AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: Election of 1860 & Southern Secession (Day 135/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about the Election of 1860 and Southern Secession as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

1860 Presidential Candidates, National Park Service

The failure to resolve issues over slavery led to the distinct 1860 election which featured four major candidates.

Dividing the National Map, Library of Congress

Northern Democrats favored Stephen Douglas and popular sovereignty while Southern Democrats backed John Breckinridge and unrestricted expansion of slavery. John Bell of the Constitutional Union Party wanted to preserve the Union, while Republican Abraham Lincoln maintained a free-soil platform.

Election of 1860, 270towin

The division of the Democratic Party paved the way for Lincoln’s victory despite the absence of a single southern electoral vote. Quickly, South Carolina unanimously voted to secede and other southern states followed suit.

Causes of Southern Secession, American Battlefield Trust

A major debate in American history is over the causes of southern secession. The Declarations of Secession of the states provide the causes as slavery, states’ rights, Lincoln’s election, economic issues and military protection.

The victory of Republican Abraham Lincoln in the Election of 1860 was the catalyst for Southern secession and the start of the Civil War.

Join me tomorrow as I explain Civil War Advantages and Disadvantages in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!