Summary of Chapter Six of TEAM OF RIVALS

On January 20, 1855, the worst blizzard in over two decades struck Springfield, which "isolated it from the rest of the state." Snowdrifts stopped trains and mail for a week. Once the snow storm passed, legislature continued.

Sounds like a normal winter day in Michigan.

In the summer of 1855, about six months after the big snow storm that stopped the legislature, there was an important case. A guy named George Harding wanted to patent a reaping machine (whatever that is) but the John Manny Company claimed they claimed the patent before Harding did. Two people who were good with patents (their names were Edward Dickerson and Reverdy Johnson) sided with McCormick and Harding sided with Manny. The outcome would be decided a lot later.

Edward Stanton married Mary Lamson and had 2 kids who were named Lucy and Edward Jr. Stanton's daughter Lucy died after an attack of scarlet fever and three years later in 1844, Mary died from Bilious fever at age 29. Stanton's brother Darwin (a doctor) got "a high fever that impaired his brain", then he later took a sharp, pointy object that only doctors could use and stabbed himself with it and bled to death "in a few moments". Stanton was brought in to see that, and after that he got really sad and depressed.

At the Republican Convention, Lincoln received 110 votes for vice president, only beaten by William Dayton.

In Baltimore, Whigs gathered to support Millard Fillmore for the president.

The general election was a three way tie between a guy named Fremont (the E was supposed to have a thing over it, but I don't know how to do that), James Buchanan, and Millard Fillmore. After all the votes were counted, James Buchanan became the president.

While Seward and Chase were trying to become president, Lincoln ran again for U.S. Senate. The seven debates against Lincoln's rival, Douglas lasted for three hours each. The three hours were split up like this: the first contestant spoke for an hour, the next contestant spoke for an hour and a half, and to conclude, the first contestant would speak again for a half hour. That's a long time.