In the midterm elections, a prominent American party disappeared and the “I don’t know” party emerged.

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During the year 1854, the United States of America lived through the midterm elections that were usually held near the middle of the American president’s presidential term, which lasts for four years. Meanwhile, these elections include, in the current period, all seats in the House of Representatives, in addition to about 33 or 34 seats in the Senate.

In 1854, the American midterm elections were unique. As the middle of the presidential term of Democrat Franklin Pierce approached, the United States of America experienced a sharp division over the issue of slavery.

During that period, Americans went to the polls to choose 234 representatives for the House of Representatives in addition to 21 representatives for the Senate.

The situation before the elections

During the year 1854, the United States of America experienced a sharp dispute following the conclusion of the Kansas-Nebraska Treaty, which allowed the colonists in these areas to decide their fate regarding whether or not to allow the practice of slavery on their lands.

This agreement came at the time to arouse a state of anger among the northerners who refused to continue implementing the slavery system. Also, the same period witnessed the emergence of the Republican Party, which was founded on March 20, 1854, and brought together within its ranks a large number of those who rejected the expansion of the practice of slavery towards the western regions that had recently been annexed to the country, in addition to members of the Northern Whig Party and Democrats demanding the abolition of slavery.

Also, the country recorded a noticeable increase in the popularity of the American Party, also called the “Know Nothing Party,” which was founded in 1844 and turned into an effective party in the political arena due to its anti-immigrant speeches, especially Catholics.

Within these charged circumstances, in 1854, and even up to 1855 in some states, Americans went to the polls with the aim of changing the composition of Congress.

In previous elections, the Democratic Party dominated both chambers of Congress, outperforming the rightists. In the House of Representatives, the Democrats won 157 seats, compared to 70 seats for their closest competitor, the Right Party, and 0 seats for the “I Don’t Know” Party. In the Senate, the Democrats won 34 seats, compared to 20 for the rightists.

Unique results

In the midterm elections of 1854, there was a surprise that many did not expect. When the final results were released, the Democrats lost 75 seats in the House of Representatives and won only 82.

On the other hand, the rightists lost many seats and gained 54 seats. These elections witnessed the emergence of the I Don't Know Party, which became a significant force in the House of Representatives after winning 52 seats.

For their part, the Republicans emerged, only months after forming their party, and won 13 seats in the House of Representatives in their first participation. In the Senate, the Democrats maintained their superiority, as the number of their representatives stabilized at 33 senators, while the number of representatives of the right party stabilized at 14 senators.

In a unique precedent, the newly established Republican Party won 3 seats in the Senate.

The midterm elections of 1854 represented the last major electoral struggle involving the Whigs, which had for many years been the Democrats' main rival. The following year, this party disappeared completely following a sharp dispute and division between its northern members who rejected slavery and the southerners who supported it.