Question

What is the significance of James Buchanan?

My answer: James Buchanan is significant because he won the election of 1856 and became the president of the United States.

Answer 1

Well, yes of course, but you really need to consider what was going on from early 1857 to early 1861. Those were the 4 years before Lincoln took office and the Civil War began. This guy Buchanan was no Abraham Lincoln and certainly did nothing to prevent the oncoming war. He left an awesome mess to clean up.