Whig
in English history, a term applied to the members of one of the great political parties in Great Britain.
Originally it was a Scotch term, and appears to have been first used in Scot- WHIMBREL land in the reign of Charles I., and in England in that of Charles II.
In United States history, the name Whig was first applied to the supwas first applied to the supporters of the cause of the colonies against the English king in the Revolutionary War. The name was doubtless applied to the opponents of the king, from the fact that in England the same name was applied to the opposers of the the time of James II., who were ultimately successful in unmonarch. After the Revolution the name Whig disappeared from politics, and the people of the country divided into Federalists and Democrats.
The party platform of both parties, being gradually altered to meet existing exigencies, the name Federalist was dropped and the term Whig again resuscitated and applied to the opponents of the Democratic party. This name was retained till the agitation of the slavery question induced the formation of a new party, advocating the abolition of slavery and com from the ranks of both the Democratic and Whig parties . To this new party the name Republican was applied, and composed of recruits after its formation the name Whig disappeared from American politics.