Douglas/Johnson Campaign Ribbon

Description:

In the 1860 presidential election, the last before the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the Democratic party split into two wings which ran separate tickets. The northern Democratic wing believed that the nation did not have to engage in a direct conflict over slavery, but could resolve its tensions locally. The chief representative of this view Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, ran for president, with Herschel Johnson of Georgia as a running mate. Although Douglas had many friends and allies in the south, he was seen as insufficiently pro-slavery by many in the southern wing of his party. After a tough, four-way campaign, Douglas won the second most popular votes, after Abraham Lincoln, but beat John Breckenridge and John Bell. He died shortly after the campaign.

Used: Political Campaigns

Subject:

See more items in: Political and Military History: Political History, Campaign Collection, Government, Politics, and Reform, American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith

Exhibition: American Democracy

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2015.0200.094Accession Number: 2015.0200Catalog Number: 2015.0200.094

Object Name: ribbon

Measurements: overall: 8 1/4 in x 3 in; 20.955 cm x 7.62 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b4-2514-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1762355

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