Final answer:
The Republican Party, established in the 1850s, aimed to stop the spread of slavery into new territories, rallying abolitionists, Free Soilers, and other anti-slavery groups against the Democrats' pro-slavery stance, which ultimately increased sectional tensions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Main Goals of the Republican Party in the 1850s
The Republican Party, formed in the 1850s, had one principal goal: to halt the growth of slavery. Northern abolitionists, Free Soilers, and other anti-slavery factions forged this new political coalition in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act introduced by Stephen Douglas, which threatened to allow the expansion of slavery into new territories. Party organizers focused on unifying a diverse group of voters who were united in their opposition to the Democrats' control and the spread of the institution of slavery.
Other movements that opposed slavery included the Liberty Party, established in 1840 with a focus on the abolition of slavery, and the Free-Soil Party, formed in 1848 to prevent slavery's expansion concerning free labor and the dignity of non-slave workers. While each of these parties had different motivations and focuses, their collective efforts were instrumental in bringing the issue of slavery into the national political conversation. The escalating conflict over the issue contributed to the growing sectionalism that eventually led to the American Civil War.