James Buchanan Timeline

Violence between pro-slavery and antislavery settlers raged in Kansas Territory. Buchanan endorsed the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution, deepening the split within the Democratic Party and alienating Northern Democrats like Stephen Douglas.

Image source: Bleeding Kansas

James Buchanan took the oath of office on the Capitol's east portico, becoming the 15th president and the only president from Pennsylvania. In his inaugural address, he expressed hope that the Supreme Court would settle the slavery question.

Image source: Inauguration of James Buchanan

Two days after Buchanan's inauguration, the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and Congress could not bar slavery from territories. Buchanan had hinted at the decision in his inaugural address, having learned of it beforehand, which inflamed Northern outrage.

Image source: Dred Scott v. Sandford

Buchanan sent federal troops to Utah Territory to assert authority over Brigham Young's Mormon community, fearing rebellion. The largely bloodless conflict ended with a negotiated settlement after a winter standoff.

Image source: Utah War

A financial crisis triggered by the failure of Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company plunged the nation into a severe depression. Buchanan took a limited-government approach, refusing to intervene substantially, which drew criticism as unemployment soared.

Image source: Panic of 1857

While Buchanan presided, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debated slavery's expansion across Illinois. Douglas's victory weakened Buchanan's hold on the Democratic Party, while Lincoln's national profile rose dramatically.

Image source: Lincoln–Douglas debates

Abolitionist John Brown seized the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to spark a slave uprising. Federal troops under Robert E. Lee captured him, and his execution further polarized North and South during Buchanan's presidency.

Image source: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry

The Democratic Party fractured at its Charleston convention over slavery, with Southern delegates walking out. The party split into Northern and Southern factions, effectively guaranteeing Republican victory and dooming Buchanan's legacy.

Image source: 1860 Democratic National Conventions

Lincoln's victory without any Southern support convinced Southern leaders that their interests were no longer safe in the Union. Buchanan, a lame duck, faced an escalating secession crisis in his final months.

Image source: 1860 United States presidential election

Following Lincoln's election, South Carolina declared secession, followed by six more Southern states before Buchanan left office. Buchanan declared secession illegal but also believed the federal government lacked power to coerce states, taking little decisive action.

Image source: South Carolina Declaration of Secession

Buchanan ordered the unarmed merchant ship Star of the West to reinforce Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. South Carolina batteries fired on the ship, forcing it to turn back — widely considered the first shots of the Civil War.

Image source: Star of the West

Seven seceding states formed the Confederate States of America, electing Jefferson Davis as president. Buchanan handed Lincoln a nation on the brink of civil war, having failed to resolve the crisis.

Image source: Confederate States of America

Leaving office deeply unpopular, Buchanan retired to his estate, Wheatland, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He watched the Civil War unfold and supported the Union cause, though many blamed him for failing to prevent the conflict.

Image source: Wheatland (James Buchanan House)

Just weeks after Buchanan left office, Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter, igniting the Civil War. Critics blamed Buchanan's indecisiveness for emboldening secessionists during the interregnum.

Image source: Battle of Fort Sumter

Buchanan published 'Mr. Buchanan's Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion,' a book defending his handling of the secession crisis. It received harsh reviews and did little to rehabilitate his reputation.

Image source: Mr. Buchanan's Administration on the Eve of the Rebellion

Buchanan died of respiratory failure at age 77 at his home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was buried in Woodward Hill Cemetery. Historians have consistently ranked him among the worst presidents due to his failure to address the secession crisis.