Assignment 1

John Bell was a politician from Tennessee and a wealthy slaveholder. Bell served for the United States in multiple posistions including The House of Representatives and Senste. John Bell was born in Mill Creek, Tennessee and graduated from Cumberland University where he studied law. He first participated in politics in 1817 when he ran for Tennessee state senate and served a single term. Then from 1827 to 1841 he served for Tennessees 9th congressional district in the House of Representatives. When the election of 1860 came around, the Whig party had crashed but John Bell wanted to preserve the Whigs becoming a presidential candidate In the the United States Constitutional Union Party and opposed the spreading of slavery; although he was a large slaveholder himself. Abraham Lincoln won the election but Bell had 39% of the Souths votes and 13% of total votes. Following the election, Bell traveled to Washington D.C. To meet Mr. Lincoln and help to keep Tennessee in the Union.