Historical Controversies

The Election of 1860

Historical Controversies Podcast: Season 2
Chris Calton

Season 2, Episode 23. After John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, the South was on edge. The Republican Party, in their eyes, was proof of the overwhelming presence of violent abolitionists in the North. The result was a North-South split in the Democrat Party, threats of secession if a Republican won, and a four-way presidential race.