Which event is considered a catalyst for southern secession?

Question

A.
the presidential election of 1860
B.
the Compromise of 1850
C.
the Battle of Fort Sumter
D.
the Fugitive Slave Act

Answer 1

A. the presidential election of 1860

The presidential election of 1860, in which Abraham Lincoln won without carrying a single Southern state, is widely considered the catalyst for southern secession. His election prompted several Southern states to secede from the Union, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.