Question

Lincoln' election as president in 1860 dramatically increased sectional tensions because:

A. His election was universally celebrated and supported by all states, leading to national unity.
B. He was a strong advocate for the expansion of slavery into new territories, which led to tensions with Northern states.
C. The election of Lincoln was inconsequential and had no impact on the growing sectional tensions in the United States.
D. The Southern states warmly embraced Lincoln's presidency and his policies, leading to a harmonious period in American history.

Answer 1

Abraham Lincoln's election as president in 1860 increased sectional tensions due to growing divisions between the proslavery South and the antislavery North. The election symbolized the fear of the South that their way of life would be threatened by the Republican Party's opposition to slavery in new territories. The election ultimately led to secession and the beginning of the Civil War.

Step-by-step explanation:

Abraham Lincoln's election as president in 1860 dramatically increased sectional tensions because his victory symbolized the growing divide between the proslavery South and the antislavery North.

Prior to Lincoln's presidency, seven Deep South states had already seceded from the Union to form the Confederacy, dedicated to maintaining racial slavery. Lincoln's election solidified the fears of the South that their way of life would be threatened by the Republican Party's commitment to keeping slavery out of new territories as the nation expanded westward.

Lincoln's election also triggered secession, with several more states joining the Confederate States of America. The Civil War began with the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter and continued until 1865, resulting in over 600,000 deaths. While the election itself did not cause the war, it marked the culmination of long-standing tensions and divisions between the North and the South.