What is the significance of the whigs?

The Whig Party, active in the United States during the mid-19th century, played a crucial role in shaping American politics as a major opposition party to the Democrats. It emerged in the 1830s, advocating for economic protectionism, infrastructure development, and a strong federal government. The party's significance lies in its influence on key issues like abolition and its eventual evolution into the Republican Party, which led to the election of Abraham Lincoln and the emergence of a new political order. The Whigs' decline also marked a shift in American political alignments and ideologies during a tumultuous period leading to the Civil War.