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Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860 in large part due to his campaigning in the South.

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Final answer:

Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860 due to the split in the Democratic Party and his majority of Electoral College votes, not because of his campaigning in the South. His election led to secession of several Southern states and the onset of the American Civil War.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860 in large part due to his campaigning in the South does not entirely reflect the historical context. In the 1860 election, Abraham Lincoln was the Republican candidate and won the election, but this happened more because of the split in the Democratic Party rather than Lincoln's effectiveness in the South. His name didn't even appear on many Southern states' ballots. He secured just under 40% of the popular vote but took a majority of Electoral College votes.

The Democrats were split, with the Northern and Southern factions choosing different candidates, which made it easier for Lincoln to get elected. He carried all free states with the exception of New Jersey and won 180 electoral votes, significantly more than the other candidates. In fact, Lincoln's election was met with hostility in the South, leading several states to secede from the Union, thereby instigating the onset of the American Civil War.

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