The Republican Party initially consisted of Northern 

Protestants, factory workers, professionals,

businessmen, prosperous farmers, and after 1866, former Black slaves. It had almost no
presence in the Southern United States at its inception, but was very successful in
the Northern United States where, by 1858, it had enlisted former Whigs and former Free
Soil Democrats to form majorities in nearly every state in New England. While both parties
adopted pro-business policies in the 19th century, the early GOP was distinguished by its
support for the national banking system, the gold standard, railroads, and high tariffs. It did not
openly oppose slavery in the Southern states before the start of the American Civil War—
stating that it only opposed the spread of slavery into the territories or into the Northern states
—but was widely seen as sympathetic to the abolitionist cause. Seeing a future threat to the
practice with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, many states in the
South declared secession and joined the Confederate States of America. Under the leadership
of Lincoln and a Republican Congress, it led the fight to destroy the Confederacy during
the American Civil War, preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. The aftermath saw the
party largely dominate the national political scene until 1932.
In 1912, former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt formed the Progressive ("Bull
Moose") Party after being rejected by the GOP and ran unsuccessfully as a third-party
presidential candidate after calling for social reforms. After 1912, many Roosevelt supporters
left the Republican Party, and the Party underwent an ideological shift to the right. The GOP
lost its congressional majorities during the Great Depression (1929–1940) under
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose popular New Deal programs shifted the country
towards the Democratic Party for most of the next three decades. Following the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the party's core base shifted, with southern
states becoming more reliably Republican in presidential politics.[16] After the Supreme Court's
1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, the Republican Party opposed abortion in its party platform and
grew its support among evangelicals.[17] The GOP supports small
government, deregulation, lower taxes, gun rights, restrictions on immigration (including
restrictions on illegal immigration), restrictions on abortion, restrictions on labor unions, and
increased military spending. It has grown increasingly supportive of free trade since the 20th
century.[18][19][20][21]
vThe Republican Party initially consisted of Northern Protestants, factory workers,
professionals, businessmen, prosperous farmers, and after 1866, former Black slaves. It had
almost no presence in the Southern United States at its inception, but was very successful in
the Northern United States where, by 1858, it had enlisted former Whigs and former Free
Soil Democrats to form majorities in nearly every state in New England. While both parties
adopted pro-business policies in the 19th century, the early GOP was distinguished by its
support for the national banking system, the gold standard, railroads, and high tariffs. It did not
openly oppose slavery in the Southern states before the start of the American Civil War—
stating that it only opposed the spread of slavery into the territories or into the Northern states
—but was widely seen as sympathetic to the abolitionist cause. Seeing a future threat to the
practice with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, many states in the
South declared secession and joined the Confederate States of America. Under the leadership
of Lincoln and a Republican Congress, it led the fight to destroy the Confederacy during
the American Civil War, preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. The aftermath saw the
party largely dominate the national political scene until 1932.
In 1912, former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt formed the Progressive ("Bull
Moose") Party after being rejected by the GOP and ran unsuccessfully as a third-party
presidential candidate after calling for social reforms. After 1912, many Roosevelt supporters
left the Republican Party, and the Party underwent an ideological shift to the right. The GOP
lost its congressional majorities during the Great Depression (1929–1940) under
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose popular New Deal programs shifted the country
towards the Democratic Party for most of the next three decades. Following the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the party's core base shifted, with southern
states becoming more reliably Republican in presidential politics.[16] After the Supreme Court's
1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, the Republican Party opposed abortion in its party platform and
grew its support among evangelicals.[17] The GOP supports small
government, deregulation, lower taxes, gun rights, restrictions on immigration (including
restrictions on illegal immigration), restrictions on abortion, restrictions on labor unions, and
increased military spending. It has grown increasingly supportive of free trade since the 20th
century.[18][19][20][21]
The Republican Party initially consisted of Northern Protestants, factory workers, professionals,
businessmen, prosperous farmers, and after 1866, former Black slaves. It had almost no
presence in the Southern United States at its inception, but was very successful in
the Northern United States where, by 1858, it had enlisted former Whigs and former Free
Soil Democrats to form majorities in nearly every state in New England. While both parties
adopted pro-business policies in the 19th century, the early GOP was distinguished by its
support for the national banking system, the gold standard, railroads, and high tariffs. It did not
openly oppose slavery in the Southern states before the start of the American Civil War—
stating that it only opposed the spread of slavery into the territories or into the Northern states
—but was widely seen as sympathetic to the abolitionist cause. Seeing a future threat to the
practice with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, many states in the
South declared secession and joined the Confederate States of America. Under the leadership
of Lincoln and a Republican Congress, it led the fight to destroy the Confederacy during
the American Civil War, preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. The aftermath saw the
party largely dominate the national political scene until 1932.
In 1912, former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt formed the Progressive ("Bull
Moose") Party after being rejected by the GOP and ran unsuccessfully as a third-party
presidential candidate after calling for social reforms. After 1912, many Roosevelt supporters
left the Republican Party, and the Party underwent an ideological shift to the right. The GOP
lost its congressional majorities during the Great Depression (1929–1940) under
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose popular New Deal programs shifted the country
towards the Democratic Party for most of the next three decades. Following the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the party's core base shifted, with southern
states becoming more reliably Republican in presidential politics.[16] After the Supreme Court's
1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, the Republican Party opposed abortion in its party platform and
grew its support among evangelicals.[17] The GOP supports small
government, deregulation, lower taxes, gun rights, restrictions on immigration (including
restrictions on illegal immigration), restrictions on abortion, restrictions on labor unions, and
increased military spending. It has grown increasingly supportive of free trade since the 20th
century.[18][19][20][21]
The Republican Party initially consisted of Northern Protestants, factory workers, professionals,
businessmen, prosperous farmers, and after 1866, former Black slaves. It had almost no
presence in the Southern United States at its inception, but was very successful in
the Northern United States where, by 1858, it had enlisted former Whigs and former Free
Soil Democrats to form majorities in nearly every state in New England. While both parties
adopted pro-business policies in the 19th century, the early GOP was distinguished by its
support for the national banking system, the gold standard, railroads, and high tariffs. It did not
openly oppose slavery in the Southern states before the start of the American Civil War—
stating that it only opposed the spread of slavery into the territories or into the Northern states
—but was widely seen as sympathetic to the abolitionist cause. Seeing a future threat to the
practice with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican president, many states in the
South declared secession and joined the Confederate States of America. Under the leadership
of Lincoln and a Republican Congress, it led the fight to destroy the Confederacy during
the American Civil War, preserving the Union and abolishing slavery. The aftermath saw the
party largely dominate the national political scene until 1932.
In 1912, former Republican president Theodore Roosevelt formed the Progressive ("Bull
Moose") Party after being rejected by the GOP and ran unsuccessfully as a third-party
presidential candidate after calling for social reforms. After 1912, many Roosevelt supporters
left the Republican Party, and the Party underwent an ideological shift to the right. The GOP
lost its congressional majorities during the Great Depression (1929–1940) under
President Franklin D. Roosevelt, whose popular New Deal programs shifted the country
towards the Democratic Party for most of the next three decades. Following the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the party's core base shifted, with southern
states becoming more reliably Republican in presidential politics.[16] After the Supreme Court's
1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, the Republican Party opposed abortion in its party platform and
grew its support among evangelicals.[17] The GOP supports small
government, deregulation, lower taxes, gun rights, restrictions on immigration (including
restrictions on illegal immigration), restrictions on abortion, restrictions on labor unions, and
increased military spending. It has grown increasingly supportive of free trade since the 20th
century.[18][19][20][21]