The Election of 1860

The Whig Party The northern wing of the Whig Party had become antislavery The southern wing was proslavery The result of the break up was the creation of the Republican Party in 1854 The party was made up of antislavery Whigs and Democrats The northern wing of the Whig Party had become antislavery The southern wing was proslavery The result of the break up was the creation of the Republican Party in 1854 The party was made up of antislavery Whigs and Democrats

The Democratic candidates that ran for President in 1860 were Stephen Douglas of Illinois (L) and then Vice President John Breckenridge of Kentucky Douglas was antislavery and Breckenridge was proslavery The Democratic candidates that ran for President in 1860 were Stephen Douglas of Illinois (L) and then Vice President John Breckenridge of Kentucky Douglas was antislavery and Breckenridge was proslavery

With the split in Democratic votes for Douglas and Breckenridge, the Republican Party’s Abraham Lincoln easily won the election

The Republicans’ Platform… Republicans opposed the spread of slavery

Lincoln elected… Lincoln won the election without receiving ONE electoral vote from a southern state His election laid the groundwork for secession and the Civil War Lincoln won the election without receiving ONE electoral vote from a southern state His election laid the groundwork for secession and the Civil War

Lincoln’s address to country In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it." I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors. You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to "preserve, protect, and defend it." I am loath to close. We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

Georgia reacts… While many Georgians were for the Union, they felt more strongly for states’ rights They didn’t want the Federal Government telling them what to do (below: the Georgia secession flag of 1861) While many Georgians were for the Union, they felt more strongly for states’ rights They didn’t want the Federal Government telling them what to do (below: the Georgia secession flag of 1861)

Joseph E. Brown was Georgia’s governor when Lincoln was elected Brown reacted to Lincoln’s election by calling a legislative session to discuss seceding from the Union Joseph E. Brown was Georgia’s governor when Lincoln was elected Brown reacted to Lincoln’s election by calling a legislative session to discuss seceding from the Union

Secession Alexander Stephens gave a fiery speech to the legislature opposing secession from the Union Robert Toombs and Thomas Cobb interrupted Stephens many times, arguing for secession On November 21, 1860, Gov. Brown called for a secession convention Alexander Stephens gave a fiery speech to the legislature opposing secession from the Union Robert Toombs and Thomas Cobb interrupted Stephens many times, arguing for secession On November 21, 1860, Gov. Brown called for a secession convention

South Carolina Secedes South Carolina, knowing that a Lincoln victory would ensure the end of slavery, seceded from the Union on December 20, 1860 (just one month after Lincoln’s election)

After South Carolina’s secession, extremists in other southern states were loudly yelling to follow By February 1, 1861, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, and TX had followed The Confederate States of America was formed, naming Jefferson Davis of Mississippi its president After South Carolina’s secession, extremists in other southern states were loudly yelling to follow By February 1, 1861, GA, FL, AL, MS, LA, and TX had followed The Confederate States of America was formed, naming Jefferson Davis of Mississippi its president