Final answer:
The election of 1860 was a turning point due to Abraham Lincoln's victory leading to southern secession and the Civil War, marking the end of the national debate over the expansion of slavery and resulting in its eventual abolition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The election of 1860 was indeed a turning point in American history. The victory of Abraham Lincoln signaled the end of a fragile national unity surrounding the contentious issue of slavery. As the Republican Party adopted a platform opposing the expansion of slavery, southern states, feeling threatened by this political shift, began to secede from the Union, which directly led to the Civil War.
The division within the Democratic Party into three factions provided an opening for the Republican Party to secure the presidency. The subsequent secession of South Carolina and six other states following Lincoln's victory indicates how polarized America had become over slavery. These events mark the beginning of one of America's most devastating conflicts, reshaping the nation's political landscape and leading to the abolition of slavery.