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Whig party holds its first national convention, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States. Formally a single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry in the United States.

The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States. Formally a single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry in the United States. It was active from the late 1820s, especially in the Northeast, and later attempted to become a major party by expanding its platform to take positions on other issues. It declined quickly after 1832 as most members joined the new Whig Party; it dissolved after 1838.

The party was founded following the disappearance of William Morgan, a former Mason who had become a prominent critic of the Masonic organization. Many believed that Masons had murdered Morgan for speaking out against Masonry and subsequently many churches and other groups condemned Masonry.

Historical Significance

The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States.

Events Before

  1. US national debt reaches $0 for the first and only time in history

    The history of the United States public debt began with federal government debt incurred during the American Revolutionary War by the first U.S treasurer, Michael Hillegas, after the country's…

  2. Maria II of Portugal marries Auguste, Duke of Leuchtenberg

    Dona Maria II (Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Habsburgo-Lorena e Bragança; 4 April 1819 – 15 November 1853)…

  3. First installment of Hans Christian Andersen's "Fairy Tales" is published by C. A. Reitzel in Copenhagen, Denmark

    Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales,...

  4. Soldier and politician Jefferson Davis (27) weds Sarah Knox Taylor (21) in Louisville, Kentucky

    Soldier and politician Jefferson Davis (27) weds Sarah Knox Taylor (21) in Louisville, Kentucky

  5. Swedish-American inventor John Ericsson files for a patent for his screw propeller design

    Swedish-American inventor John Ericsson files for a patent for his screw propeller design

Events After

  1. Canada grants its Black citizens the right to vote

    Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the second-largest...

  2. German composer Felix Mendelssohn (27) weds French clergyman's daughter Cécile Jeanrenaud (20), until his death in 1847

    German composer Felix Mendelssohn (27) weds French clergyman's daughter Cécile Jeanrenaud (20), until his death in 1847

  3. Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent

    Charles Goodyear obtains his first rubber patent

  4. Earthquake in southern Syria kills thousands

    Earthquake in southern Syria kills thousands

  5. Michigan admitted as 26th US state

    Michigan ( MISH-ig-ən) is a peninsular state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwestern United States.

More from the 1830s

Slave plantation owner Charles Farquharson begins his diary at Prospect Hill Plantation, Watlings Island (San Salvador),

Slave plantation owner Charles Farquharson begins his diary at Prospect Hill Plantation, Watlings Island (San Salvador), the only plantation diary to survive from the Bahamas (ends Dec 1832) [1]

Curaçao census: 2,602 white people, 6,531 free people, 5,894 enslaved people

Curaçao census: 2,602 white people, 6,531 free people, 5,894 enslaved people

German Zollverein (Customs Union) comes into effect

The Zollverein, or German Customs Union, was a coalition of German states formed to manage tariffs and economic policies within their territories.

First official horse race in South Australia takes place in Adelaide

Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the fifth-most populous city in Australia.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on December 4, 1836?
The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States. Formally a single-issue party, it strongly opposed Freemasonry in the United States. It was active from the late 1820s, especially in the Northeast, and later attempted to become a major party by expanding its platform to take positions on other issues.
Why is Whig party holds its first national convention, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania significant?
The Anti-Masonic Party was the earliest third party in the United States.

Explore More

December 4 in HistoryYear 1836