The election of 1860 showed the deep divisions that split the country. With four candidates representing four very different approaches to the issue of slavery, the outcome resulted in the secession of South Carolina, followed eventually...

The Compromise of 1850 did not solve all the slavery issues in the territories, which was not surprising. Read about the Kansas-Nebraska Act, put forth by Sen. Stephan Douglas, who proposed that the issue be decided by popular...

Read about the essential repeal of the Missouri Compromise, which had established which states could be slave and which would be free for thirty years, with the rancorous passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. See who supported it and why,...

View a photo a 1860 Campaign Ribbon and read a brief description of the contentious election of 1860. Displayed in the National Museum of American History.

Read about the peaceful "revolution" that occurred in the election of 1800 when the party in power, the Federalists, was defeated in a democratic election by the Democratic-Republicans. See how this showed that the ideals of the new...

[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart details the growing political divisions in the United States in the decade before the Civil War. It includes information on the election of 1856, the Dred Scott Decision, the Lincoln...

A map of the United States during the heated presidential election of 1856, showing the States carried by the Republican Party (John Fremont), Democrat Party (James Buchanan), and the newly formed American Party, or 'Know-Nothing’ Party...

A map of the United States during the heated presidential election of 1856, showing the States carried by the Republican Party (John Fremont), Democrat Party (James Buchanan), and the newly formed American Party, or 'Know-Nothing’ Party...

(1813-1890) An American military officer, explorer, the first candidate of the Republican Party for the office of President of the United States, and the first Presidential candidate of a major party to run on a platform in opposition to...

John Charles Fremont (January 21, 1813 - July 13, 1890), was an American military officer, explorer, the first candidate of the Republican Party for the office of President of the United States, and the first presidential candidate of a...