Question

The Republicans selected Abraham Lincoln as their presidential candidate even though
he had no significant political background.
he had supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
he had favored the extension of slavery into the West.
he did not plan to end slavery where it already existed.

Answer 1

The statement that best reflects the context of Abraham Lincoln's selection as the Republican presidential candidate is that he **did not plan to end slavery where it already existed**.

Lincoln was selected as the Republican candidate in 1860 primarily because he was seen as a moderate who could appeal to a broad range of voters. His stance at the time was to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories rather than to abolish it where it already existed. The Republican Party was founded on anti-slavery principles, but Lincoln's approach was more focused on containing and managing the issue of slavery rather than outright abolitionist policies at that point in time.

The other statements about him potentially supporting the Kansas-Nebraska Act or favoring the extension of slavery into the West do not accurately reflect his positions, as he opposed the Act because it allowed for the possibility of expanding slavery.