Election of 1860 and Secession

The Election of 1860 and Secession: AP US History Study Guide

Greetings, budding historians and time travel enthusiasts! Get ready to travel back to the tumultuous mid-19th century—a period where the United States decided to throw a literal (Civil War) party. Today, we are diving into the Election of 1860 and the subsequent secession that nearly split the country apart. Ready? Grab your quills and let's embark on this historical rollercoaster. 🏇🇺🇸

Before we jump into the 1860 election, let's rewind to 1858 for a prequel more exciting than any Netflix series— the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Imagine this: Illinois, 1858. Picture Stephen Douglas, a seasoned senator, squaring off against an up-and-coming Republican with a penchant for tall hats and revolutionary ideas, Abraham Lincoln.

Thousands gathered like it was Woodstock to witness these two titans of talk battle it out over slavery, popular sovereignty, and the future of American expansion. Spoiler alert: Douglas kept his Senate seat, but Lincoln walked away with a national spotlight shining brighter than a Broadway marquee.

Let's cut to the chase—slavery was the elephant (or should we say donkey and elephant?) in the room. Lincoln's now-famous quote, "A house divided against itself cannot stand," wasn't just a catchy slogan—it was the harsh reality. He argued that the nation couldn't continue being half free and half enslaved. Meanwhile, Douglas countered with his Freeport Doctrine, stating that territories could effectively exclude slavery by simply not passing laws to protect it. This "passive-aggressive" approach wasn’t winning him any love from pro-slavery advocates.

And now, drumroll, please—the Election of 1860!

With political parties splitting like a junior prom clique, there were four main candidates:

1. Abraham Lincoln of the Republican Party: He campaigned against the spread of slavery into new territories while promising not to interfere where it already existed. Picture him as the moral compass guy, trying to keep his nerdy friends out of trouble.

2. Stephen Douglas of the Northern Democratic Party: He was all about popular sovereignty. Imagine him as the guy who says, "Let’s just see what the group wants at dinner," ignoring the vegetarians and meat-lovers in the room.

3. John C. Breckinridge of the Southern Democratic Party: A pro-slavery advocate who supported states' rights to decide the slavery question. Think of him as the rebellious teen who just wants to do his own thing.

4. John Bell of the Constitutional Union Party: He wanted to avoid the whole slavery mess and keep the country together. Picture him as the peacekeeper who tries to defuse every argument with a group hug. 🤗

Spoiler: Lincoln won. With 180 electoral votes and despite garnering only 40% of the popular vote, Honest Abe (the OG OG) emerged victorious. This unexpected win was one bumpy road trip for the South, who saw more red flags than a bull in Pamplona.

Seeing Lincoln's victory as the beginning of the end for slavery, Southern states went into full panic mode. South Carolina led the charge, seceding faster than you can say "secession" in December 1860. Before Lincoln even had a chance to take office, the Deep South had seceded and formed the Confederate States of America with Jefferson Davis at its helm, like an awkward family splitting before Christmas dinner.

Cue the dramatic crescendo: in a desperate attempt to keep the family together, lawmakers proposed the Crittenden Compromise. This plan, which reads like a mid-season twist, aimed to extend the old Missouri Compromise line (36°30' parallel) and protect slavery south of it. But like a last-minute save in a rom-com that nobody wanted, it failed—miserably. Both sides couldn't agree, with Northerners seeing it as an unfair extension of slavery and Southerners feeling it didn’t go far enough. Cue the sad violins. 🎻

With secession in full swing, Lincoln decided to play the waiting game, hoping cooler heads might prevail. Spoiler: they didn't. In April 1861, Confederate forces attacked the federal arsenal at Fort Sumter in South Carolina—basically kicking off the Civil War with fireworks nobody asked for. This led to a wrenching national divide as more Southern states joined the Confederacy, and the North ramped up for a fight that would last four grueling years.

Here are some key terms and players to remember:

• Confederacy: The collection of 11 Southern states that seceded from the Union.
• Abraham Lincoln: 16th President of the United States, leader of the Union during the Civil War, and professional tall hat wearer.
• Crittenden Compromise: An unsuccessful proposal to resolve secession by protecting slavery in southern territories.
• Fort Sumter: Where the first shots of the Civil War were fired.
• Stephen Douglas: Lincoln’s opponent in the fabled debates; believed in popular sovereignty.
• Jefferson Davis: The President of the Confederate States of America. Think of him as the head of the rebel alliance, but not nearly as charming as Princess Leia.

So there you have it, history enthusiasts! The Election of 1860 was the boiling point that led to one of America's darkest yet most transformative periods. It was a time of intense debate, staggering decisions, and a clash of ideologies that would shape the nation’s future.

Armed with this knowledge, go forth and wow your teachers and peers with your deep understanding and maybe a few historical quips. Remember, those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it—or at the very least, fail their AP exams. Good luck! 🍀