fandomhigh | Hands On History of the American Civil War, Monday, Period 2

There was no historically inaccurate movie for the kids to watch this week. Or maybe it was accurate. You don't know what Lincoln did or didn't do. He was an enigma.

Just kidding, there are a million biographies on the man.

"Today we'll be trying to set the record straight about Lincoln," Goody said. Because he was Southern and not a vampire. Ergo proof that movie was false. "I cannot believe someone would make a movie about that. For the life of me."

"Remind me to show you the plot breakdowns of some of the other movies out there," Nathan replied, faintly amused. "Lincoln hunting vampires is fairly reasonable, compared to some."

Compared to many. Human imagination was a horrifying place.

"...I'll be sure to bring the whiskey," Goody said, looking suitably concerned about this. Yes, just discussing the drinking on front of your class, guys.

Sometimes it was the only way to stay sane, in this century.

"I'm going to hold you to that," Nathan decided, shooting Goody his most reassuring grin. It was not terribly reassuring. "For now, Lincoln. And just so that we can get as far from possible from his vampire hunting exploits, we're going to be talking politics. The presidential election of 1864, to be exact."

"The war began when Lincoln was elected the first time, and the Confederacy was damned hopeful it'd end if he lost the next election," Goody said. "None of the people North or South were much pleased by the on-going war. Casualties on both sides were higher than anyone could have predicted."

They could have predicted it, they just didn't want to.

"If I remember, wasn't that idiot McClellan running in this one?"

"That would be correct," Nathan confirmed. "Running on a platform that promised to bring the war to a quick end. A peace candidate, if you will."

Goodnight snorted at that. "Sounds right for the lil' Napoleon," he muttered. "Now, Lincoln's election was no sure thing. History books have painted the man in far nicer terms than I recall papers from the day. And it hadn't been since Andrew Jackson that a president was re-elected for a second term."

"Of course, the geography of the election was different than it had been in the past as well," Nathan noted. "Because the war was still ongoing, none of the electoral votes that were counted came from any of the eleven states who had joined the Confederates."

"On top of all that, there were draft riots and Early's little incursion into the Valley," Goody added. "Just to put the Union on edge leading up to the election."

"Nothing puts people quite on edge like rampaging around civilian towns, demanding money, and burning them to the ground if they don't pay up," Nathan added, helpfully. "And Jubal Early was a damn cockroach. We had to beat him a few times before he went slinking away again."

Which meant Goody was forced, as a southerner, to bring up the March to the Sea now. "Luckily for Lincoln, Sherman captured Atlanta," he said dryly. Because he couldn't (wouldn't, really) defend Early there.

And Nathan wasn't exactly jumping up to defend Sherman, either. "The timing was definitely on Lincoln's side, there," he said, instead. "Taking Atlanta just two months before the election gave people in the Union states renewed faith that he could win the war, and took the wind out of the sails of McClellan's peace campaign somewhat."

"And on the Confederate side?" Goody chimed in, tilting his head like he was thinking about it. "Well, that'll be a subject for next week. But it's safe to say that Lincoln's first election was the catalyst to secession and his second election was a death knell of the rebellion."

"While Lincoln won the popular vote by around 400,000 votes," Nathan noted, "he took the electoral college in a landslide. He had 212 to McClellan's 21 electoral college votes, making it a decisive win." He grinned faintly at the class. "So, this week, we're going to run an election campaign."

Sort of.

"I'll start the music," Goody said brightly. Yes. This was going to be A Thing, children.

"Excellent." Nathan clapped his hands and grinned at the room. "Because this whole decade was what I like to affectionately refer to as 'absolutely insane,' we're going to have a campaign to match. What we're going to do is play a little game of musical chairs. You circle the chairs while the music plays, and when Mr. Robicheaux here stops the music, you all take a seat. Of course, there'll be one seat fewer than the number of people playing, so one of you will be left standing."

He waved a hand to direct the students toward their chairs.

"Whoever is left standing has to deliver a campaign speech," he continued. "Right there. Right off the cuff. Really sell yourself as the next president of, I don't know, the classroom. Then, when your speech is done, come sit off to the side, we'll start the music again, and do the whole thing over with whoever is left."

American politics!

[OOC: Open!]