Who were the main candidates in the presidential election of 1856?

In the presidential election of 1856, the main candidates were John C. Fremont and James Buchanan. John C. Fremont was the candidate representing the newly formed Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery into the territories. James Buchanan, on the other hand, was the candidate from the Democratic Party, and he advocated for allowing the territories to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty.

Fremont's campaign was notable for its anti-slavery stance, appealing to a growing coalition of anti-slavery Whigs, Democrats who were disenchanted with their party, and Free Soil supporters. His candidacy marked a significant moment in American political history as it was one of the first times the Republican Party ran a presidential candidate, representing a shift in the political landscape towards an anti-slavery agenda.

Buchanan won the election, but Fremont's performance indicated the rising tensions regarding slavery, foreshadowing events that would lead to the Civil War. This election was critical as it set the stage for the increasingly polarized political climate in the United States during the late 1850s.