Question
Explain the beliefs of the Free Soil Party.
Answer
The Free Soil Party was a short-lived political party in the United States in the 1840s and 1850s. It was formed to oppose the expansion of slavery into the western territories and to promote the election of candidates who supported the Wilmot Proviso, which would have prohibited slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico in the Mexican-American War. The party also advocated for free homesteads for settlers, free trade, and a tariff for revenue only.