What was the election of 1860 about?

The election of 1860 was one of the most pivotal presidential elections in American history. It pitted Republican nominee Abraham Lincoln against Democratic Party nominee Senator Stephen Douglas, Southern Democratic Party nominee John Breckinridge and Constitutional Union Party nominee John Bell.

How many electoral votes did Breckinridge get in 1860?

Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge garnered 18 percent of the vote and 72 electoral votes, winning most Southern states plus Delaware and Maryland. Constitutional Unionist John Bell won 12.6 percent of the vote and 39 electoral votes. By Lincoln’s inauguration in March, seven Southern states had seceded.

Who was the vice president during the election of 1860?

With President Buchanan’s support, Southern Democrats held their own convention, nominating Vice President John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky. The 1860 Constitutional Union Convention nominated a ticket led by former Tennessee Senator John Bell .

Who were the Constitutional Union candidates for president in 1860?

Constitutional Union candidates: A Constitutional Union campaign poster, 1860, portraying John Bell and Edward Everett, respectively the candidates for president and vice president. Once Lincoln was inaugurated and called up the militia, Bell supported the secession of Tennessee. In 1863, Everett dedicated the new cemetery at Gettysburg.

What happened to the Liberty Party in 1860?

By 1860, very little remained of the Liberty Party, after most of its membership left to join the Free Soil Party in 1848 and nearly all of what remained of it joined the Republicans in 1854. The remaining party was also called the Radical Abolitionists.

What happened at the Democratic National Convention in 1860?

The Democratic Party held its convention in April–May 1860 in Charleston, S.C., where a disagreement over the official party policy on slavery prompted dozens of delegates from Southern states to withdraw. Unable to nominate a candidate (Sen.