, Wisconsin, USA
1854 - February 28 – The Republican Party (United States) is founded in Ripon, Wisconsin.

On February 28, 1854, in Ripon, Wisconsin, a pivotal event in American political history unfolded with the founding of the Republican Party. Emerging in response to the intensifying national debate over the expansion of slavery into new U.S. territories, the party's formation marked a significant shift in the country's political landscape. The catalyst for its creation was the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which proposed popular sovereignty (allowing residents of territories to decide on slavery) and effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

In Ripon, a group of anti-slavery activists and former Whigs gathered at a local schoolhouse to establish a new political entity dedicated to preventing the spread of slavery into western territories. This fledgling party quickly gained traction, attracting diverse supporters including abolitionists, Free Soilers, and disillusioned Democrats. Within just a few years, the Republican Party would grow in influence, rallying behind the candidacy of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and ultimately propelling him to the presidency.

February 28, 1854

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