency. As a matter of record, the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln was a member of this newly created party and first to win a national presidential election as a Republican in 1860.
The Republican Party filled the void left when the major political party known as the Whig Party fell a part. The Whig Party was a strong advocate for the two party political system, in support of Congress having supremacy over the Executive Branch, modernization which included urbanizing and industrializing the United States, and regulating trade with foreign countries. The Whig Party was very pro American citizens purchasing primarily American made goods and services. This party felt to go outside of the country for goods and services was not healthy for the American economy. The Whig Party was unable to agree upon a party stand regarding the “slavery issue” which caused a tremendous rift between its constituents which led to its ultimate demise and caused it to split into two factions. This splitting into two factions created a larger base of voting members for the Republican Party and the Democratic Party there by cementing the Republican Party as the next major party of the two party system.
The Republican Party’s original platform was in favor of the small businesses industry which at that time was regarded middle class. Further supported the federal government giving away federally owned land to American citizens in order to improve the economy by creating more property owners who would then own enough land to farm or create small businesses on their land. Strongly advocated that all should be “free” within the United States of America’s borders, completely against slavery. The Republican Party was the first major political party of the United States to stand up for those in bondage and advocate civil rights toward others.
By the 1870’s the Republican Party’s platform had expanded to further include being in support of business in general (small, medium, and large types), the gold standard, high tariffs, generous pensions for Union veterans who fought in the Civil War, and the annexation of Hawaii. The Republican Party was pro fast growth within the United States of America which included more industry, railroad expansion, mining, boom-towns, and prosperous agricultural communities. In 1896 the Republican Party’s platform changed slightly by no longer being in favor of high tariffs.
With the advent of the 20th century, the Republican Party was considered the pro-business party. By the 1920’s, the Republican Party’s platform included being in favor of Prohibition (1920-1933 when the sale, drinking, and transporting of alcoholic beverages was illegal in the United States), and against the League of Nations.
By 1934, the Republican Party emphatically began standing against the “Second New Deal” sponsored by the Democratic Party, claiming this piece of legislation precipitated class warfare and socialism. Due to the liberal ideology being purported by the Democratic Party at this time, the Republican Party became the party for the conservative citizens, businesses (small, medium, and large), property owners, and promoted the American ideology of individual rights and the economic system of capitalism.
Today, the Republican Party’s values, like its traditional mascot (the red, white, and blue elephant), have remained a constant in spite of the slight platform changes over the years that have made this party the conservative voice of the United States. The Republican Party continues to be in favor of ensuring equal treatment for all (no matter what race or background a citizen has), the protection of the symbols of the United States of America including the Pledge of Allegiance, the upholding of the contents within the Bill of Rights which includes freedom of speech and press as well as the right to bear arms, pro-life (anti-abortion), the preservation of the traditional marriage and family unit, freedom of religion, the preservation of the individual citizen’ s property rights, and in support of the Native American communities which encompasses Alaskan Natives and Native Hawaiians. The Republican Party continues to advocate against high taxation taking the stand that high taxes cause too severe of a drain on the American economy and its citizens. The Republican Party’s platform continues to be in concurrence with the well known quote of President Abraham Lincoln, “Don’t interfere with anything in the Constitution. That must be maintained, for it is the only safeguard of our liberties.”
The Republican Party official website: http://gop.com/index.php/learn/what_we_believe/
The Republican Party’s 2008 platform: http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/
The Republican Party, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)
The Republican Party, name and symbols, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_(United_States)#Name_and_symbols President Abraham Lincoln quote, BrainyQuote website: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/abraham_lincoln_2.html
The Presidents of the USA, the official White House website: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents
Whig Party, Wikipedia Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whig_Party_(United_States)
