Election of 1864
Definition
The Election of 1864 was a significant event in American history where incumbent President Abraham Lincoln was re-elected during the Civil War. His victory signified public approval for his plan to reunify the nation and end slavery.
Analogy
Think of the Election of 1864 as a high-stakes football game played in pouring rain. The country (the team) is divided, but they're still trying to score (win the war and reunite). Lincoln's re-election is like the star player scoring a crucial touchdown, signaling that despite all odds, most people believe in his strategy.
Related terms
Emancipation Proclamation: A declaration by President Lincoln in 1862 that declared slaves in Confederate-held territory were to be set free. This shifted the focus of the war towards ending slavery.
Abraham Lincoln: The 16th president of United States who led the country through its civil war—its bloodiest war and perhaps its greatest moral, constitutional, and political crisis.
Union Party: A short-lived political party formed in 1864 to support Abraham Lincoln's re-election. It was a coalition between Republicans who supported Lincoln and War Democrats who were dissatisfied with their own party's candidate.
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