Abraham Lincoln and the election of 1860 [timeline] 

The presidential election of 1860 was, in the words of eminent Civil War scholar James McPherson, “undeniably the most important – and pivotal – in all of American History.” But the election, which culminated with the election of Abraham Lincoln after a chaotic campaign which saw parties disintegrate, dark horses flourish, and secessionists plot the undoing of the republic itself,

Explore the timeline below to follow along on some of the key moments in the nation’s most momentous campaign.

^{Featured image credit: Photo by Naomi August on Unsplash.}