Year of Meteors

Archival Summary & Scope

Predicted to easily win the 1860 presidential election, Stephen A. Douglas saw his chances collapse as the Democratic party fractured over slavery. This opened the door for Abraham Lincoln, a dark horse Republican, to secure the presidency with just 39.8% of the popular vote, propelling the nation toward disunion.

In *Year of Meteors*, acclaimed scholar Douglas R. Egerton vividly chronicles these unforeseen events. With historical insight and political detail, he illuminates Lincoln's strategic rise, the unraveling of Democratic conventions, and Douglas's poignant, ultimately failed efforts to save the Union. This fast-paced narrative, featuring a rich cast of characters, reveals how this pivotal election irrevocably changed American history.