Was John Breckinridge for or against secession?
Walking two-by-two behind him were the political and military leaders of what would soon become the Union and the Confederacy. Breckinridge counseled against secession.
What did Breckinridge think of secession?
He represented the Southern faction in support of slavery. According to Breckinridge, the federal or local governments lacked the power to restrict slavery in any of the territories. He believed in secession as a right; however, at the time of the election, he disapproved of states exercising that right.
What happened in the election of 1860?
In a four-way contest, the Republican Party ticket of Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin, absent from the ballot in ten slave states, won a national popular plurality, a popular majority in the North where states already had abolished slavery, and a national electoral majority comprising only Northern electoral votes.
How the election of Lincoln caused the Civil War?
A former Whig, Lincoln ran on a political platform opposed to the expansion of slavery in the territories. His election served as the immediate impetus for the outbreak of the Civil War. After being sworn in as president, Lincoln refused to accept any resolution that would result in Southern secession from the Union.
Was John Breckinridge a traitor?
Late in the struggle, Breckinridge became the Confederate secretary of war. He is the only U.S. senator to have been convicted of treason in absentia. In 1857, Breckenridge had been elected to the vice presidency, serving as a Democrat under President James Buchanan.
What did John Breckinridge want?
Taking his seat in the Senate, Breckinridge urged compromise to preserve the Union. Unionists were in control of the state legislature, and gained more support when Confederate forces moved into Kentucky. Breckinridge fled behind Confederate lines.
Did John Breckinridge agree with slavery?
By the time he began his political career, Breckinridge had concluded that slavery was more a constitutional issue than a moral one. Slaves were property, and the Constitution did not empower the federal government to interfere with property rights.
Why was the 1860 election important?
The Election of 1860 demonstrated the divisions within the United States just before the Civil War. The Constitutional Union Party was also new; 1860 was the first and only time the party ran a candidate for president. The results of the 1860 election pushed the nation into war.
What was the first state to secede following the election of 1860?
state of South Carolina
On December 20, 1860, the state of South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union as shown on the accompanying map entitled “Map of the United States of America showing the Boundaries of the Union and Confederate Geographical Divisions and Departments as of Dec, 31, 1860” published in the 1891 Atlas to …
How did the secession lead to the Civil War?
Many maintain that the primary cause of the war was the Southern states’ desire to preserve the institution of slavery. Others minimize slavery and point to other factors, such as taxation or the principle of States’ Rights.
Why does Abraham Lincoln’s election lead to secession by the southern states?
Southern states seceded after Lincoln’s election, then, because they felt that his election showed they had no power in the USA and that the North would soon destroy their way of life that centered around slavery.
How old was John Breckinridge when he became vice president?
Vice President of the United States. Breckinridge was elected vice president, having the singular distinction of being the youngest vice president in the history of the United States. He was 36 years old, just one year over the required age as stated in the U.S. Constitution. Unfortunately, Buchanan was petty and inept as president.
Who was the Southern candidate for president in 1860?
Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge garnered 18 percent of the vote and 72 electoral votes, winning most Southern states plus Delaware and Maryland. Constitutional Unionist John Bell won 12.6 percent of the vote and 39 electoral votes.
Why was John Breckinridge expelled from the Senate?
In December 1861, the U.S. Senate expelled Breckinridge as a traitor. He joined Aaron Burr as vice presidents accused of treason against the United States. Burr was accused of setting up an independent country in North America by splitting the United States in 1804.
What was the percentage of electoral votes Breckinridge won?
Breckinridge, with 18 percent of the national vote, garnered 72 electoral votes, winning most of the states in the South as well as Delaware and Maryland. Bell, who won 12.6 percent of the vote, secured 39 electoral votes by winning Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.