home

**Election of 1860:**  **The Fate of a Nation** The year is 1860. America is at an important turning point in the nation's young history. Tensions are high as the election campaign for president is underway. John Brown's ill-fated raid on Harpers Ferry brought national attention to the controversial issue of slavery, or, they called it in the South, "that Peculiar Institution." Differences of opinion are so strong that the Democrat party is split, nominating two competing candidates for president. The Republican party, running only for the second time as a national party, nominates Abraham Lincoln. John Bell starts another party, the Constitutional Union.
 * Course Evaluation**

In this Webquest, you will learn about the issues and candidates of the 1860 presidential election by working as a newspaper reporter at that crucial time in our nation's history.

A crude nonpartisan satire, parodying all four candidates in the 1860 presidential election. A map of the United States hung on a wall is being torn apart by three of the candidates. Lincoln (far left) and Douglas tear at the western part of the country, as Breckinridge (center) attacks the South. The fourth, John Bell (right), stands on a stool trying to repair the northeastern section with a jar of "Spaldings," a widely marketed glue of the period. Several boxes of this adhesive appear, prominently labeled, at right.

When you are ready to begin the Election of 1860 Webquest, click here.

This WebQuest was adapted by Jared Matas [ jaredm AT jcdsboston DOT org ] of JCDS, Boston's Jewish Community Day School, from an original WebQuest created by Brian Boardman & Maria Witkowicz of Meadowdale Middle. The original WebQuest is available here.