the candidates for president 1860

John Bell

Constitutional Unionist-Tennessee platform: the federal government should support slavery and also defend the union

Stephen Douglas

Northern Democrat-Illinois platform: popular sovereignty should decide the issue of slavery in the territories when they become states

John Breckinridge

Southern Democrat-Kentucky platform: the federal government must protect slavery

republican party remains solid

had the common cause to get rid of slavery

Abraham Lincoln

republican-Illinois platform: slavery must not be allowed in the territories

democrats split their support

the southern democrats wanted to protect slavery, northern democrats wanted popular sovereignty

constitutional union party

whigs and the know-nothings created the party to try to heal the spit between the north and south, their platform was to uphold the Constitution, union of the states and enforcement of the laws

Lincoln elected

with the division of the democratic party, the votes where split between the 2 candidates, Douglas and Breckinridge, Lincoln won the majority of both popular and electoral votes