Video: 'Election Night 1856: James Buchanan Vs John Frémont Vs Millard Fillmore'

(Tuesday, November 4, 1856, during the 1856 United States presidential election) — Democratic former Secretary of State James Buchanan of Pennsylvania was elected President of the United States today over Republican former Senator John C. Fremont of California.

Video: 'The American Presidential Election of 1856'

Buchanan and his running mate, Rep. John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky, defeated Frémont and his running mate, U.S. Sen. William Dayton of New Jersey, 45.3-33.1% in the national popular vote, giving them a 174-114 victory in the Electoral College (electoral votes cast on Dec. 3, 1856, and tabulated by a joint session of Congress on Feb. 11, 1857).

Video: 'The Election of 1856 Explained'

Former President Millard Fillmore and his running mate, former U.S. Envoy to Prussia Andrew J. Donelson, received 21.5% of the popular vote and eight electoral votes on the American (Know-Nothing) Party ticket.

Buchanan and Breckinridge would be sworn in for their first four-year term on March 4, 1857.