Booklet, "Lincoln Campaign Songster", 1864

Nineteenth-century political campaigns made frequent use of songbooks to spread positive images of their candidate and party, or mocking tunes poking fun at opponents. Abraham Lincoln’s presidential campaigns provided a large amount of imagery and easy rhymes, and helped create many clever songs, like those contained in this classic songster. In a complicated four-way race, Lincoln’s Republicans defeated John Breckenridge, Stephen A Douglas, and John Bell.