The election of 1860 was a pivotal moment in American history as it highlighted the deep sectional divisions within the United States leading up to the Civil War. The country was sharply divided between the North and the South on economic, social, and political issues, particularly regarding slavery.
The Democratic Party split into two factions, one representing the Northern Democrats and the other the Southern Democrats. This division was largely over the issue of slavery and its expansion into new territories. The Northern Democrats supported popular sovereignty, allowing people in new territories to decide whether or not to allow slavery, while the Southern Democrats demanded federal protection of slavery in these territories.
The Republican Party, on the other hand, was founded on the principle of opposing the expansion of slavery into new territories. Their candidate, Abraham Lincoln, won the election of 1860 without winning a single Southern state. This showed the stark regional divide between the North and the South on the issue of slavery and ultimately led to the secession of Southern states and the start of the Civil War.
Overall, the election of 1860 highlighted the deep-seated sectional divisions within the United States and demonstrated the inability to find a compromise on the issue of slavery. It ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War and the beginning of a long and bloody conflict that would reshape the country.
Explain how the election of 1860 demonstrated the sectional divisions within the United States in 1860
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