In 1860, Abraham Lincoln, John Cabell Breckinridge, John Bell and Stephen Arnold Douglas ran for U.S. presidency. Lincoln came in first place with 39.9 percent of the popular vote. Following him was Stephen Arnold who had 29.4 percent of the popular votes. John Cabell Breckinridge had 18.1 percent and John Bell had 12.6 percent of votes. In total there were 303 electoral votes for the 1860 elections. Abraham Lincoln had 180 electoral votes, while Breckinridge had 72 votes. John Bell ended up with 39 electoral votes. Douglas had 12 votes. the next elections for presidency was in 1864. Once again, Lincoln was one of the candidates. This time his opponent was George Brinton McClellan from the Democratic party. Lincoln represented the Republican party.
Mr. Lincoln had about 55 percent of the electoral votes from 233. McClellan had 44.9 percent. Eighty electoral votes weren't cast. In order to win you needed 117 of the votes. Lincoln had 212 electoral votes making him the U.S. president once more.
Abraham Lincoln's first term in office was between 1861 and 1865. During those years, Hannibal Hamlin was the vice president. In 1865, the second time that Lincoln was voted for president of the United States, the vice president was Andrew Johnson. Between 1861 and 1865, the Secretary of State was William H. Seward while the Secretary of the Navy was Gideon Welles. Salmon P. Chase held the position of Secretary of the Treasury from 1861 to 1864; William Fessenden held it after Chase until 1865. In that year Hugh McCulloch possessed the same office. The years 1861 and 1862 were spent with Simon Cameron as a Secretary of W ar; Edwin M. Stanton occupied that rank after Cameron until 1865. Edward Bates was the Attorney General from Lincoln's first year of presidency until 1864. Then, came James Speed until 1865. Montgomery Blair and William Dennison were Postmaster Generals. The Secretary of the Interior of the United States was Caleb B. Smith from 1861 through 1863 and John P. Usher from 1863 through 1865.
Lincoln governed during a very difficult period in U.S. history. Therefore many of his choices had a great impact on the population. He is accounted for many notable events. During Lincoln's presidency, the southern states seceded from the U.S. and the Great Civil War between the North and South commenced. With Lincoln's help, the North succeeded after four years of fighting; in April 1865, the South surrendered. Shortly thereafter, Lincoln signed a peace treaty with the South. He treated them very fairly. He even let southern officials return home. Abraham Lincoln also built the Republican Party into a strong national organization. He controlled much of the union's actions. He also rallied a large amount of the northern Democrats to the union cause. Lincoln ordered for confederate envoys to be freed. This way he avoided conflict with Great Britain. Finally on January 1, 1863, Lincoln said the well known "Emancipation Proclamation." With that speech he accomplished his main goal to free confederacy slaves. In 1864 Lincoln was reelected.
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