Who were the "Free-Soilers" in the context of U.S. history?

The "Free-Soilers" were a crucial political movement in the mid-19th century United States, emerging primarily in the context of the debates surrounding slavery. They originated from a coalition of anti-slavery Democrats and other groups who were dissatisfied with the Democratic Party's stance on slavery, particularly during the 1848 presidential election.

This faction formed the Free Soil Party, which aimed to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories acquired during westward expansion. Their slogan "Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor, and Free Men" encapsulated their belief that the new territories should be free for individuals to cultivate labor without the institution of slavery. This belief was rooted in the idea that free men on free soil constituted a morally and economically superior system compared to the slave labor of the South.

The Free-Soilers played a significant role in shaping the political landscape leading up to the Civil War by highlighting the tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions and setting the stage for the later emergence of the Republican Party. Their emphasis was not on the immediate abolition of slavery, as noted in other options, but rather on preventing its spread, which made their position uniquely focused on issues of free labor rather than outright abolition.