The Election of 1860

In 1860 a new election was rolling around the corner but it was not like every other election because tensions were high thanks to recent disputes about states rights, slavery, money, and economy. The parties competing in this election were The Constitutional Union with John Bell, The Democrats with Stephan A. Douglas, The Southern Democrats with John C. Breckinridge, and each person was competing with different opinions about the division slave and free states and the rights of slave owners. The elections were held on November 6, 1860 and were what lead to and caused the civil war due to the election of Abraham Lincoln of the Republican party, the Republican party was formed up north in a non slave state and this party was against the expansion of slavery. Due to Lincoln's election many southern states felt that with him in charge they would lose their rights and their property (slaves) even though Lincoln had promised not to mess with the south or their slave rules. Right before Lincoln's inauguration seven states seceded from the union and joined together with South Carolina to form the Confederacy.