October 5 - The Republican Party, Civil War, and the West
October 5 (Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.) Todd Arrington, Chief of Interpretation and Education for the National Park Service's James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor will present "The Republican Party, the Civil War, and the West." What led to the creation of this new political group in 1854 which quickly became a major player on the national scene? How did it rise from a small Midwestern coalition to a powerful party controlling Congress and the presidency just six years later? This presentation will examine the early years of the Republican Party and will look especially at the West, the region in which the party was formed and where it had its strongest legislative impact. The Republicans' domination of Congress during the Civil War and enactment of several bills opposed by the slave owners of the South also will be highlighted. Location: Kendal at Oberlin Heiser Auditorium. Free and open to all.
