By the time of the 1860 presidential election, the country was in a state of turmoil. There were profound differences in the views of citizens over the future of our nation. Many of these differences were strictly based along sectional lines. The division between North and South had never been so apparent. On May 15 1860, the Republican Party held its convention in Chicago's "Wigwam", known for its box-like structure. The front runner for the nomination was William …showed first 75 words of 1402 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1402 total…our nation. It was a culmination of numerous other incidents. This sectional tension had been building up for years. Events such as "Bleeding Kansas", Harper's Ferry, and the Dred Scott decision all contributed to the outbreak of war. The election of 1860 was only the match, which set off an explosion America had never seen before. The war that followed in the years to come would be the bloodiest and most unforgettable event in American history.