0.8 1856 presidential election

who did the american party nominate

ex-president Fillmore

mistake as he was known to have pro-southern sympathies (signing FSA 1850)

limited appeal in the north

who did the republican party nominate

John Fremont

best choice, ex-know-nothing, and ex-democrat (seems strange choice but he had a colourful career)

republican party said congress had the right and the duty to prohibit slavery in the territories

slogan = ‘free soil, free labour, free men, Fremont’

who did democrats nominate + platform

Buchanan

democrat platform upheld 1850 compromise and endorsed popular sovereignty

who won 1856 election

Buchanan became president - 45.3% of votes, all but 1 southern state - democrat win

republican reaction to 1856 election

disappointed but happy they had come so close to winning presidency so early

if they had carried Pennsylvania and Illinois they would have won

had trounced the american party - shows northerners saw slavery as a bigger threat than catholicism

what did northerners think of buchanan’s ruling

feared he was a tool of the slave power conspiracy

his actions (dred scott case, kansas) confirmed this

what cabinet did Buchanan choose

pro-southern cabinet

4 slave owners