Who served as the youngest Vice President during the Civil War?

The correct answer is John Breckenridge, who was the youngest Vice President during the Civil War. Breckenridge was born in 1821 and served as Vice President under James Buchanan from 1857 to 1861. His age at the time of taking office made him notably younger than his predecessors and contemporaries in that role.

Hannibal Hamlin, who served under Abraham Lincoln prior to Breckenridge's term, was older and does not hold the distinction of being the youngest. Andrew Johnson, who became Vice President in 1865, was also older than Breckenridge when he took office. George Clinton, serving much earlier as Vice President under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, predates the Civil War entirely and thus is not related to this specific question about that period. Breckenridge’s role during such a tumultuous time in American history further highlights the significance of his youth and the pivotal decisions he had to navigate.