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What event most directly caused the southern states to start leaving the Union?

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Responses

The public debate about leaving in Georgia.
The public debate about leaving in Georgia.

The split of the Democratic party.
The split of the Democratic party.

The start of the Constitutional Union Party.
The start of the Constitutional Union Party.

The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860.

His victory convinced many Southern leaders that a president hostile to the expansion/protection of slavery had taken office, prompting the first wave of secessions.