#OnThisDate November 6, 1860 - A Nation Divided

Abraham Lincoln Was Elected As The 16th President Of The United States, A Pivotal Moment In American History. Born On February 12, 1809, In A Log Cabin In Hardin County, Kentucky, Lincoln's Rise From Humble Beginnings To The Nation's Highest Office Symbolized The American Ideal Of Self-Made Success. His Election Was A Catalyst For Profound National Upheaval.

The 1860 Presidential Race Was Marked By Deep Divisions Over Slavery And States' Rights. The Democratic Party Split Into Northern And Southern Factions, Nominating Stephen A. Douglas Of Illinois And Vice President John C. Breckinridge Of Kentucky, Respectively. The Constitutional Union Party, Seeking To Preserve The Union Amidst Growing Tensions, Nominated John Bell Of Tennessee. Lincoln, Representing The Republican Party, Opposed The Expansion Of Slavery Into New Territories But Assured He Would Not Interfere With It Where It Already Existed.

Lincoln's Victory Was Achieved Without Carrying A Single Southern State, Underscoring The Nation's Sectional Divide. He Secured 180 Electoral Votes, Surpassing The Combined Total Of His Opponents, And Garnered Approximately 40% Of The Popular Vote. His Election Was Perceived By Many In The South As A Direct Threat To Their Way Of Life And The Institution Of Slavery.

In Response, South Carolina Seceded From The Union On December 20, 1860, Followed By Six Other Southern States By February 1861. These States Formed The Confederate States Of America, Electing Jefferson Davis As Their President. The Secession Of These States Set The Stage For The Civil War, Which Began On April 12, 1861, With The Confederate Attack On Fort Sumter In Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

Lincoln's Leadership During This Tumultuous Period Was Characterized By His Commitment To Preserving The Union And His Evolving Stance On Slavery. On January 1, 1863, He Issued The Emancipation Proclamation, Declaring All Slaves In Confederate-Held Territory Free. This Executive Order Redefined The War's Purpose, Adding Moral Weight To The Union Cause And Paving The Way For The Eventual Abolition Of Slavery.

The Election Of 1860 And Lincoln's Subsequent Presidency Were Turning Points In American History. They Tested The Nation's Commitment To Its Founding Principles And Led To Significant Constitutional And Social Changes. The Civil War, Which Lasted Until 1865, Resulted In The Preservation Of The Union And The Passage Of The 13th Amendment, Abolishing Slavery. Lincoln's Leadership During This Era Left An Indelible Mark On The Nation's Trajectory, Shaping The United States Into A More Unified And Equitable Society.

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