Roman philosopher Pliny the Elder is often credited with the quote "Home is where the heart is."
As Americans prepared to go to the polls in 1860 to elect a new president, how and where they defined "home" would have a weighty and direct impact on who would be chosen to lead the country immediately following the turbulent 1850s.
First, the party conventions would have to decide which candidates would run for the presidency. Second, Americans would make their choice. Sounds easy, right?
Not so fast. What happens when a national convention completely falls apart?
In less than 12 months, four different candidates would be nominated for president, while portions of the country threatened to leave the Union if their man did not win.
And during it all, the current sitting chief executive, President James Buchanan, must decide if there was anything that could be done or should be done as the United States tumbles forward the specter of civil war.
Episode 5 of BREAKING NATION is now available… Stars and Banners. Buckle in for the latest long form podcast episode that examines the Civil War as if we didn't know how it would all turn out.
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