The Election of 1860 and SECESSION [APUSH Review Unit 5 Topic 7] Period 5: 1844-1877

Summary

This video explores the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 and its role in triggering the American Civil War. The script discusses the division within the Democratic Party and the rise of the Republican Party, which advocated for limiting the spread of slavery. Lincoln's victory, without any electoral votes from the South, signaled to Southern states that they lacked political power. This, combined with fears of losing slavery, led to secession and the formation of the Confederate States of America, which enshrined slavery as a perpetual institution.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was a pivotal event that led to the secession of Southern states and the Civil War.
• 🤔 The question of the impact of Lincoln's election is central to understanding the tensions leading up to the Civil War.
• 🎭 The newly formed Republican Party's success in the midterm elections made Southern Democrats anxious about the 1860 presidential election.
• 🏛️ Lincoln ran on a Free Soil platform, aiming to prevent the spread of slavery into new territories, not to abolish it where it already existed.
• 💺 The Democratic Party was divided between a Northern faction supporting popular sovereignty and a Southern faction seeking federal protection for slavery.
• 🗽 Lincoln won the presidency with 40% of the popular vote and without any electoral votes from Southern states, signaling a lack of Southern political influence.
• 🚫 Southern states saw Lincoln's election as a threat to their power and a sign that the expansion of slavery was over, despite his assurances not to interfere with existing slavery.
• 🏰 South Carolina was the first to secede from the Union in December 1860, followed by six more states within six weeks, forming the Confederate States of America.
• 📜 The Confederate Constitution was similar to the U.S. Constitution but with provisions that protected slavery as a perpetual institution.
• 🤝 The reasons for secession were complex, but the seceding states' own declarations make it clear that protecting slavery was a primary motivation.
• 🗣️ The Cornerstone Speech by Alexander Stephens, the Vice President of the Confederacy, explicitly stated that the Confederacy was founded on the superiority of the white race and the perpetuation of slavery.

Q & A

What was the primary concern of the United States leading up to the election of 1860?

The primary concern was the growing tension over the question of slavery and its expansion into newly acquired territories.

What was the stance of the newly formed Republican party on slavery?

The Republican party, with Abraham Lincoln as their candidate, ran on a free soil platform which aimed to prevent the spread of slavery into new territories but did not call for the abolition of slavery where it already existed.

Who were the main candidates in the presidential election of 1860?

The main candidates were Stephen Douglas from the divided Democratic party and Abraham Lincoln from the Republican party.

What was the significance of the Democratic party's division during the election of 1860?

The division within the Democratic party, with separate northern and southern factions, led to a weakened united front, which contributed to their inability to win the election.

How did Abraham Lincoln's election impact the Southern states?

Lincoln's election was seen as a threat by the Southern states because he opposed the expansion of slavery, and they feared a loss of political power and the potential for slavery to be abolished in the future.

Which state was the first to secede from the Union after Lincoln's election, and when did this occur?

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in December of 1860, even before Lincoln was inaugurated.

What was the primary reason cited by the states that seceded to form the Confederate States of America?

The primary reason cited by the seceding states was the need to protect the institution of slavery, as evidenced by their articles of secession.

What was the stance of the Confederate states on federal power as reflected in their new Constitution?

The Confederate Constitution had provisions that severely limited federal power and enshrined slavery as a perpetual institution that could never be abolished.

How did the election of Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent secession of Southern states lead to the American Civil War?

The secession of Southern states in response to Lincoln's election created a divided nation, with the Confederate States of America forming a separate government, which ultimately led to the American Civil War.

What were the contrasting views within the Democratic party regarding the slavery question?

The northern faction of the Democrats, represented by Stephen Douglas, wanted the slavery question to be decided by popular sovereignty, while the southern faction, represented by John Breckinridge, wanted slavery protected by a federal slave code in new territories.

What was the Cornerstone Speech by Alexander Stephens, and how did it relate to the Confederacy's stance on slavery?

The Cornerstone Speech by Alexander Stephens, the vice president of the Confederacy, argued that the foundation of the Confederacy was based on the superiority of the white race and the perpetuation of slavery as an everlasting institution.