When asked about Abraham Lincoln's partisanship, most students will readily identify Abraham Lincoln with the newly formed Republican Party of the 1850s. Certainly much of Lincoln's work and legacy are defined by the values and efforts of the nascent Republican party and its post-Civil War influence. However, Lincoln's first party allegiance was to the Whigs and to one of its most important advocates, Henry Clay. This website attempts to flesh out two particular instances of Lincoln's Whig loyalty, both of which involve Clay-- the Whig nomination of Zachary Taylor in 1848 and Lincoln's eulogy for Henry Clay in 1852. When taken together, these two events paint a picture of a conflicted Lincoln, who on one hand wants to ensure the success of the Whig party at the national level by preventing Clay from receiving the party's nomination, and at the same wants to honor and embrace the widely popular legacy of "The Great Compromiser."
The activities below are intended as supplements and enrichment for AP US History students about the Second Party system and the rise of sectional politics in the mid-19th century. Elements of the AP US History Curriculum Framework that are addressed in this lesson can be found here. |