A Crisis in Politics

Second Two Party SystemDemocrats v. Whigs, 1836-1850

Democrats• Tradition• Learn from past• Opposed banks• Opposed state-legislated

reform• Freedom of choice• Rural independence• Right to own slaves• Rapid territorial

expansion• Favored in the South

Whigs• Modernization• Look to future• Use govt. to promote

economic growth• Advocated reforms• Favored industry &

urban growth• Gradual territorial

expansion• Favored in the North

Mid-19th Century Political CrisisPolitical

PartyYear

FormedIdeals – Beliefs – Goals Leaders

Democrats 1790s Tradition; Learn from past; Freedom of choice; Rural independence; Right to own slaves; Rapid territorial expansion

Favored in the South; Pierce; Polk; Buchanan

Whig 1834 Northern “conscience”; Southern “cotton”

Split over Fugitive Slave Act

Millard Filmore

Know-nothing

1849 Nativism; anti-Catholic; longer for naturalization; split

over issue of slavery

Middle class protestants; long time Whigs and

DemsFree Soil 1848 Opposed to extension of slavery;

not necessarily abolitionists; - felt extension of slavery

threatened white workers

Fiercely anti-slavery

Republican 1854 Opposed to extension of slavery; embraced wide

variety of opinions

Free Soilers; Northern Dems; Whigs;

abolitionists; N & W reformers; commercial

farmers; manufacturers; etc

The Election of 1860

And the candidates

are…

Abraham LincolnRepublican Party

“I will not abolish slavery where it already exists, but we must not let the practice spread. I am opposed

to allowing slavery in the new territories.”

Stephen DouglasNorthern Democrats

Adhered to the theory of “popular sovereignty” when

it came to the issue of slavery.

John C. BreckenridgeSouthern Democrats

Committed to expanding slavery and federal

protection of slavery in the territories.

John BellConstitutional Union Party

Slave-owning Tennessee native who lead the newly formed political party

dedicated to keeping the country united.Party made up of Whigs and Know-nothings

hoping to heal the split between N. and S.

Basically… the Democrats were split between three

candidates.

It was doubtful that any of them could win considering

that the winning candidate needed at least 152

electoral votes.

HUH!?!

Electoral Whats!?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaPlIcQw_dg

The Electoral College• Each state gets a set amount of electoral votes

in the presidential election

• The number of votes a state gets is determined by taking the number of representatives they have in the House and adding two.

• When the election takes place, the people of a state vote, and whichever way they vote determines the candidate the state’s electoral votes will go toward.

2008 Electoral College Map

Electoral College MapElection of 1860

Statistical Results of Election of 1860

Candidate Popular votes

% of Popular

Vote

Electoral Votes

Abraham Lincoln

1,766,452 40% 180

Stephen Douglas

1,376,957 29% 12

John C. Breckenridge

849,781 18% 72

John Bell 588,789 13% 39

How many electoral votes will the candidate have to

get to win the 2012 election?

270!