1840 United States presidential election: Harrison defeats Van Buren

Background. Martin Van Buren, the eighth president, served from 1837 to 1841. He faced a difficult election in 1840, hoping to frame the campaign as a clash between his Independent Treasury system and Henry Clay's support for a national bank. However, the Whig National Convention nominated William Henry Harrison instead of Clay, leveraging Harrison's military fame from the Battle of Tippecanoe and the War of 1812.

Campaign Strategies. Van Buren's campaign utilized the abbreviation 'OK' as a prominent slogan. Conversely, the Whigs adopted 'Tippecanoe and Tyler Too' as their campaign slogan, featuring John Tyler as Harrison's running mate. The Anti-Masonic Party ceased to function independently after the Whigs nominated Harrison, effectively absorbing into the Whig party by 1840. A large rally at the Tippecanoe battle site drew 60,000 people in June 1840.

Conventions and Nominations. The 1840 Democratic National Convention was held in Baltimore in May 1840, where Van Buren easily won renomination, though Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson was not renominated. The 1839 Whig National Convention saw Harrison defeat Henry Clay and Winfield Scott for the nomination. An abolitionist convention in April 1840 selected James Birney and Thomas Earle as their presidential ticket.