Election of 1860

Abraham
Lincoln

Stephen
Douglas

John

Breckinridge

John
Bell

C A N D I D A T E S

Abraham Lincoln

Party:Republican

Platform:Opposed the
extension of slavery
into the Western
territories.

C A N D I D A T E S

Stephen Douglas

Party: Northern Democrat

Platform:Supported
popular sovereignty
to decide the issue of
slavery in the Western
territories.

C A N D I D A T E S

John Breckinridge

Party:Southern Democrat

Platform:Supported the
expansion of slavery to
the Western territories
and states’ rights.

C A N D I D A T E S

John Bell

Party:Constitutional Union

Platform:No official
position on slavery or
states’ rights. Promised
to defend the Union.

Southern vote split

between Breckinridge

and Bell

=

Not enough votes to

win the election

Abraham Lincoln Wins

Results:

1. South secedes from Union

2. Just weeks after Lincoln’s
inauguration, Confederate
troops fire on Fort Sumter and
officially start fighting in the
Civil War

3. Establishes the Republican
and Democratic parties as the
two major parties in the U.S.