United States Presidential Election of 1856 Summary

Historical Event

Date

November 4, 1856

Location

United States

Result

Election won

Introduction

The United States presidential election of 1856, held on November 4, was a pivotal event during a deeply divided era centered on the issue of slavery expansion. This election featured three main candidates: Democrat James Buchanan, Republican John C. Frémont, and Know Nothing (American Party) candidate Millard Fillmore. The country was polarized over the Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 and the violent conflicts in Kansas, known as "Bleeding Kansas." Buchanan won the presidency by securing a majority of electoral votes, marking the last Democratic presidential victory until 1884 and signaling the rise of the Republican Party as a national force opposing slavery's spread.

Background and causes of the 1856 presidential election

In the mid-1850s, tensions over slavery’s expansion into new territories fueled deep divisions in the United States, especially after the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which allowed settlers to decide on slavery by popular sovereignty. This law led to violent conflict known as "Bleeding Kansas," inflaming North-South animosities and weakening President Franklin Pierce’s support within his own Democratic Party. At the 1856 Democratic National Convention, James Buchanan was chosen as the nominee because he had remained abroad as ambassador to the United Kingdom during the most contentious debates, avoiding direct association with the controversy. Meanwhile, the newly formed Republican Party, opposing the spread of slavery but not calling for immediate abolition, nominated John C. Frémont, who symbolized a firm anti-slavery expansion stance. The Know-Nothing Party, representing nativist and anti-immigrant sentiments, nominated former President Millard Fillmore, splitting the opposition and reflecting the fractured political environment. The election became a critical moment highlighting slavery as the dominant national crisis.

Events during the 1856 presidential election

The 1856 United States presidential election unfolded on a deeply divided national stage, shaping one of the most contentious contests in American history.

Nomination battles

The Democratic Party chose James Buchanan, a former Secretary of State and diplomat, as their candidate after President Franklin Pierce lost favor due to his unpopular policies in Kansas Territory. Buchanan secured the nomination by positioning himself as a moderate who had avoided direct involvement in the explosive Kansas–Nebraska debate, partly because he had been serving abroad in Britain. Meanwhile, the new Republican Party, emerging as a major force, held its first national convention and nominated John C. Frémont, a famed explorer with a bold anti-slavery expansion platform. The Know Nothing Party (American Party), appealing to nativist voters wary of immigration, selected former President Millard Fillmore as their standard-bearer, trying to revive their political relevance.

Campaign dynamics

The campaign was marked by extreme sectional tensions and harsh rhetoric. Democrats labeled Republicans as radicals bent on disunion, attacking Frémont personally with accusations intended to scare Southern voters. Republicans, in turn, focused on opposing slavery’s expansion into new territories, calling for "Free Soil" policies. The Know Nothings attempted to draw votes from immigrants and ex-Whigs but struggled to unify a coherent message beyond nativism. Voting patterns clearly reflected the era’s divisions: Frémont failed to secure any Southern electoral votes but won a majority of free states, while Buchanan dominated slaveholding states and some free states, creating a sharp geographic split.

Election day and results

On November 4, 1856, voters went to the polls amid widespread national tension. Buchanan won a majority of 174 electoral votes, capturing all but one slave state and five free states, securing the presidency. Frémont took 114 electoral votes, winning several Northern states but no Southern support. Fillmore managed to carry only Maryland, receiving just 8 electoral votes, despite a notable 21.5% share of the popular vote. The election revealed the fracturing political landscape—particularly the collapse of the Second Party System—as the Democrats held power but faced a resurgent and increasingly dominant Republican Party.

The voting sharply divided the nation along sectional lines, with fierce campaigning underscoring the intense conflicts over slavery and union, setting the stage for dramatic developments that would soon follow. Buchanan’s victory represented the last Democratic presidential success until 1884, as the Republicans began rising to prominence.

Outcomes of the 1856 presidential election

The outcome of the 1856 U.S. presidential election was a victory for Democrat James Buchanan, who won 174 electoral votes and a plurality of the popular vote with about 1.8 million votes. He defeated Republican John C. Frémont, who received 114 electoral votes and around 1.3 million popular votes. Millard Fillmore, representing the American Party (Know-Nothings), took 8 electoral votes and over 870,000 popular votes but carried only Maryland. Buchanan’s win marked the last Democratic presidential victory until 1884 and highlighted the rise of the Republican Party as a major force, replacing the Whigs as the primary opposition. The election centered on the divisive issue of slavery's expansion, with Buchanan seen as aligning with pro-slavery interests, while Republicans opposed its spread into new territories. This election set the stage for escalating tensions leading to the Civil War.

Historical impact and legacy of the 1856 presidential election

The 1856 United States presidential election had a significant historical impact. It marked the end of the Second Party System, as the Whig Party collapsed and the Republican Party emerged as a major force, opposing the expansion of slavery into the territories. Democrat James Buchanan won the presidency, but this was the last Democratic victory until 1884, showing a shift in political dominance toward Republicans during and after the Civil War. The election highlighted the deepening sectional divisions over slavery, foreshadowing the coming conflict. The collapse of the Know Nothing party also reshaped the political landscape as many of its members joined the Republicans.