Changes

{{President

{{Officeholder

|image=Hannibal hamlin.jpg

|image=Hannibal hamlin.jpg

|party=[[Democrat]] (before 1856)<br>[[Republican]] (since 1856)

|party=Republican

|death_date=July 4, 1891 (aged 81)

|spouse=Ellen Vesta Emery Hamlin

|spouse=Ellen Vesta Emery Hamlin

|religion=

|religion=[[Unitarian]]

}}

}}

'''Hannibal Hamlin''' was [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s first [[vice president]]. He was formerly a Senator from (West) Virginia.  Abraham Lincoln later rejected him as a vice president because he wanted a southerner as his running mate for the 1864 election.<ref>[[Fandex]], Workman Publishing, 2002.</ref> He was also a [[governor]] and United States [[Senator]] from [[Maine]].<ref>[http://www.nga.org/cms/home/governors/past-governors-bios/page_maine/col2-content/main-content-list/title_hamlin_hannibal.html National Governors Association: ''Maine Governor Hannibal Hamlin '']</ref>

'''Hannibal Hamlin''' (August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891) was [[Abraham Lincoln]]'s first [[vice president]]. Abraham Lincoln later rejected him as a VP pick because he wanted a southerner as his running mate for the [[United States presidential election, 1864|1864 election]].<ref>[[Fandex]], Workman Publishing, 2002.</ref> Hamlin was also a [[governor]] and United States [[Senator]] from [[Maine]].<ref name=ngaprofile>[https://www.nga.org/governor/hannibal-hamlin/ Gov. Hannibal Hamlin]. ''National Governors Association''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref>

 

Hamlin ran for U.S. Senate in 1941 as a Jacksonian Democrat, though lost massively.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=413239 ME US Senate Race - Jan 28, 1841]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref> Although a member of the [[Democratic Party]] during this period, he was largely a nominal figure, as he consistently opposed [[slavery]].<ref name=maineencyclopedia>[https://maineanencyclopedia.com/hannibal-hamlin/ Hamlin, Hannibal]. ''Maine: An Encyclopedia''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref> He was appointed to the Senate in 1848, and won re-election in 1850.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=413208 ME US Senate Race - Nov 03, 1950]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref>

 

In 1956, Hamlin ran for [[Governors of Maine|Governor of Maine]] and easily won by over twenty percentage points.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=222358 ME Governor Race - Sep 08, 1956]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref> During the election cycle, Hamlin switched party allegiance to join the newly formed [[Republican Party]] which represented [[abolitionists]] like himself.<ref name=ngaprofile/><ref name=maineencyclopedia/>

 

 

In the [[1860 presidential election]], the Lincoln/Hamlin Republican ticket won the general election. As disgruntled Southern Democrats seceded from the Union and the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] ensued, Hamlin proved to be strongly anti-slavery,<ref name=chicagotribune>Witcover, Jules (November 16, 2014). [https://www.chicagotribune.com/columns/sns-201411141300--tms--poltodayctnyq-a20141116-20141116-column.html Lincoln's vice-presidential switch changed history]. ''Chicago Tribune''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref> his ideology in line with the congressional [[Radical Republicans]]. Although not playing a highly significant role in the administration's policies, Hamlin bolstered the agenda as presiding officer in the U.S. Senate.<ref name=snac>[https://snaccooperative.org/ark:/99166/w6k07b2s Hamlin, Hannibal, 1809-1891]. ''Social Networks and Archival Context''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref>

 

In the following election cycle, the GOP led by Lincoln<ref>[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hannibal-Hamlin Hannibal Hamlin]. ''Britannica''. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref> reluctantly turned its back on Hamlin from the Republican presidential ticket due to fears of losing support from War Democrats and Unionists,<ref name=snac/> and the [[Republican National Convention]] instead nominated [[Andrew Johnson]] as the vice presidential pick.<ref name=chicagotribune/> Lincoln told Hamlin at the time:

 

 

Hamlin died in early July 1891. The funeral was described by ''[[The New York Times]]'' as the largest:<ref>July 9, 1891. [https://www.nytimes.com/1891/07/09/archives/hannibal-hamlin-buried-the-largest-funeral-ever-witnessed-in-maine.html HANNIBAL HAMLIN BURIED.; THE LARGEST FUNERAL EVER WITNESSED IN MAINE.]. ''The New York Times''. Archived version available [https://archive.is/ioBem here]. Retrieved August 20, 2021.</ref>

==See also==

==See also==

[[Andrew Johnson]]

*[[Freemasonry and the Andrew Johnson presidency]]

==References==

==References==

{{USVicePresidents}}

{{USVicePresidents}}

[[Category:American Civil War]]

[[Category:American Civil War]]

[[Category:Republican Governors]]

[[Category:Republican Governors]]