In order to maintain the two great political parties as vital bonds of national unity,early-nineteenth-century politicians
A) decided to ban slavery from all United States territories.
B) hoped to divide the West into free and slave territories.
C) avoided public discussion of slavery.
D) banished abolitionists from membership in either national party.
E) worked to make third parties almost impossible.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Early-nineteenth-century politicians avoided public discussion of slavery in order to maintain the two great political parties as vital bonds of national unity. This was known as the "Gag Rule" and lasted until 1844, when the issue of slavery began to overshadow all others.

Answer: E 
 Early-nineteenth-century politicians worked to make third parties almost impossible in order to maintain the two great political parties as vital bonds of national unity. This was done through various means such as restrictive ballot access laws and winner-take-all electoral systems. However, this was not directly related to the issue of slavery.

In Order to Maintain the Two Great Political Parties as Vital