constitutional union party: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowHistorical, Academic, Formal
Quick answer
What does “constitutional union party” mean?
A historical American political party formed in 1860 that aimed to preserve the Union by avoiding the issue of slavery.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A historical American political party formed in 1860 that aimed to preserve the Union by avoiding the issue of slavery.
A short-lived political coalition of former Whigs and Know-Nothings that ran John Bell for president in the 1860 election, campaigning solely on the preservation of the Constitution and the Union.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is specific to US political history and has no direct British equivalent. In British English, it would only be used in historical discourse about US politics.
Connotations
In American usage, it connotes the pre-Civil War political compromise movement and the failure to prevent sectional conflict.
Frequency
Exclusively used in American historical contexts; virtually non-existent in general British English.
Grammar
How to Use “constitutional union party” in a Sentence
[The] Constitutional Union Party [verb: was, nominated, campaigned, collapsed][Subject] supported/voted for the Constitutional Union PartyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “constitutional union party” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- A Constitutional Union Party meeting was held in Baltimore.
American English
- The Constitutional Union Party candidate won three states.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in historical and political science texts to discuss the 1860 election and pre-Civil War politics.
Everyday
Extremely rare outside historical discussion or trivia.
Technical
Used as a specific term in US political history.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “constitutional union party”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “constitutional union party”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “constitutional union party”
- Incorrect capitalisation (e.g., 'constitutional union party'). Using 'Constitutional Union' without 'Party' when referring specifically to the political entity. Confusing it with the later Unionist parties during the Civil War.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It was formed in 1860 and was active primarily for that year's presidential election.
John Bell of Tennessee.
It collapsed after the 1860 election due to the outbreak of the Civil War and the failure of its compromise platform.
No, it is a historical term used almost exclusively in academic or historical discussions about the US Civil War era.
A historical American political party formed in 1860 that aimed to preserve the Union by avoiding the issue of slavery.
Constitutional union party is usually historical, academic, formal in register.
Constitutional union party: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkɒn.stɪˈtjuː.ʃən.əl ˈjuː.nj.ən ˈpɑː.ti/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkɑːn.stəˈtuː.ʃən.əl ˈjuː.nj.ən ˈpɑːr.t̬i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
The party's name has three parts: Constitutional (for the law), Union (for the country), and Party (for politics). Think: They wanted to keep the country together by following the law.
Conceptual Metaphor
A political lifeboat in a stormy sea of sectional conflict.
Practice
Quiz
What was the primary goal of the Constitutional Union Party?