James Buchanan has long been regarded as one of the most ineffective leaders in American history, often cited by historians as a clear example of how poor leadership can accelerate a national crisis rather than resolve it. Rising to power during a time of deep political and social division, Buchanan inherited a country already strained by growing tensions between the North and South, particularly over the issue of slavery. His election victory in 1856 against John C. Frémont and Millard Fillmore initially gave many Americans hope that he could act as a stabilizing force, someone capable of navigating the fragile...
Continues…