Antebellum Politics: Division and Dispossession

Democratic Politics and the Rise of Parties During the antebellum period,

democracy expanded as political participation increased and mass political parties developed.

Parties helped organize voters and gave ordinary white men a stronger sense of political identity.

However, this expansion also intensified polarization, as parties became tied to regional

and sectional interests. Instead of producing national unity, democratic politics often amplified

division. Political loyalty hardened, making compromise more difficult.

⸻ 8. Religion, Reform, and Moral Authority

Religion played a powerful role in shaping antebellum culture and politics. Americans used Christianity