The Election of 1860

The final event that led to the Civil War was the election of 1860 The final event that led to the Civil War was the election of 1860. Due to the dramatic sectionalism that was tearing the country apart, four presidential candidates ran for office in 1860.

John Bell Constitutional Union Party Bell ran on a platform that supported slavery, but was more focused on keeping the nation together.

Stephen Douglas Northern Democrat Douglas supported popular sovereignty which was the focus of the Kansas-Nebraska act which he created. Historians argue over his stand on slavery. It is believed that he opposed slavery, but felt more strongly that it was up to the people to vote on whether or not to have slavery.

John Breckinridge Southern Democrat Breckinridge supported slavery and argued that the Constitution did not provide the federal government with the power to restrict slavery in the territories.

Democratic Party Splits The Democratic Party split – now they had two candidates, Stephen A Douglas and John Breckinridge. Democrat voters were forced to split their vote between the two candidates which meant that it would be harder for them to win the popular vote and to receive the most electoral votes. This greatly improved Lincoln’s odds of winning.

Abraham Lincoln Republican Party Lincoln regarded slavery as a moral wrong. He ran on the platform that slavery should not be expanded into new territories and he opposed popular sovereignty. He did not push for the abolition of slavery in the states where it already existed. He did not believe in the equality of the races.

D A B C

Lincoln* Douglas* Breckinridge Bell

Lincoln Wins… The South Secedes Though Lincoln’s name was not on the ballot in most southern states, he won the election of 1860 with 180 electoral votes. After the election, the southern states, believing that Lincoln’s ultimate goal was to end slavery, voted one by one to secede from the Union. Georgia, after a three day debate voted to leave the Union on January 19, 1861.