The Role Of The 1960 Election In The United States

The presidential election of 1860 set the stage for the American Civil war. By 1860, the nation had been divided mostly up to that point regarding questions of states’ rights and slavery in the territories. Southerners were outraged over the plan by abolitionist, John Brown, to start a slave rebellion at Harper Ferry, Virginia. This event garnered headlines all over the nation in newspapers and magazines. On the other hand, the Northern Republic seemed equally anger by the Supreme Court decision in the case of Dred Scott v. Stanford, which declared free soil unconstitutional. The Northern Democrats, however, struggled to persuade the Americans that their policy of popular sovereignty still made since.

In November of 1860, the presidential election was one of the most momentous in the history of the United States. The land was split between North and the South and was smoldering for almost a decade. The candidates for the presidential election of 1860 were Abraham Lincoln, Republican, John Breckinridge, Southern Democrat, John Bell, Constitutional Union, and Stephen Douglas, Northern Democratic. Abraham Lincoln was against the increase of slavery into the new territories. Lincoln did not receive one vote from the south, but he did win over 50% of the Electoral College votes so Lincoln won the presidency to become the 16th President of the United States. Abraham Lincoln was known as one of America’s greatest heroes because of his inconceivable impact on our nation and his unique appeal. Lincoln was a captain in the military and a lawyer all before becoming the 16th President of the United States. Lincoln was one of two U.S. presidents who was assassinated while in office. Lincoln was also the president during the roughest part of American history, the Civil War. Lincoln was heavily in favor of abolishing slavery and so most of the citizens in the northern states of the U.S... On the other hand, the south had large plantations and favored slavery because the slaves worked for free and made plantation owners and other farmers a staggering amount of profit. The slaves were not treated as human beings; therefore, the slaves were mistreated. Slave owners often beat their slaves

The 1960’s era was known as being called the “Golden Age”. The 1960’s were a time for change, counter culture, and political movements. One of the most important events that occurred during the 1960’s was the presidential election between Richard Nixon and John F Kennedy. During this election, the Cold War between the Soviet Union and United States was the main focus. Also at this time there was a rise in the civil rights movement. The election of 1960 was a changing point in American history.

he would be able to end the war. "We will be able to end the war by a simple

King wasn’t the only person to become an icon during the 1960s as the United states of America's youngest president John F. Kennedy makes his debut in this decade. With all these events it supports the American personality of being determined to overcome any adversity displays in the science and domestic politics are of 1960.

America has always been a proud nation full of nationalism as well. The people, looked up to their government and their presidents for what to do during the dark days of depression, war, economic shutdown, and communism. The people knew who their enemies were or at least had a description. America never truly had a reason to doubt their leaders, those were the people who lead the nation to victory. Then there was a blow, a crisis that flipped everyone’s views and values upside down. There was an enemy that needed to be defeated, needed to , for this moment was that the so called enemy was the president himself, Richard Nixon.

The 1960 Presidential Election was historic in its new approaches to media and television's ability to capture the future leader of America live for the first time. Previous presidents had been listened to via radio, and seen in retrospect in movie theaters, particularly during World War II, but 1960 was the first time the majority of Americans were able to watch their future President debate his opponent and feel the immediate reactions of the American people afterward. Most Americans received their news by newspaper and word of mouth, so to be able to see the presidential candidate debate live was a luxury of the modern age. It is said now that John F Kennedy potentially won the 1960 election because of his excellent debate performances and how he appeared on television. Richard Nixon, the Vice-President, looked awful as he had foregone make-up, and he was nervous in his responses. The feelings of the time are encapsulated in the newspapers of the time. Comparing and contrasting six different articles from two different points of view will show how newspapers at the time treated this very important election, and how they each react in the immediate aftermath of Kennedy's victory will show what the country was thinking as they voted on that November day.

The presidential election that took place in 1960 was an interesting one. Newcomer, John F. Kennedy verses the Vice President, Richard M. Nixon. It was experimental with its trail of televised debates. It also marked the second in which a catholic had run for president and more importantly the first in which a catholic attained victory.

The First Modern Campaign: Kennedy, Nixon, and the Election of 1960 was written by Gary A. Donaldson. It was published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers in the United States in 2007 and it is 199 pages long. The central thesis of the book is that the 1960 presidential election marked a turning point in how presidential candidates convinced people to vote for them. Donaldson places a major emphasis on the role that image played in this election. John F. Kennedy had a fantastic image, which was manufactured by public relations people and broadcasted to the nation by television, and it certainly was a factor in his victory. Donaldson clearly shows that this election was unlike any other before it in history. He used over 100 sources from archival collections, interviews, books, articles, and government documents to make this argument on both Kennedy’s and Nixon’s campaign, as well as Johnson’s campaign.

The sixties seemed to challenge basic American assumptions; the value of hard work and of traditional family values. “Middle” America formed 55% of the population, earning between $5000 and $15000 p.a. They lived between the city slums and the affluent suburbs, and were usually up to their eyes in debt. They wanted the law to protect them and their property. They believed in good manners, in respect for authority and the flag. The changes of the sixties left many of them confused and angry. They were not sure who to blame for social unrest. They were the silent minority that Nixon appealed to in his election campaign, and they helped him to victory. They were the resentment and reaction byproduct of social unrest. They worked to ensure their property and found it unfair that the government gave money to the people that did not work as much as they did. They wanted law and order. They wanted a state that provided security, response to the insecurity they felt in face of the students movement and the liberal culture. They felt ignored by the democrat government because they did not benefit from the financial help, house and health security.

The United States had appeared to be dominated by consensus and conformity in the 1950s. As the commotions of the first half of the century ended, people were relieved but faced oncoming internal issues. The Great Depression and the two Great Wars caused people to seek tranquility and harmony. The fifties were the decade of change led by president Eisenhower. During this time the nation was in an up rise in many ways. The economy was booming as the Gross National Product more than doubled from the past decade. Thus there was a rise in consumer spending which had a domino effect on the economy. Though it was unexpected, many issues arrived such as the fear of communism and the suspicion of communists hiding in the government. At this period

allies, Americans again developed a need for strong and decisive leadership in the executive office. With the elections of former WWII General Dwight D. Eisenhower and later on the young and handsome John F. Kennedy,

From 1946-1964 there was a sudden growth in population known as the baby boomers. There was a rise of the younger generation that skyrocketed and made a large population of the United States. “Tom Hayden and Students For a Democratic Society” from The Movements of The New Left: A Brief History With Documents and “Young Americans For Freedom” from The Rise of Conservatism in America have many similarities and differences. Both articles aim to get the voices from the younger generation (at the time) to stand up for their rights and beliefs. They were going to be the change in the generation to come. They were in it together, but from the two articles the perspectives were different. Both groups were looking for their voices to be heard and influential

The ‘60s were the age of youth, as millions of children’s from post World War II became teenagers and rebelled against the conservative fifties. Denying civil rights to African-Americans and liberation to teenagers in previous

During the sixties, there was a huge generation gap between the parents, who became adults around World War II, and the children, baby-boomers, who came of age in the 1950s and 1960s. Due to the generation gap, the younger generation grew farther apart from their parents and the older age group. The younger people believed that the older generation was too inhibited and too materialistic. For the most part, the baby boomers simply refused to accept the world-view of the older generation without questioning it. They broke with the political persuasions of their