9781422285947

The Civil War Begins

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The Election of 1860 In 1860, Abraham Lincoln of Illinois won the Republican nomination. The Democratic Party split into two groups, with the Northern Democrats nominating Stephen A. Douglas and the Southern Democrats nominat- ing John C. Breckinridge. There was even a third party, the Constitu- tional Union, spearheaded by John Bell.

Since there were four par- ties contending for votes, it is not surprising that Lincoln and his vice-presidential candidate, Hannibal Hamlin, won the elec- tion of 1860. What is surpris- ing is that so many Southerners regarded Lincoln as their sworn enemy. Although Lincoln was opposed to slavery, he had no plans to make it illegal or impose any restrictions on it when he took office. Lincoln believed that the states would have to decide to end slavery, not the federal government. Even before Lincoln was sworn into office, South Carolina declared that it would secede from the Union. This action was taken in Charleston on December 20, 1860. Lincoln came into office on March 4, 1861, determined to

A South Carolina newspaper announces the state’s secession from the United States, December 20, 1860. Four months later, the Civil War would begin with an artillery bombardment in Charleston harbor.