I Could Have Been Somebody (Part 2) Quiz

Answer: 1848

In the Election of 1848, the Whig Party ran Zachary Taylor (1784-1850), a career (1808-1848) officer in the US Army against the Democratic Party nominee, Lewis Cass (1782-1866) of Michigan, who had previously served as Territorial Governor and US Senator from that state.

In this relatively close election, both candidates each won states in several sections of the country. Taylor defeated Cass in the popular vote (2.9 million votes), 47.3% to 42.5%. In the Electoral college, Taylor won 15 states with 163 votes to the 15 states and 127 votes. Former President Martin Van Buren ran as a candidate of the Free Soil party, winning no electoral votes, but 10.1% of the popular vote.

Answer: 1844

Important issues in the election of 1844 included the annexation of Texas and addition of the Oregon Country to the United States. The Democrats nominated James K. Polk (1795-1849) of Tennessee and the Whigs nominated Henry Clay of Kentucky. Running for President for the third time, Clay lost for the third time, winning 11 states and 105 electoral votes to 15 states and 170 electoral votes for Polk.

The results in the popular vote (2.6 million) were closer with Polk (49.5%) narrowly edging Clay (48.1%). James Birney, running again as the candidate of the Liberty Party, won 2.3% of the popular vote.

It is believed that the votes he won in several states including New York may have helped Polk to defeat Clay.

Answer: 1860

The election of 1860 occurred shortly before (and helped to spark) the US Civil War. In its second Presidential campaign, the Republican Party nominated former Congressman Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) of Illinois. The Democratic nomination is more complex.

After the first 1860 convention in Charleston, SC, failed to officially nominated a candidate, in two separate conventions both in Baltimore, MD, Northern Democrats nominated Senator Stephen A. Douglas (1813-1861) of Illinois and Southern Democrats nominated Vice President John C. Breckinridge (1821-1875) of Kentucky. Finally, a group calling itself the Constitutional Union Party nominated former Senator John Bell (1796-1869) of Tennessee.

This election was extremely section with the race in northern states being largely Lincoln v. Douglas and in the southern states, Breckinridge v. Bell. Out of 4.7 million popular votes cast, Lincoln won a plurality at 39.8%, followed by Douglas at 29.5%, Breckinridge at 18.1%, and Bell at 12.6%. Lincoln earned a majority of votes in the Electoral College with 18 states and 180 votes, compared to 11 states and 72 votes for Breckinridge, three states (Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee) for Bell, and 12 votes (Missouri and three out of seven votes in New Jersey) for Douglas.

Answer: 1856

The issue of slavery would dominate the election of 1856. Sitting President Franklin Pierce would seek the Democratic Party's nomination for a second term but proved too unpopular to succeed. Instead, former Senator James Buchanan (1791-1868) of Pennsylvania would represent the Democrats against former Army officer John C. Fremont (1813-1890) of California. Former President Millard Fillmore (1800-1874) of New York was run as a candidate for the American (or Know-Nothing) Party, which was focused on the issue of nativism.

Interestingly, Fillmore, who had not sought this nomination, was not a member of the American Party and focused on issues of national unity rather than nativism. Buchanan won in the Electoral College, with 19 states and 174 votes to eleven states and 114 votes for Fremont and the eight votes of Maryland for Fillmore.

In the popular vote (4.1 million), Buchanan secured a plurality (45.3%) compared to 33.1% for Fremont and 21.5% for Fillmore. This was a very sectional election with almost all of Fremont's support coming from the north and a large majority of Buchanan's support coming from states in the south and lower north.

Answer: 1872

By 1872, many people were concerned that although Ulysses S Grant himself was personally honest there was a great deal of corruption in his administration. Nevertheless, the Republican Party renominated him. Dissatisfied members of the Republican Party organized a Liberal Republican Party which nominated Horace Greeley (1811-1872) of New York, publisher of the "New York Tribune". Rather than nominate their own candidate, the Democratic Party endorsed Greeley.

In one of the most lopsided elections of the 19th century, Grant won 55.6% of the popular vote (6.5 million votes) to 43.8% for Greeley. Horace Greeley died after the popular election but before the members of the Electoral College cast their ballots. Because of this, the six states that he won cast 63 of their 66 votes for four different candidates (Thomas Hendricks, Benjamin Gratz Brown, Charles Jenkins, and David Davis). Greeley still received three votes but these votes were disqualified because of his death. Grant won 29 states and 286 votes.

In addition, 14 votes from Arkansas and Louisiana were pledged to Grant but not counted.

Answer: 1864

The election of 1864 would be influenced by the Civil War which was taking place. The national Republican Party would temporarily rename itself the National Union Party and nominate Abraham Lincoln for a second term. The Democratic Party would nominate former General George McClellan (1826-1885) of New Jersey, who would later serve as governor of that state. Though the Democratic platform called for an end to the war, McClellan personally favored securing Union victory in the war. McClellan lost badly in the Electoral College with three states (New Jersey, Delaware, and Kentucky) and 21 electoral votes to 22 states and 221 electoral votes for Lincoln.

In addition, the partially Reconstructed states of Louisiana and Tennessee chose electors who voted for Lincoln although those votes were ultimately not counted. McClellan faired better with the popular vote (4.0 million votes), winning 45.0% to Lincoln's 55.0%.

Answer: 1852

The election of 1852 would see the last Presidential Election in the Second Party System as the politics of slavery would change the landscape. The Democrats nominated former Senator Franklin Pierce (1804-1869) of New Hampshire and the the Whigs nominated Winfield Scott (1786-1866), a career officer (1808-1861) in the US Army.

In the Electoral College, Pierce won 27 states and 254 electoral votes to four states (Vermont, Massachusetts, Kentucky, and Tennessee) and 42 electoral votes for Scott. The results for the popular vote (3.2 million votes) were closer: Pierce defeated Scott by 50.8% to 43.9%. Senator John Hale (1806-1873) of New Hampshire, running on behalf of the Free Soil Party did not win any electoral votes, but did win 4.9% of the popular vote.

Answer: 1868

The election of 1868 was a referendum on the US government's policy of "reconstruction". The Republican Party nominated General Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) and the Democratic Party nominated Governor Horatio Seymour (1810-1886) of New York. The states of Texas, Mississippi, and Virginia were still considered "unreconstructed" and did not participate in this election.

In the Electoral College, the election was a triumph for Grant who won 26 states and 214 votes compared to 8 states and 80 votes for Seymour.

The division of the popular vote (5.7 million votes) was closer with Grant winning 52.7% compared to 47.3% for Seymour. This election saw significant numbers of African-American voters due to the First Reconstruction Act.

Answer: 1876

The election of 1876 would lead to the end of Reconstruction in the United States. The Republican Party nominated Governor Rutherford B. Hayes (1822-1893) of Ohio. The Democratic Party nominated Governor Samuel J. Tilden (1814-1886) of New York. This election was close and saw a very high degree of voter turnout (81.8%). In terms of the popular vote (8.4 million votes), Tilden won 50.9% to 47.9% for Hayes. The results in the electoral college are more complex. There is a general consensus that Tilden won 17 states with 184 electoral votes and Hayes won at least 18 states with at least 165 votes.

What was uncertain were the 19 votes for Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina, plus one electoral voter from Oregon who had been replaced for being "an elected or appointed official". The three southern states still had Reconstruction governments are there was some uncertainty who had won the states. In Oregon, the governor claimed that one of the electors (pledged to Hayes) was, as a postmaster, ineligible, and replaced him with an elector pledged to Tilden. This situation was turned over to an election commission made up of five members of the House of Representatives, five members of the Senate, and five justices from the Supreme Court. In a party-line vote,the commission decided eight-seven to award all 20 electoral votes to Hayes, giving him a bare majority 185-184 over Tilden.


The Greenback Party nominated industrialist Peter Cooper (1791-1883), who won 1.0% of the popular vote, though none of the electoral votes. Tilden was philosophical about his loss, stating, "I can retire to public life with the consciousness that I shall receive from posterity the credit of having been elected to the highest position in the gift of the people, without any of the cares and responsibilities of the office."

Answer: 1840

The election of 1840 was a rematch between William Henry Harrison of Ohio and incumbent President Martin Van Buren (1782-1862) of New York. Before serving as President, Van Buren had been a US Seantor, Secretary of State, and Vice President (the latter two under Andrew Jackson). With a troubled economy dominating the elction, Harrison won the popular vote (2.4 million) 52.9% to 46.8%.

In the Electoral College, Harrison 19 states with 234 votes to seven states with 60 votes for Van Buren. James Birney (1792-1857) of New York won 0.3% of the popular vote as the candidate for the Liberty Party, the first US political party focused on anti-slavery issues.

This election is also important because of the amount of speeches, slogans, songs, and campaign souvenirs that were produced. Harrison was the first candidate advertised as being born in a log cabin.