The free soil party was made in 1848 by groups of the failed 1846 wilmot proviso together with members of the whig party, the liberty party and anti-slavery or called as barn burner democrats. Started on the ideals of free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men. The party campaigned against the expansion of slavery into the territory acquired from mexico. Though the free soil nominee for president and former President martin van buren did not win the election several free soilers were elected to the house of representatives and in 1854 the party helped to form the republican party.