The presidential election of 1860 set the stage for the American Civil War. The nation was divided during most of the 1850's because people questioned states' rights and slavery in the territories. In 1860, this issue finally came to surface, separating the dominant Democratic Party into Southern and Northern halves. This brought Abraham Lincoln and the Republican Party power without any help from a single Southern state. The separation of the Democratic party let the Republican party get ahead because they were not fighting with each other they were working their way to the top.
Presidential Candidates
Abraham LincolnRepublican
- Born Feb. 12th, 1809 - Home State: Illinois - Tallest Us President 6'4" - Always deeply depressed but didn't show it - Strongly disliked hurting animals - Elected from the state of Illinois - Represented the Republicans - Didn't win popular vote - Opposed by Southerners - Gained popularity from a earlier campaign against Stephen Douglas for a "Senate Seat" - Claimed that the Cotton Belt states would secede if "that Black Republican," were elected. - President from 1861-1865 - Vice Presidents: Hannibal Hamlin & Andrew Johnson - Preceded by James Buchanan - Succeeded by Andrew Johnson - Ran a store in New Salem - 20 miles away, he proposed to Mary Todd a year after meeting her in Springfield 1839 - Wife: Mary Todd Lincoln - Her Parents didn't approve of Lincoln from his previous background - Abraham and Mary had 4 kids Robert Todd Lincoln Edward Lincoln Willie Lincoln Tad Lincoln - Only Robert Todd survived to be an Adult - Never went to church but was a Christian - Created a National Bank System - National Banking Act: 1863 brought US currency - First president with a beard - A week before his death, he had a dream that he saw someone crying. He went to ask who had died and the person said "The President". He looked in the coffin and saw himself. - First assassinated President - Assassinated by John Wilkes Booth on April 14th, 1865 |
Steven A DouglasDemocratic
- Born April 23rd, 1813 - Migrated to Illinois at age 20 - Represented the Democrats - Only carried Missouri - Nickname: "The Little Giant" - Split Democratic ranks - Helped make Chicago a major hub of railroads - Elected to Illinois legislature,1836 - Judge of Supreme Court, 1841-1843 - Elected to US House of Representatives in 1843 - Elected to US Senate in 1847 (Senator until 1861) - Supported Missouri Compromise - Debated with Lincoln during US Senate in 1858 - Nominated for US Presidency in 1860 - He was supported by the Northern Democrats, not Southern - Offered to Help President Lincoln during Civil War |
John BellConstitutional Union
- Born Feb. 18th, 1796 - Home State: Tennessee - Elected Tennessee Senator in 1847-1859 - Knocked out of the election early - Polled a large vote in the South - Served in the House of Representatives 1827-1841 - He was the speaker in 1834 - For a few weeks in 1841 he served as Secretary of War for President William Henry Harrison |
John BreckinridgeDemocratic
- Born Jan. 21st, 1821 - Home State: Kentucky - Served in the National House of Representatives from 1851-1855 - President Franklin Pierce offered him the position of minister to Spain - He declined that offer - In 1856, he got Vice President - - Represented the Southern States - Nominated by the Democrats From Kentucky - Won 12 popular votes - James Buchanan's Vice President - In 1868 he returned to Kentucky to practice law. - He died shortly after this |