What was the political landscape of America on the eve of the Civil War? Many scholars point out that the Civil War was in many ways the product of the breakdown in the American political system that had effectively contained the divisive issue of slavery until the dissolution of the Whig Party on the eve of the Civil War.

This solution gives the student a sense of the two political parties and what factors likely decided one's political allegiance just prior to the regionalization of politics that occured in the run-up to war. A good account of the political history and the factors that led to collapse of a functioning 2 party system in US politics are provided.

This research was gathered with a focus on Ohio politics (a fascinating political state of the 19th century), but has very obvious national implications.