by Matt Margolis, PJ Media: Last week, two polls revealed that the Virginia election is a tight race within the margin of error. The Roanoke College poll showed Kamala Harris leading Trump by just three points, a finding echoed by a Quantus poll with the same narrow margin. Virginia, a traditionally blue state that last […]

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  During early Dark Age Britain, a major transition occurred. In the early 5th century, just after the Roman administration was driven out in 409, Britain was predominantly an ethnically Brythonic island. It was inhabited by the Britons, although they were largely Roman in culture by that point. However, by about the year 700, the Anglo-Saxons had conquered most of what is now England. Britain had become a predominantly Germanic country. This was a massive change that had a profound impact on the rest of the history of the island. But how did this massive transition take place?   A Thorough Beginning Anglo-Saxon Homelands and Settlements. Source: Wikimedia Commons   Many people imagine the Anglo-Saxons to have started from the southeast corner of Britain and spread out from there. This idea partially comes from the legend of King Vortigern giving the Anglo-Saxons the Isle of Thanet in Kent in exchange for their service as mercenaries. This legend certainly has a factual basis, but it was not limited to the Isle of Thanet. The arrival of the Anglo-Saxon mercenaries in Britain is described by Gildas, a writer of the 6th century. He explained:   “They first landed on the eastern side of the island, by the invitation of the unlucky king [Vortigern], and there fixed their sharp talons, apparently to fight in favor of the island.”   Map of early Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, based on the Atlas of Britain, by Jones & Mattingly, Source: Wikimedia Commons   Notice that Gildas simply says that they landed on “the eastern side of the island.” He does not suggest that they were limited to one small corner. After all, they were hired to help deal with raids from the Picts and the Scots, who usually came from the north. Archaeology confirms the presence of the Anglo-Saxons as far north as York from almost their very earliest presence on the island.   Speedy Progress Statue of Saint Gildas, Morbihan, France, World History Encyclopedia   From this strong initial position, it was not too difficult for the Anglo-Saxons to start gaining more territory. Rather than needing to spread out from a tiny corner in the southeast, they spread out from most of the eastern side of what is now England. How quickly did they advance to the West? Again, the answer to this question differs from what most people assume. Their initial advance appears to have been very fast. Again, notice what Gildas explains:   “For the fire of vengeance… spread from sea to sea, fed by the hands of our foes in the east, and did not cease, until, destroying the neighboring towns and lands, it reached the other side of the island, and dipped its red and savage tongue in the western ocean.”   According to this, the advance of the Anglo-Saxons went right across to the other side of the island. This passage describes events from before the campaigns of Ambrosius Aurelianus, who seems to have been active from the 470s onwards.   Illustration of Celtic warriors in the time of Julius Caesar’s invasion, by Angus McBride, Source: Pinterest   This would suggest that the Anglo-Saxons had managed to advance as far as the western sea before the 470s. Since the conquest of Britain started in about 430, this was a very quick advance. Why is it, then, that most modern sources speak as if the Anglo-Saxons did not get anywhere near Wales until 570 or even later? The reason is evidently because those sources are referring to areas in which the Anglo-Saxons established permanent settlements. Yet, armies can and often do travel much further than the settlements from which they originate, and in doing so, they often leave no archaeological trace. For example, Julius Caesar’s two incursions into Britain left virtually no archaeological evidence.   In terms of permanent settlements, the Saxons established themselves as far west as Dorchester-on-Thames by at least as early as 450. Undoubtedly, their raids went beyond that. It is not unrealistic in the slightest to conclude that their armies reached the Severn Sea and even modern-day Wales. This is heavily supported by Gildas’ near-contemporary record.   How the Anglo-Saxons Suffered a Reversal Depiction of Aurelius Ambrosius from a manuscript of Historia Regum Britanniae, 15th century, Source: The National Library of Wales   Clearly, the Anglo-Saxons made very effective progress for the first few decades of their conquest. However, the tide eventually turned against them. Ambrosius Aurelianus led an effective counter-offensive against them from the 470s onwards. His career likely ended around 500. According to legend, he was succeeded by Uther Pendragon, the father of King Arthur; after him came Arthur himself, in the first half of the 6th century.   The actual history concerning these figures is obviously fiercely debated, and it is not worth getting into that here. Nonetheless, what we do know is that the archaeological record attests to a cessation of Anglo-Saxon advances throughout much of the 6th century. There are even indications of a reversal. Two continental sources, one of them contemporary, attest to the fact that the Anglo-Saxons were actually leaving Britain in the period between 530 and 550 CE. This reverse migration is strong evidence of the Britons effectively fighting against them in that era.   The Tide Turns Again Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, folio 37r, 17th century, Source: The British Library, London   However, the Britons did not hold the Anglo-Saxons back for long. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, written in the 10th century, attests to a sudden advancement to the west in 577. Naturally, the fact that this document was written hundreds of years after the fact leaves open the possibility that it is inaccurate. Nonetheless, the lack of advances through a significant portion of the 6th century, demonstrated by archaeology, is accurately reflected in this chronicle. Therefore, the entry regarding 577 is likely historically valuable.   According to this entry, the Battle of Dyrham took place this year. Dyrham is a village in southern Gloucestershire, just north of Bath. As a result of their victory at this battle, the Anglo-Saxons took control of three important cities: Bath, Gloucester, and Cirencester. This was a major event. This essentially divided the Brythonic territory centered on what is now Wales from the Brythonic territory of Cornwall and Devon.   In recent years, some researchers have argued that this was not significant because the two territories were easily connected by means of traversing the Severn Sea, which was like a highway. The simple fact, though, is that Wales did develop separately to the West Country, and the reason was the Battle of Dyrham.   The Fateful Battle of Chester King Aethelfrith of Northumbria, by Patrick Nicolle, 20th century, Source: Fine Art America   Warfare between the Britons and the Anglo-Saxons continued for the next few decades. The latter continued to grow more powerful. In the early 7th century, another major battle occurred which helped to reinforce Anglo-Saxon supremacy over the island. This was the Battle of Chester, which is usually placed in 616 or a few years before. The earliest surviving source for this battle is Bede, writing in the 8th century. His account, although not contemporary, is close enough to be very valuable.   From Bede’s account and later sources, we know that the main Anglo-Saxon leader at this battle was Aethelfrith, king of Northumbria. He was expanding his kingdom towards what is now Wales. He clashed with the armies of the Britons at Chester, near the eastern border of present-day Wales. The Britons were defeated. At this battle, the Anglo-Saxons killed Selyf son of Conan Garwyn, likely the Aurelius Caninus mentioned by Gildas in De Excidio. He was the king of Powys, the kingdom making up most of the eastern portion of Wales. There is also some evidence that King Morgan of Glywysing and Gwent was involved in this battle.   Losses Throughout the 7th Century Map showing Elmet in c. 600, southwest of Eburacum (York), Source: Wikimedia Commons   Even though the Kingdom of Northumbria had pushed as far as Chester, essentially marking the modern border of Wales, the Brythonic kingdom of Elmet was still a thorn in its side. Its exact borders are unknown, but it was likely southwest of York, much further east than Wales. The king of this kingdom in the early 7nth century was Ceretic. He became a figure of Welsh legend. He appears in the Historia Regum Britanniae, written by Geoffrey of Monmouth in c. 1137, as one of the last Brythonic kings still standing against the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. In about 619, King Edwin of Northumbria invaded Elmet and drove out Ceretic.   With this victory, the Anglo-Saxons controlled the major part of what is now England. Territory in the northeast was still fought over, and it would take quite some time for the Germanic conquerors to gain control over every bit of modern-day England. Nonetheless, after these victories in the early 7th century, the Anglo-Saxons had well and truly gained supremacy over the Britons.   How the Britons Were Surpassed by the Anglo-Saxons Gilling Sword, 9th century, Source: Yorkshire Museum, York   The Anglo-Saxons were ironically given a very good start to their conquest, due to the Britons handing them a large portion of the eastern side of Britain. Within just a few decades, they had conquered a considerable amount of territory and had raided as far as the western sea, likely meaning the Severn Sea.   During the career of Ambrosius Aurelianus and his successors, starting in the 470s, the Anglo-Saxons were driven back to a degree. Yet, this changed again in the 570s. In about 577, the Anglo-Saxons suddenly made rapid progress to the west, conquering the cities of Bath, Gloucester, and Cirencester. This led to Wales and the West Country developing independently. By 616, the Kingdom of Northumbria had expanded significantly. It clashed against the Kingdom of Powys and likely other British territories, which it defeated at the Battle of Chester. Just a few years later, Northumbria defeated Elmet, the last remaining Brythonic kingdom in the heart of what is now England.

  In the heart of the northwestern Amazon rainforest, in a geographic region shared by Colombia and Brazil, the jaguar shamans of Yuruparí are the most important spiritual and religious leaders of local indigenous communities, grouped in a macrofamily called the Eastern Tukano people. Today, 200 of these communities are settled alongside the Vaupés River, the Pirá Paraná River, and its correspondent streams. These people comprise the Arapaso, Bará, Barasano, Desana, Karapana, Cubeo, Makuna, Mirita-Tapuya, Siriano, Tariana, Tukano, Makuna, Kotiria, Tatuyo, Taiwano and Yurutí communities.   The Indigenous Communities of Yuruparí Photo of Vaupés River by Alejandro Campuzano. Source: Instituto SINCHI.   The region where the Eastern Tukano peoples are settled is also known as the macro territory of Yuruparí, which represents 37% of the total area of the Amazon rainforest. It covers 8.5 million acres that are home to 63 indigenous communities, 34 languages, and approximately 6,000 inhabitants.   Although there are social, cultural, and linguistic differences that distinguish one group from the other, all of the Eastern Tukano communities share similar means of subsistence, such as fishing and agriculture, with mandioca (cassava) as the primary food source. They generally reside in malocas, architectural living spaces that have a rounded base and a triangular roof with two openings, representing the structure of the cosmos. These communities also share similar rituals, dances, music and instruments, which allow them to celebrate events among different communities that come together for economic and social exchanges.   Photo taken inside a maloca, Sergio Bartelsman, 2006. Source: UNESCO   Each group has distinct daily and ritual objects, including a specific set of Yuruparí flutes made of Paxiúba palm, representing their ancestors’ bones, sounds and singing. These flutes represent the mythological ancestry as well as the true ancestral lineage of each community.   The common foundational myth among these communities centers on the  ancestral anaconda, who penetrated the Universe (house) and swam up the Río Negro (Black River) and the Vaupés River with all the ancestors of humanity inside its body, which it distributed to their corresponding territories along the river banks.   The Shamans of Yuruparí A design depicting the Shamans-Jaguars of Yuruparí by Iván Sawyer García, 2020. Source: El Proyecto Esperanza   Among the communities of the Eastern Tukano family, in the Colombian region of the Amazon rainforest, all men are expected to know the spiritual properties of nature and the mythical and cosmological structures of their society. Shamans are specific men among them who are believed to have special powers and esoteric knowledge. They are specialists that mediate among humans, animals, plants, spirits, objects, the natural environment and climate phenomena.   Although most shamans are men, women’s abilities to menstruate and give birth are considered to be equivalent to shamanic male powers. This “natural” shamanic power women have explains why the original ancestors of these communities were created by a female figure.   Photo of traditional Shaman/Knowledge holder by Sergio Bartelsman, 2006. Source: UNESCO.   Shamans, also known as payés, are experts in healing and acting as intermediaries in the relationships between humans and animals. One of the most common ritualistic acts that these shamans direct is the blowing of tobacco smoke directly through the nose. This practice is known to be a highly intense and powerful experience for the body. In addition, their role as intermediaries between the terrestrial and spiritual worlds is often achieved through the consumption of hallucinogenic substances such as yagé (a preparation made from the ayahuasca plant) and coca.   In local languages, these payés are known as yai, which means jaguar. Kumu shamans are another type of religious specialist, focusing more on the production and reproduction of mythologies and ritualistic procedures. Their powers are the result of exhaustive training and practice throughout their lives. While the yai may be considered marginal in the community’s social structure, the kumu can achieve political importance.   Why the Jaguar? Oil on canvas depicting a jaguar-shaman by Jeisson Castillo. Source: Centro Amazónico de Antropología y Aplicación Práctica.   As one of the most respected animals of the rainforest the jaguar has widespread influence in the cultural lives of these communities. Historically the jaguar has been identified as a mythological icon among communities from other parts of the American continent, such as the Mayas and the Aztecs, as well. These societies venerated the jaguar by creating stone sculptures representing their mystical and sacred powers.   This animal has had great importance in the cultural development of the Amazon rainforest. Beliefs, myths and ritualistic practices have developed around the jaguar, which is associated with natural phenomena like thunder, sun, moon, caves, mountains and fire.   Anthropologists and archaeologists have widely recorded the association between shamans and jaguars and the assignation of mystical powers to these felines, known to be one of the most remarkable animal species of the Amazon rainforest. The figures of the shaman and the jaguar are considered interchangeable, a close relationship that suggests that their powers are similar, as is their role in nature and society.   The jaguar and the shaman represent both power and danger. Shamans can choose to dedicate their powers to curing illnesses or to causing sickness or death. The communities that venerate the figure of the jaguar believe that shamans can become jaguars at will or after death. In ceremonial events, the shamans dress in jaguar skins and necklaces made of jaguar teeth.   The Rituals and Flutes of Yuruparí Photo of jaguar shamans dancing by Sergio Bartelsman, 2006. Source: UNESCO   The kumu shamans are specialists in the rituals for boys’ passage to adulthood, also known as the rituals of Yuruparí. These rituals involve contact between living humans and the dead, known to be a dangerous practice that requires extreme care to be undertaken. Kumu shamans assume the role of protectors to ensure the correct execution of the ritual, which involves the correct use of the sacred flutes, also called the flutes of Yuruparí. This ritual has been recognized as the maximum expression of the religious life of these communities, as it culturally sustains elements of ancestry, group identity, reproduction, the relationship between men and women, growth, death, regeneration and the integration of the human life cycle with cosmological time.   When the sacred flutes of Yuruparí are played, the shaman enters a direct connection with the bodies of the community’s ancestors, which the flutes represent. This process eliminates the separation between past and present or between the dead and the living.   The sacred flutes can only be played by men. This reflects a historical tension between women and men, as the myth of Yuruparí narrates that initially, it was the women who had control over the flutes, while men were in charge of the household’s activities, were assigned most of the care labor and were even capable of menstruating. This changed when men stole the flutes and inverted the gender-designated natural and societal roles.   Sustainability and Preservation of Yuruparí’s System of Beliefs Today Photo of Barasana shaman after a traditional ritual by Sergio Bartelsman, 2006. Source: UNESCO.   Today, the region where the Eastern Tukano communities reside represents an excellent example of how social and geographical isolation have allowed the forest to preserve its natural and cultural richness. Reaching the malocas that still exist alongside the Pirá Paraná River, where the Eastern Tukano communities live, is difficult. One must travel to the small Colombian city of Mitú, in the middle of the rainforest. From there, the only transportation available is a small boat that takes a week to reach the malocas.   This region has historically been incredibly inaccessible, even during the massive rubber exploitation at the end of the 19th century, which attracted merchants and settlers from other countries in the continent as well as Europe. Today, there are still research expeditions to record yet-unknown plant and animal species, facilitating contact between indigenous communities and people from other regions of the world.   Nonetheless, social isolation has allowed the local indigenous communities to preserve the myths and rituals surrounding the Yuruparí, the jaguar shamans being the primary gatekeepers. In 2011, their knowledge was recognized by UNESCO and included on the Representative List of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage as the “Traditional knowledge of the jaguar shamans of Yuruparí.” As a result, the protection of indigenous peoples’ beliefs and rituals was established, and recognition of their knowledge as an essential pillar of the Amazon rainforest’s cultural, biological, and ecological importance for the world has become more widespread.   The beliefs and practices surrounding the Yuruparí are of great interest to people seeking to study and understand the Amazon rainforest’s mystical dimensions. The myth and practice have survived years of persecution, during which different colonial and economic powers have worked in favor of the foreign interests that have profoundly affected the forest, at the expense of local communities. As with many other dimensions of the cultural life of indigenous communities of the Amazon rainforest, the Yuruparí and its jaguar shamans offer deep wisdom on the ways different beings can inhabit the forest in balanced and reciprocal ways—knowledge that has great importance in contemporary times where natural environments are being damaged by commercial exploitation.

  Despite the framers of the US Constitution wanting to avoid political parties, keeping them out of the famous document, American political parties developed swiftly. A two-party system emerged, beginning with the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists, with two major parties typically enjoying a balance of power. In the 1830s, the Whig Party evolved to counterbalance the rise of Jacksonian populism under Democratic President Andrew Jackson.   This new party was a distant descendant of the Federalist Party and sought economic modernization, a national bank, and less executive authority. It clashed with the populist Democratic Party, which wanted a strong executive and westward expansion of the nation. Here’s a look at the Whigs, whose collapse allowed for the rise of the Republican Party.   Setting the Stage: Avoiding Partisanship An image of a news printing of President George Washington’s famous 1796 “Farewell Address,” in which he gave advice for the success of the young republic. Source: Arizona State University   When the United States Constitution was written in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, political parties were left out of the document. At the time, most framers of the Constitution feared political “factions,” as they were then known, as being detrimental to democracy and the stability of a republic. Originally, it was believed that the leaders of the new American republic would be well-educated independent men who would make wise decisions without the effects of partisanship. The original Electoral College, for example, was not controlled by the political parties like it is today.   The first Electoral College unanimously selected George Washington, president of the Constitutional Convention, to be the first President of the United States. Washington did not belong to a political party but saw them begin to form during his time in office. In his famous “Farewell Address” of 1796, Washington cautioned America against the rise of partisanship. Regardless, cabinet secretaries Thomas Jefferson (Secretary of State) and Alexander Hamilton (Secretary of the Treasury) pursued their own partisan goals. Washington died in 1799, still opposed to political parties.   Setting the Stage: The First Political Parties Thomas Jefferson (left) and Alexander Hamilton (right) are often credited with providing America’s first two political parties. Source: PBS Learning Media   The precursors to America’s formal political parties were the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, who debated the ratification of the US Constitution. Federalists, led by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and John Jay, tried to convince leaders in the thirteen states to ratify the Constitution through their eloquent Federalist Papers. Opposing them were the Anti-Federalists, who felt that the new Constitution gave too much power to the central government and weakened state sovereignty. These beliefs continued during Washington’s tenure and evolved into the first political parties.   The urban-focused Alexander Hamilton led the Federalists, while the agrarian Thomas Jefferson turned the Anti-Federalists into the Democratic Republicans. In 1800, Jefferson won the presidency on his second attempt, defeating John Adams. After this, the Democratic Republicans became the dominant party in Washington, eclipsing the remaining Federalists. By the 1820s, the Democratic Republicans themselves were becoming divided over issues like states’ rights and a national bank (government control of the money supply), resulting in a split between Federalist-like “National Republicans” and traditional “Old Republicans.”   1820s: Rise of Andrew Jackson & Populism Andrew Jackson (standing in blue with a sword) during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815 at the end of the War of 1812. Source: University of Richmond   The 1824 presidential election occurred after the collapse of the Federalist Party, resulting in all contenders being Democratic Republicans of various factions. By this time, most states awarded their electors based on the popular vote, making it a rather populist (focus on the commoner) election. The two most popular candidates were Henry Clay, a Kentuckian who was Speaker of the House, and General Andrew Jackson, a War of 1812 hero of the famous Battle of New Orleans. In the end, Jackson emerged as the most popular and even won votes outside his home region.   Despite winning the popular vote, Jackson did not win enough votes in the Electoral College to claim the presidency. With nobody winning a majority in the Electoral College, the election was given to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Henry Clay helped John Quincy Adams win a majority. The loss helped spur intense animosity between Jackson and Clay and fueled Jackson’s desire for a rematch in 1828. Jackson’s 1828 campaign, which was successful, began the rise of the modern Democratic Party out of the splintered Democratic Republican Party.   Early 1830s: Nullification Crisis & National Bank An 1833 political cartoon depicting President Andrew Jackson trying to destroy the Second Bank of the United States. Source: National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)   Andrew Jackson, with the help of master planner (and presidential successor) Martin Van Buren, created the Democratic Party in 1828. Jackson’s coalition of support was massive, with common voters enjoying his tough talk against the alleged special privileges enjoyed by the elites. However, a crisis soon emerged over high tariffs that had been enacted in 1828, before Jackson’s victory. The Tariff of Abominations helped Northern and Western states by protecting them from foreign competition but hurt the South by reducing foreign demand for cotton. This led to the Nullification Crisis in 1833 when South Carolina refused to abide by the tariffs.   A second political crisis emerged at the same time over the national bank, which was titled the Second Bank of the United States. Despite the US Supreme Court having agreed that Congress could create a national bank with which it could conduct monetary policy, Jackson distrusted this power. The Bank War occurred in 1832 when Jackson vetoed Congress’ bill to provide the Second Bank of the United States with a new 15-year charter. Jackson felt the national bank (also known as a central bank) was a tool of the elites to control the economy, and voters agreed. Jackson handily beat Henry Clay in a re-election rematch that autumn.   1833: Henry Clay Founds the Whig Party US Speaker of the House Henry Clay, the Kentuckian who founded the Whig Party in 1833. Source: Constituting America   Jackson’s tremendous executive authority compared to previous presidents alarmed Clay. Upset with Jackson and his own defeats in presidential elections, Clay created the Whig Party after the election of 1832. Composed of many Northerners in the Federalist vein who wanted a modern, pro-urban economy (known as the American System of government intervention to assist in economic development), the Whigs also attracted Southern opponents of Jackson’s strong executive power during the Nullification Crisis. The Whigs sought to deny Jackson’s chosen successor, Martin Van Buren, a presidential election victory in 1836 but were unsuccessful.   The Whigs learned from their mistakes. In 1836, they had run multiple candidates to try and split the Electoral College vote, denying Van Buren a majority. Three years later, the Whig Party met to create a unified party platform and presidential ticket for the 1840 election, planning to run against Van Buren directly. The 1840 election was noteworthy in being the first to have a ticket actively campaign for office in person; previous elections had featured relatively little campaigning, which was seen as undignified.   1840: William Henry Harrison Wins the Presidency An image of the death of US President William Henry Harrison exactly one month into his first term. Source: National Portrait Gallery US   Whig nominee William Henry Harrison went out on the campaign trail and held massive rallies, which were successful in boosting the Whig’s popularity. Harrison, a fellow War of 1812 officer, styled his 1840 campaign after Andrew Jackson’s own successful forays. The election was a bitter contest, with both sides “going negative” and attacking each other. Ultimately, the Whigs won a sizable Electoral College victory and about 150,000 more popular votes than Van Buren and the Democrats.   Tragically, Harrison died only one month into his presidency, likely due to pneumonia. His vice president, John Tyler, was a former Democrat and thus not strongly liked by the Whigs. He had been added to the ticket with Harrison as a nod to Southern opponents of Jackson, resulting in the famous campaign slogan “Tippecanoe and Tyler Too!” Tippecanoe referred to a famous battle against Native Americans in Indiana, where Harrison fought a fierce engagement against determined Shawnee warriors. Tyler assumed the presidency, and tensions quickly arose between the “accidental” president and Henry Clay, who had founded the Whig Party.   1840s: Whig Party Struggles A painting of an American attack during the Mexican-American War (1846-48), which the Whig Party opposed. Source: Ashland University   Despite initially supporting Whig doctrine, Tyler quickly reverted to a states’ rights activist and vetoed national bank bills passed by Clay. This resulted in Tyler’s expulsion from the Whig Party, putting the party in disarray. In a rarity, the incumbent president was rejected as his party’s nominee for re-election. There was even an attempt in Clay’s House of Representatives to impeach Tyler, but it failed. As the split between Tyler and the Whigs grew, Tyler replaced his Cabinet (most of whom had resigned as loyal Whigs) with Southerners, giving the remaining Whig Party a distinctive Northern, urban flavor.   In 1844, the Whigs nominated Henry Clay as presidential nominee, but he lost to a relatively unknown James K. Polk, who had replaced former president Martin Van Buren as the Democrats’ nominee after many rounds of voting at the party convention. The Whigs opposed the annexation of Texas, which was a hot-button issue at the time, while Polk supported it. Similar to 1840, the 1844 election was heated, bitter, and featured partisan presses publishing slanderous material against the opposing candidate. In the end, Polk won a razor-thin popular vote victory, ending Clay’s presidential ambitions. During Polk’s term, the Mexican-American War was opposed by the Whigs, who lost popularity when the war was a resounding success for the United States.   1849-53: Zachary Taylor & Millard Fillmore US President Millard Fillmore finished the rest of Zachary Taylor’s term and was the final president to, as a Whig, be neither a Democrat nor a Republican. Source: The White House   Although the Whigs had opposed the Mexican-American War on the grounds that expanding the country would inevitably lead to an expansion of slavery, the party chose Mexican-American War hero Zachary Taylor as its 1848 presidential nominee. Taylor was sympathetic to the Whigs due to his dislike of former president Jackson, whom he viewed as corrupt, and his dislike of incumbent president Polk over Polk’s wartime leadership. The Whigs accepted Taylor and let him run without a distinct platform, and Taylor won the election of 1848 in an upset.   By 1850, tensions had emerged again between the Whig president and congressional Whigs as Taylor became more aggressive as chief executive, ignoring the Whig goal of stronger legislative and Cabinet powers. However, on July 4, 1850, Taylor came down sick after Independence Day festivities and perished five days later. His vice president, Millard Fillmore, replaced him. Fillmore was a true Whig who replaced Taylor’s departing Cabinet with moderate Whigs. However, Fillmore did accept the Compromise of 1850, which angered some Northern Whigs. To this date, Fillmore remains the last US president who did not belong to either the Democratic or Republican Party.   Mid-1850s: Whig Party Collapses A map of the United States following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which allowed the expansion of slavery and destroyed the Whig Party. Source: PBS Learning Media   Millard Fillmore’s support for the Compromise of 1850 prevented him from winning the Whig Party’s nomination again in 1852, making him the second Whig president to be rejected by the party for re-election. After many ballots, the Whig Party finally chose General Winfield Scott, another Mexican-American War hero, as its presidential nominee. Scott was opposed to slavery and spoke about it, weakening his support in the South. Some Southerners switched to the Democratic Party, helping nominee Franklin Pierce win the election of 1852.   During Pierce’s presidency, the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 finally broke the Whig Party. Southern Whigs felt the need to switch to the Democratic Party in support of slavery, while Northern Whigs felt they could no longer hold back the tide of expansionism across the West. The emergence of two new political parties, the Know-Nothings and the Free-Soilers, drained the Whig Party of supporters in the aftermath of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, as opponents of the Democratic Party no longer had to be Whigs by default. By 1856, the Whig Party barely had enough delegates to hold its final national convention.   Later Evolution: The Republican Party An image depicting the emergence of the Republican Party in 1854, effectively replacing the Whig Party. Source: University of Wisconsin-Madison   Many Northern Whigs joined the newly-formed Republican Party—founded in Ripon, Wisconsin in 1854—after the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This new party was vocally opposed to the expansion of slavery and quickly became the de facto primary opponent of the Democratic Party. In the 1856 election, the new Republican party won a majority of the free states, proving itself to be the successor of the Whig Party. Although it was primarily a political party of Northerners and Westerners, it also attracted some anti-slavery Southerners.   The owl logo of the Whig Party. Source: The Modern Whig Institute   Unlike the more moderate Whig Party, the Republican Party quickly came out against slavery in its 1856 convention platform. The Republicans chose John C. Fremont as their presidential nominee, and many Know-Nothings threw their support behind Fremont in the election despite the Know-Nothing Party having chosen former Whig president Millard Fillmore as their nominee. However, Democrat Franklin Buchanan won the 1856 presidential election. Not until 1860, with the nomination of Illinois politician Abraham Lincoln, did the Republicans come into their own. Only weeks after Lincoln’s presidential inauguration in 1861, the American Civil War began with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter.

A far-right German party won a state election on Sunday for the first time since World War II, and came in a tight second place in another race. 

Jeff Walz, the brother of Democrat Vice Presidential candidate, Tim Walz, has been making waves on social media after previous Facebook posts have been resurfacing showcasing Jeff’s critical view of his brother's extreme left-leaning ideologies.