Republican Party

The Republican Party of the United States was formed in a period of intense debate regarding governing and slavery. The divisive issue of slavery split the Whigs into northern and southern allegiances, as smaller, single-issue parties struggled to bring their issues into national discussion. Citizens from Michigan and Wisconsin, united against slavery, created the first Republican Party. Since that time, the Republican Party has played a significant role in shaping U.S. security and surveillance policies that, to this day, continue to be debated. This entry provides a background of the Republican Party; investigates how the party played a leading role in shaping security and surveillance policies after the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001 (9/11), with the creation of the USA PATRIOT ...