Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
The division within the Democratic Party played a significant role in Abraham Lincoln's election in 1860. At that time, the Democratic Party was divided into Northern and Southern factions, primarily due to disagreements over the issue of slavery. The Northern Democrats nominated Stephen A. Douglas as their candidate, while the Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckinridge. This division among Democrats split their voting base and weakened their chances of winning the presidency. As a result, Lincoln, the candidate of the newly formed Republican Party, was able to secure enough electoral votes to win the election without carrying any Southern states.
The secessionists used several justifications to justify their decision to leave the Union. The primary reasoning was based on the concept of states' rights, particularly the right to own and maintain slavery. They argued that the federal government was infringing upon their states' rights by attempting to regulate or abolish slavery. Southern states believed that they had the right to secede from the Union as a means of protecting their economic, social, and political interests, including the institution of slavery.
As a lame-duck president, James Buchanan faced the impending secession crisis while awaiting Abraham Lincoln's inauguration. Unfortunately, his response to the growing secession movement was largely ineffective. Buchanan held the belief that secession was unconstitutional but lacked the political will and support to take strong actions to prevent it. Instead, he maintained a passive approach, hoping that the issue would resolve itself before Lincoln's inauguration. He did little to counter the secession movement or address the underlying issues that led to it, effectively allowing the situation to deteriorate further.
The major cause of the Civil War is a complex and debated topic among historians, with various factors contributing to the conflict. One key event or reason often cited is the issue of slavery. The institution of slavery had been a contentious issue in the United States for decades, and it played a significant role in driving the regional tensions between the North and the South. The Southern states heavily relied on slavery for their agrarian economy and saw any attempts to restrict or abolish it as a threat to their way of life. Meanwhile, the Northern states increasingly viewed slavery as morally wrong and sought its abolition. The disagreements over slavery, coupled with economic, social, and political differences, eventually reached a breaking point, leading to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War. It is important to note that while slavery was a major catalyst, there were other contributing factors, such as states' rights, economic disparities, and political tensions, that played a role in the onset of the war.