Assignment

The Presidential Election of 1860 was one of the most significant and influential events in American history. The election of 1860 was actually the 19th presidential election in the United States of America, held on November 6, 1860. It was a year after John Brown’s confident revolt at Harper’s Ferry which started the national debate of slavery. Everything was reaching to its boiling wait, decisions had to be made. The election soon became a national crisis because the central issue surrounded on the topic of slavery. Prior to the election even coming to place, two groups had formed surrounding the expansion of slavery and also the rights of slave owners. Eventually by the election of 1860, the Democratic Party formed into two different fractions surrounding these two issues. In the end, these two groups had formed the Constitutional Union Party. Democrats met on April 1860, at Charleston, South Carolina to choose a candidate for the President. The Northern Democrats eventually chose Stephan Douglas who they actually felt would defeat the black Republicans. The Southern Democrats did not think so, instead nominated John c. Breckenridge, who was the current Vice President. The Democrats creating a conflict was actually in favor for the Republicans. They needed to find a candidate who would eventually win most of the Electoral College. The Electoral College is the group of electors who actually select the candidate for the actual election. They also needed a candidate that could influence New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana and also Pennsylvania, which were very significant states for the election. Abraham Lincoln ended up being the correct and final choice made by the Republicans. He was essentially the best choice because he was a self-made man who was following the American Dream. There were three ballots done which eventually got Abraham Lincoln the nomination for President. The Constitutional Union Party was a group of “old”