Thursday, January 3, 2008 The Election of 1860

1. Name the four candidates running for president in 1860.



a. Abraham Lincoln

b. Stephen Douglas

c. John Bell

d. John C. Breckinridge



2. Name the political party affiliation of each of the above candidates.



a. Republican

b. Democratic

c. Constitutional Union Party

d. Democratic



3. State the party "platform" or basic philosophy of each of the above parties.

a. Stephen Douglas - 4. Resolved, That one of the necessities of the age, in a military, commercial, and postal point of view, is speedy communications between the Atlantic and Pacific States; and the Democratic party pledge such Constitutional Government aid as will insure the construction of a Railroad to the Pacific coast, at the earliest practicable period. 5. Resolved, that the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition of the Island of Cuba on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and just to Spain. 6. Resolved, That the enactments of the State Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law, are hostile in character, subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.

b. Abraham Lincoln - The Republican issued a platform that criticized slavery, while making it clear that they would not intervene with slavery in the South. The Republicans also promised to support the building of a transcontinental railroad.

c. John Bell - condemned sectional parties

d. John Breckinridge - That when the settlers in a Territory, having an adequate population, form a State Constitution, the right of sovereignty commences, and being consummated by admission into the Union, they stand on an equal footing with the people of other States, and the State thus organized ought to be admitted into the Federal Union, whether its constitution prohibits or recognizes the institution of slavery. Resolved, That the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition of the Island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and just to Spain, at the earliest practicable moment. Resolved, That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law are hostile in character, subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect. Resolved, That the Democracy of the United States recognize it as the imperative duty of this Government to protect the naturalized citizen in all his rights, whether at home or in foreign lands, to the same extent as its native-born citizens.


4. Name the candidates and indicate the percentage (%) of the popular vote that each one received. List from the most (a.) to the least (d.).



a. Abraham Lincoln - 39.8

b. Stephen A. Douglas - 29.5

c. John C. Breckinridge - 18.1

d. John Bell - 12.6


5. List the candidate, the number of electoral votes they collected and what states they won. (For example: Candidate A - 67 - Michigan, Montana, New York.)

a. Abraham - 180 - CA, MN, IA, OR, WI, LI, IN, MI, OH, PA, NY, ME

b. Stephen A. Douglas - 12 - TX, AR, LA, MS, AL, MO, GA, FL, NC, SC, NJ, MD, DE, CT

c. John C. Breckinridge - 72 - TX, AR, LA, MS, AL, MO, GA, FL, NC, SC, NJ, MD, DE, CT

d. John Bell - 39 - TN, KY, VA