On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, Americans will head to the polls to elect its next president, as they have been doing every four years since 1788. This time, though, the feeling will be different. This time, the nation approaches the election with trepidation. With austerity and candor, Dana Bash and David Fisher tell us how we can learn from our nation's history–namely, from the Louisiana Gubernatorial Election of 1872–for a brighter, more equitable future, outlining: Early American elections, which were raucous, generally peaceful and happy affairs; how a wealthy planter named George Washington plied voters with over 150 gallons of alcohol–and won his seat; and the results of the Revolutionary War and the Constitution on the future of American politics and the 2024 election.