The election of 1860 is one of the most overt examples of extreme and irreconcilable ideological divisions within the United States. Often seen as a precipitant of the Civil War, it exposed the vast and deeply rooted conflict that existed over slavery in the South (“The Election of 1860”). This had a very profound effect on the overall political system that existed in America. As stated in “The Election of 1860”, conflict loosened the grip that the two-party system had had for the century prior to this election. Internal conflict dilapidated the Whig Party to a point where it could no longer function as a party. This left the Democrat and Republican parties as the assumed competing parties. The Democrats, however, was subject to a significant amount of internal conflict. The Democratic National Convention, taking place in Charleston, brought a lot of these conflicting ideas to the forefront of the election (“Election of 1860”). Stephen A. Douglas, a senator from Illinois, was a front-runner for his successful debates with Abraham Lincoln in 1858. He argued for popular sovereignty in deciding whether slavery would be allowed to exist in the recently acquired American territories in the West (“The Election of 1860”) While these ideas appealed to the northern Democrats of Illinois, the idea that slavery had the opportunity to be outlawed “alienated Southern Democrats that he needed to gain the presidential nomination” (“Election of 1860 and Civil War”). His opponent in the primary was Vice President John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky. Breckenridge appealed much more to the Southern voter, promising the “congressional protection of slave property” which had been strong desire of the largely Southern platform committee at the time (“Elec...
... middle of paper ...
...tor, as their provisional president” (“The Civil War and Emancipation”). This eventually led to the conflict at Fort Sumter in South Carolina, which in turn led to the Civil War. In the end, Lincoln forced the abolition of slavery throughout the United States, “resolving” the original conflict of the election. The Election also placed the newly formed Republican party in a position of significance. It lost it’s identity as the anti-slavery party, and began evolving into the massive party it is today. This also marked the start of the divided Democratic party that would stay factionalized until after the War. In general, the election of 1860 marked a period of change in the United States, in ideology and in governance. It tore the country apart, and established new power. It completely redefined what exactly the United States of America was.
The election of President Abraham Lincoln became the catalyst for the events leading to the Civil War. Lincoln represented the Republican Party who believed that all men should be free and that it was wrong to maintain people as slaves, ...
The excerpt “Congress: The Electoral Connection” written by David Mayhew centers around the fundamental arguments that discusses how members of congress are self-interested for reelection. Mayhew further elaborates on his idea by discussing the electoral activities that congress members devote their time into and resource from, which are advertising, credit-claiming, and position taking. Mayhew’s excerpt further examines the framework in how congress operates which contributes to the explanation of how and why congress partakes in the certain electoral activities.
Throughout the 1830-1840’s the opposing governmental parties, the Jacksonian Democrats and the Whigs, undertook many issues. The Whigs were a party born out of their hatred for President Andrew Jackson, and dubbed his harsh military ways as “executive usurpation,” and generally detested everything he did while he was in office. This party was one that attracted many other groups alienated by President Jackson, and was mainly popular among urban industrial aristocrats in the North. On the other hand, the Jacksonian Democrats were a party born out of President Andrew Jackson’s anti-federalistic ideals that was extremely popular among southern agrarians. A major economic issue that the two parties disagreed on was whether or not the United States should have a National Bank. Along with the National Bank, the two parties also disagreed on the issue of the Protective tariff that was enforced to grow Northern industry. Politically, the two parties disagreed on the issues of Manifest Destiny, or expansion, and ultimately Slavery. While the two parties essentially disagreed on most issues, there are also similarities within these issues that the two parties somewhat agree on.
In 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected as president of the United States of America, the repercussions of which led to civil war. However it was not only Lincoln’s election that led to civil war but also the slavery debate between the northern and southern states and the state of the economy in the United States. Together with the election of Lincoln these caused a split, both politically and ideologically, between the North and South states which manifested into what is now refereed to as the American Civil War.
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858 was a very influential event that occurred in American history and has much significance, even till this day. The debates were in contest for the United States Senate seat in Illinois. The main topic involved in the debates was based around slavery and the separation of the union because of it. Both Lincoln and Douglas refer to the U.S. Constitution in their remarks and state different opinions surrounding what they interpret the meaning of certain parts regarding slavery to be.
Walsh, Kenneth T. The Most Consequential Elections in History: Abraham Lincoln's Victory in 1864 Led to the End of the Civil War: Lincoln's victory in 1860 triggered the Civil War, and his victory in 1864 allowed him to win it. Retrieved: March 29th, 2012.
The original version of the Constitution is a result of a series of compromises made to achieve a document that would be voted by the majority of the newly emerged states. Slavery was a very sensitive issue, as it was widely common on the continent.
The Compromise of 1850 and Kansas-Nebraska Acts were very advantageous to the South. In both pieces of legislation the south gained things that would aid them in their campaign to expand slavery. The advantages the south included a stronger fugitive slave law, the possibility for slavery to exist in the remaining part of the Mexican Cession, the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and the eventual plan to build the Southern Pacific Railroad.
...ry as inhumane and against universal suffrage. Both abolitionists agreed that compromise was not probable and slave labor was morally wrong. Thus, its expansion must be halted. Similarly the Southern Democrats, although their ideology was the opposite, were not willing to compromise on the issue of the expansion of slavery. Southern Democrat, James Henry Hammond, believed that slavery was necessary for the economic growth of the nation and without it, the North would also perish. Furthermore, the Constitutional Convention of South Carolina agreed secession was unavoidable when Abraham Lincoln was appointed into office. Therefore, initiated the beginning of an inevitable confrontation between the North and the South. These two exceptionally strict and uncompromising ideologies regarding slavery led to one of the most controversial and bloody wars in American history.
On November 6, 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected as president in the United State. But, the United States had been divided in the 1850s, due to the question about expansion of slavery and the rights of the slave owner. The issue of slavery had heated the nation to the boiling point. Fourth Months later, after Abraham presidential election, the seven states in the deep southern part of the United States, like South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia. Louisiana, and Texas, had seceded and seized many federal facilities. Although President Lincoln is the president of the United State, he still had no official powers to do anything about the Southern forming a new nation. On April 15, Lincoln called 75,000 volunteers to put down the Southern rebellion, and to reverse the seven states to vote in favor of session. After the nation drifted toward conclusion, Abraham Lincoln traveled all over the North, so he can make campaign speeches for the Republicans party. Abram Lincoln used his influence, as the leader of the Republican Party, by reaching out to the political leader of the Republican party, writing privately letters, demanded that the Republican party needs to hold firm to its opposition to the extension of slavery and to also reassure the southern that the Republicans composed no threats. When Civil War begins, Abr...
... that south had no vote for Republican Party, Lincoln had dominated the election with “fifty-four percent of the regional total and forty percent of the national” (Give Me Liberty 502). The Lincoln’s winning marked the sectional division of the nation. In March 4, 1861, the seven states of the south formed the Confederate States of America, and the beginning of civil war.
The Constitution is the foundation of our county it represents liberty and justice for all. We are able to live freely and do, as we desire because of the constitution. The constitution was, signed September 17, 1787 at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. It took time and many debates were held before an agreement was achieved in both the drafting and ratification of the constitution. These disagreements came with several compromises before the constitution was fully ratified on May 29, 1790, with Rhode Island being the last and the thirteenth. The First, challenge was the Articles of Confederation; it was a sort of a draft of the Constitution but was weak and inadequate. Second, obstacle was the Anti-Federalists fight for more
The presidential elections of 1860 was one of the nation’s most memorable one. The north and the south sections of country had a completely different vision of how they envision their home land. What made this worst was that their view was completely opposite of each other. The north, mostly republican supporters, want America to be free; free of slaves and free from bondages. While on the other hand, the south supporters, mostly democratic states, wanted slavery in the country, because this is what they earned their daily living and profit from.
By the year of 1860, the North and the South was developed into extremely different sections. There was opposing social, economic, and political points of view, starting back into colonial periods, and it slowly drove the two regions farther in separate directions. The two sections tried to force its point of view on the nation as a whole. Even though negotiations had kept the Union together for many years, in 1860 the condition was unstable. The presidential election of Abraham Lincoln was observed by the South as a risk to slavery and many believe it initiated the war.
His election that November pushed several Southern states to secede by the time of his inauguration in March 1861, and the Civil War began a month later. The Civil War was not entirely caused by his election, but Lincoln becoming the president was one of the main reasons why the war began. “Lincoln felt that it was his sacred duty as President of the United States to preserve the Union at all cost”. () He was concerned for the future of the U.S. Lincoln proved to be a smart military strategist and a leader during what became the costliest conflict ever fought on American