In the spring of 2016, CNN premiered a series on six of the most hotly contested presidential elections in American history. The episodes showcased the backbiting, back-room deals, ambition, and sometimes even fraud that accompanied these presidential campaigns. One election that CNN failed to examine, however, was the Election of 1864, an election that had major consequences for a nation at war. By examining the primary and secondary source material and participating in the student lessons contained in this site, students will be able to critically answer the following questions: How did the context of the time impact the election? How did the election reveal the divisions within the Union? In what ways were the election results a referendum on the Civil War itself? What might have happened if McClellan had won the election?
This site was created by China Harvey. Ms. Harvey teaches AP US History and Contemporary Issues at Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, California.
