In 1856, the Republicans became a national party when John C. Fremont was nominated for President under the slogan: "Free soil, free labor, free speech, free men, Fremont." Even though they were considered a "third party" because the Democrats and Whigs represented the two-party system at the time, Fremont received 33% of the vote. Four years later, Abraham Lincoln became the first Republican to win the White House.
Some major Republican Party highlights:
* Thirteenth Amendment, outlawed slavery.
* Fourteenth, guaranteed equal protection under the law.
* Fifteenth, helped secure voting rights for African-Americans.
* Leading role in securing for women the right to vote.
* First woman elected to Congress was a Republican.
* Since 1952 most Presidents were Republican.
* Winning the Cold War.