1856 Presidential Election

The 1856 Presidential Election was a contest between James Buchanan (Democrat), John C. Fremont (Republican), and Millard Fillmore (Know-Nothing). It occurred during a tense period over slavery and sectional tensions. Buchanan, who supported popular sovereignty, won by appealing to southern voters. Fremont, the first Republican candidate, opposed the spread of slavery into new territories, gaining support in the North. Fillmore, representing a nativist party, attracted anti-immigrant voters. Buchanan's victory marked the Democrats' dominance, but the rising strength of Republicans signaled growing divisions that would soon lead to the Civil War.