Presidential Elections
Presidential Election 1856
James Buchanan
James Buchanan
Democratic
From Pennsylvania
Running mate: John C. Breckinridge
Electoral vote: 179
States carried: 19
Popular vote: 1,836,072
Percentage: 45.3%
John C. Fremont
John C. Freemont
Republican
From California
Running mate: William L. Dayton
Electoral vote: 114
States carried: 11
Popular vote: 1,342,345
Percentage: 33.1%
Millard Fillmore
Millard Fillmore
American Party
From New York
Running mate: Andrew J. Donelson
Electoral vote: 8
States carried: 1
Popular vote: 873,053
Percentage: 21.5%
1856 Electoral Vote Map
296 electoral votes of the Electoral College.
149 electoral votes needed to win.
Buchanan won the blue states.
Red denotes those won by Fremont.
White denotes those won by Fillmore.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How many years had the United States been in existence?
How many states were in the Union?
The Whig Party, which had been since the 1830’s one of the two major parties in the U.S., had disintegrated. New parties, such as the Republican Party (strongly against slavery expansion) and American, or “Know-Nothing” Party (which ignored slavery and instead emphasized anti-immigration and anti-Catholic policies), competed to replace the Democratic Party. Review and compare the number of states, electoral votes, and popular votes won by each candidate. Express your opinion to explain the results.
Presidential Election 1860
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Republican
From Illinois
Running mate: Hannibal Hamlin
Electoral vote: 180
States carried: 18
Popular vote: 1,865,908
Percentage: 39.8%
John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
Southern Democrat
Running mate: Joseph Lane
Electoral vote: 72
States carried: 11
Popular vote: 848,019
Percentage: 18.1%
James Bell
James Bell
Constitutional Union Party
From Tennessee
Running mate: Edward Everett
Electoral vote: 39
States carried: 3
Popular vote: 590,901
Percentage: 12.6%
Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen A. Douglas
Northern Democrat
From Illinois
Running mate: Herschel V. Johnson
Electoral vote: 12
States carried: 1
Popular vote: 1,389,202
Percentage: 20.5%
1860 Electoral Vote Map
303 electoral votes of the Electoral College.
152 electoral votes needed to win.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
How many states were in the Union?
This election marked the end of the South’s political dominance over the nation. Between 1789 and 1860, Southerners had been President for two-thirds of the time, and had held offices of Speaker of the House and President pro tem of the Senate during much of the time. Moreover, since 1791, Southerners had comprised a majority of the Supreme Court. Within four months before Lincoln’s inauguration, seven Southern slave-holding states declared their secession from the Union and formed the Confederate States of America, with the new capital being placed in Montgomery, Alabama. What factors allowed Lincoln to win the election with the little support from the southern states?
Presidential Election 1864
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
National Union Party
From Illinois
Running mate: Andrew Johnson
Electoral vote: 212
States carried: 22(+2)
Popular vote: 2,218,388
Percentage: 55.0%
George B. McClellan
George B. McClellan
Democratic
From New Jersey
Running mate: George H. Pendleton
Electoral vote: 21
States carried: 3
Popular vote: 1,812,807
Percentage: 45.0%
Lincoln / McClellan
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
Why was there a difference in the number of electoral votes?
Lincoln changed the political party he associated with in his second election. Why?
Lincoln won by more than 400,000 popular votes. He was assassinated 42 days after his inauguration. How did this event affect the country and people?
Letter
This transcription was copied from the original document and is representative of all spelling, punctuation, and grammar as written by the creator. The original document is housed in the Pearce Civil War Collection, Pearce Collections Museum, Navarro College, Corsicana, Texas. https://www.PearceMuseum.com
Mud Island. Nov.26th /64
Little Honey.
I received your letter of te 12th a day or two since, and can assure you that I never felt happier in my life. I have often grumbled and complained at what I now know to have been absolutely nothing. There is an old adage to this effect that “we are unable to appreciate happiness or enjoyment until we have experienced the contry, or misfortune” and I am satisfied of its truth. I know now that I have neer been really miserable and unhappy before; that my life has been comparatively smoth and happy, portions of it, I need not designate to you which, supremely so; but when I learned of your continued bad health, and became apprehensive of sustaining that great loss, than which there can be no greater, or ore afflicting I became utterly downcast and miserable…….
……..From the news we have received I judge that Lincoln has been re-elected by a very large majority. I am glad of it. It was and is no doubt the intention of both the candidates to carry on the war to the utmost length of their power. As it is, we have become somewhat used to Lincoln, and know that we are able to fight him, whereas, I was afraid that if McClelland was elected he would have been able to raise a much larger army than his opponent can. But I will not trouble you with gloomy views about the future, Little Honey; I am rather too happy in the prospect of you being in good health again, to feel much so about any outside matter. Kiss the children for me Little Darling, and continue to write frequently. I will be certain to bring you some paper when I come home.
De.