Presidential Election 1860 Election of 1860 v Whig

Presidential Election 1860

Election of 1860 v Whig Party collapses and leaves only one national party v System of government in the United States is beginning to fail

Democratic National Convention v Held in Charleston, South Carolina v Can’t agree on a platform v Douglas’s supporters wants popular sovereignty v Davis want a code to allow slavery in all territories v Can’t agree on a candidate Douglas Davis

Democratic National Convention v Nine “Fire Eaters” walk out of the convention preventing the possibility of reaching the required 2/3 majority needed to make selections v Define “Fire Eater” v Convention disbands

Republican National Convention v Meets in Chicago, Illinois v Easily nominates Abraham Lincoln v Little known candidate from IL v Former Whig v Many thought he would let Congress lead the government

2 nd Democrat Convention v Held in Boston, Massachusetts v Splits into two groups v Northern Democrats nominate Stephen Douglas v Run on a popular sovereignty platform

2 nd Democrat Convention v Southern Democrats nominate John C. Breckenridge v Announces that if a Republican becomes President he will organize a Southern secession v Define Secession-

Constitutional Union Party v Formed by conservative Whigs that have no other party to turn to v Platform to support the Constitution and preserve the Union v Nominate John Bell

Election Results Candidate Popular Votes Electoral Votes Lincoln Republican 1, 865, 593 180 Douglas Democrat Breckenridge Democrat Bell Const. Union 1, 382, 713 12 848, 713 72 592, 906 39

Election Results v Lincoln Wins the election v Fire Eaters move quick v Keep Southern Delegates in Congress v Get the Southern states to withdraw from the Union before Lincoln takes office in March v Set up a government for the seceding states

Confederate States of America v Formed February 8, 1860 v Constitution nearly identical to US Constitution but guaranteed right to own slaves v Elect Jefferson Davis to be their President