Election of Abraham Lincoln
Key Figures:
-Abraham Lincoln-Republican candidate, appealed to almost every non-southern group. Lincoln was a very sectional president; votes were gained only from the Northern states. South threatened to secede if Lincoln was elected.
-John Breckinridge- Candidate for one of the split parts of the Democrats. Platform favored extension of slavery into the territories and the annexation of Cuba. Gained most of the southern states.
What happened?
- 4-candidate election
-Lincoln ranked near the bottom in percentage of popular votes—only 1.5% in Virginia
-The splitting Democrats did not unite under any single person, rather behind Stephan A. Douglas and Breckinridge.
-Virtually consisted of one election in the North and one in the South—Lincoln was virtually all cast in the North and Breckinridge/Bell in the South.
-Lincoln became president with 1,865,593 popular votes and 180 electoral opposed to Douglas’ 1,382,713 pop. votes and only 12 electoral.
Why it was important?
-Confirmed deeply split nation-Lincoln received only 40% of the popular vote & was not permitted on the ballot in 10 Southern states
-South Carolina votes to secede, 6 other states (LA, GA, TX, AL, MO, & FL) follow in suit.
-The seceders met at Montgomery, Alabama to create the Confederate States of America, electing Jefferson Davis as their president.
James Buchanan fails to preserve the Union. Another 4 states would later join.
-Lincoln rejects proposed Crittenden Amendments. All hope of compromise vanished and the inevitable occurs; Lincoln calls for troops following the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter, officiating war--the American Civil war erupts....
-Abraham Lincoln-Republican candidate, appealed to almost every non-southern group. Lincoln was a very sectional president; votes were gained only from the Northern states. South threatened to secede if Lincoln was elected.
-John Breckinridge- Candidate for one of the split parts of the Democrats. Platform favored extension of slavery into the territories and the annexation of Cuba. Gained most of the southern states.
What happened?
- 4-candidate election
-Lincoln ranked near the bottom in percentage of popular votes—only 1.5% in Virginia
-The splitting Democrats did not unite under any single person, rather behind Stephan A. Douglas and Breckinridge.
-Virtually consisted of one election in the North and one in the South—Lincoln was virtually all cast in the North and Breckinridge/Bell in the South.
-Lincoln became president with 1,865,593 popular votes and 180 electoral opposed to Douglas’ 1,382,713 pop. votes and only 12 electoral.
Why it was important?
-Confirmed deeply split nation-Lincoln received only 40% of the popular vote & was not permitted on the ballot in 10 Southern states
-South Carolina votes to secede, 6 other states (LA, GA, TX, AL, MO, & FL) follow in suit.
-The seceders met at Montgomery, Alabama to create the Confederate States of America, electing Jefferson Davis as their president.
James Buchanan fails to preserve the Union. Another 4 states would later join.
-Lincoln rejects proposed Crittenden Amendments. All hope of compromise vanished and the inevitable occurs; Lincoln calls for troops following the Confederate assault on Fort Sumter, officiating war--the American Civil war erupts....