U.S. presidential election, 1856

The U.S. presidential election of 1856 was waged almost entirely on the issue of slavery, pitted as a struggle between democracy and aristocracy, and focusing specifically on Kansas. The newly formed Republican Party condemned the Kansas-Nebraska Act and expansion of slavery, while Democrats took more of a laissez-faire approach to slavery expansion, taking the official position that it was a state-by-state decision. A third party, the new-minted American Party or "Know-Nothings", ignored the slavery issue (in favor of anti-immigration policies) and paid for it, getting under a quarter of the vote.

Related Topics:
Slavery - Kansas - Republican Party - Kansas-Nebraska Act - Democrats - American Party or "Know-Nothings"

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The incumbent President Franklin Pierce was defeated in his effort to be renominated by the Democrats, who instead selected James Buchanan of Pennsylvania. The Whig Party had disintegrated over the issue of slavery, and new organizations such as the Republican Party and the American Party competed to replace them. The Republicans nominated John Frémont of California as their first standard bearer, and the Know-Nothings nominated former President Millard Fillmore of New York.

Related Topics:
President - Franklin Pierce - James Buchanan - Pennsylvania - Whig Party - John Frémont - California - Millard Fillmore - New York

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Foreshadowing the results of the presidential election of 1860 (won by Abraham Lincoln), Frémont received less than 600 votes from slave states - those all coming from Delaware and Maryland. The electoral college results indicated, however, that the Republicans could likely win the next election in 1860 by winning just two more states -- such as Pennsylvania and Illinois.

Related Topics:
Presidential election of 1860 - Abraham Lincoln - Slave state

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