In May of 1860 the Republican Party held it's second National Convention in the city of Chicago. Republican delegates arrived in Chicago with a sense of optimism, many believed that a Republican would win the Presidential election.
The Republican Party was created by former members of the Whig, Democrats, and Know-Nothing Parties. They were looked down upon by the Democrats but over the years had developed a strong following in the North and West. As the Buchanan Presidency was winding down, many Republicans believed that the Democratic Party was to sharply divided over slavery to win the Presidential Election.
The Republican Platform had 17 different principles that the party believed in these included:
- Establishing a Transcontinental Railroad
- Freedom of immigration to the United States and full rights to immigrants
- Stopping the expansion of slavery
- Repealing the Fugitive Slave Act
- Blaming the Democrats for "Bleeding Kansas"
Republicans understood that they would not win in the South so in order to win the national election they would need to win all of the Northern and most of the Western states. Their platform was designed to appeal to a majority of those voters.
Your Extra Credit Assignment for the Third Quarter is a civic assignment.
Many of you will be able to vote for the Presidential Election of 2016 while others will have to wait for the elections of 2017. No matter when you caste your first vote, your opinions matter greatly to political parties. You represent their future their success depends on how well they appeal to your values and beliefs.
Choose an issue that is important to you and contact either the Democratic or Republican Party of Massachusetts and let them know what your beliefs are and how you want them addressed. Feel free to choose an issue from the list below that was created in class.
- Gun Control: Either for or Against
- Renewable Energy
- Defense Spending
- Foreign Policy
- Military Salaries
- Education: Affordable Colleges, Student Loans, School Programs
- Environmental Concerns: Treatment of Animals, Global Warming, Climate Change
- Same Sex Marriage
- Veteran Programs
- Preserving our National Parks and Historic Sites
- Improving Public Transportation
When presenting your beliefs to a large organization, I have found it most useful to be direct and to speak from the heart. If you feel more comfortable using a model format, you can use this format for your address.
Dear _____________ Party Staff,
I am _____ years old and I live in _______________ Massachusetts. As a a future voter there is a certain issue that I feel your party should pay attention to. I believe that the ________ Party should support programs that would....
*** If you decide to do this assignment I highly encourage you speak to your parents about the assignment beforehand. Once you contact a party you may become on their e-mail list or mailing list, something that your parents may not want. If that is the case, please let me know and we can discuss another method for obtaining extra credit.
It is only through contact with current and future members that political parties are able to form their platforms. By choosing to share your beliefs and values you can have a serious impact on shaping party policy.
In order for you to obtain credit for this assignment please submit me a copy of your work via e-mail or
a typed copy.
E-mails to the Political Party are worth 2 Points
Letters to the Political Party are worth 3 Points.
Assignment is Due Thursday March 28th
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