1. The nation existed with the Democratic Party and the Whig Party, until 1854. At that point, the Kansas-Nebraska Act fell into play, and within a year....the Whig Party had divided into two new parties.
The American Party formed up around mostly southern former Whig Party members....claiming to be conservatives in nature. It's safe to say they were pro-slavery. By 1860, they had renamed themselves the Constitutional Union Party.
The Republican Party formed up around mostly northern former Whit Party members....claiming to be conservatives in nature. It's safe to say they were against slaver.
2. In 1860 at the Democratic Party convention...things got heated, and screwed up. By the end of the week....the guaranteed 'win' for Stephen Douglas had failed, and no candidate emerged out of the convention.
The convention (out of Charleston) failed. A second convention held two months later....in Baltimore...got Douglas his nomination. But the sentiment by southern Democrats was negative....so they met in a hotel, and had a 3rd Convention-like meeting.
The result was the creation of the Southern Democratic Party, with John Breckenridge selected.
3. The Republican count for the primary? Eight. Seward was viewed from day one as the likely winner, with Chase running a close second.
Where Seward lost his 'chance'? Well....he made a number of speeches prior to the convention which hinted that war was the only way to end slavery in America, and this apparently scared the crap out of a fair number of Republicans.
So Chase should have moved up a notch? Well....he would have....except he was a 1800s-form of RINO (actually a former Democrat) and selling his brand/message at the convention became difficult.
Where Lincoln surged? Mostly on speeches given over the past two years.
4. The selling point of the Constitutional Union Party? They did everything possible to avoid making slavery a main part of their message.
5. Lincoln winning with only 40-percent of the national vote? Yes. Douglas, who was viewed as the favorite twelve months prior? He managed only 29-percent of the national vote.
6. Margin of a win for Virginia.....roughly 160 votes (Bell won over Breckenridge). Lincoln took only 1-percent of the votes that day.
7. Less than 1,000 votes made the difference in California....where Lincoln won over Douglas.
8. Lincoln was the ONLY candidate listed for New Jersey/New York.
9. The South Carolina Legislature voted for the EC delegates....not the general public.
10. Roughly 250 votes made the difference for the Lincoln win in Oregon (against Breckenridge).
Note: There were 303 EC delegates....so you needed 152 to win. Lincoln won with 28 EC votes to spare.
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