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