The 1860 presidential election, pivotal in U.S. history, catapulted Abraham Lincoln to power, intensified national divisions over slavery, and led directly to the Civil War.

A summary of the most consequential Presidential Election in US History, the election of Abraham Lincoln.

In 1860, tensions were obviously high, not only between Democrats and Republicans, but within the Democratic Party. At the Democratic National Conventions, extreme pro-slavery "Fire-eaters," walked out in protest. They were nicknamed...

The Presidential Election of 1860 proved the most divisive in U.S. history, with the election of Abraham Lincoln triggering the secession of Southern states. But how did it play out at the polls?