The Election of 1840 was contested between two main candidates: William Henry Harrison of the Whig Party and Martin Van Buren of the Democratic Party. The Whig Party was a new party that had formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson, while the Democratic Party was more established and had been in power for several years.
Harrison ran on a platform of economic growth and national unity, emphasizing his military record and portraying himself as a man of the people. Van Buren, on the other hand, campaigned on his record as president, touting his successful handling of the economy and his commitment to states' rights.
The campaign was particularly significant because it marked the first time that a truly national campaign was run, with candidates campaigning across the entire country rather than just in their home regions. It was also one of the first presidential campaigns to employ the use of political slogans and other modern campaign techniques.
In the end, Harrison won the election by a wide margin, becoming the first Whig Party candidate to win the presidency. Despite his victory, however, Harrison's presidency would be short-lived, as he died just 32 days after taking office, making him the shortest-serving president in American history.