Chapter 10
Section 5: A Nation
Divided Against
Itself
The Election of 1860
• Democratic Convention
–8 southern states left & agreed to
meet separately to nominate their
own candidate
–Nominated John Breckinridge
(expand slavery)
–North chose Stephen Douglassupported popular sovereignty
• Moderate southerners who
belonged to the Whig & American
parties met in Baltimore to form a
new party
–Formed the Constitutional Union
Party
–Nominated John Bell
• Republican party chose Lincoln
• Election
–No longer any national political
parties
–Lincoln won without winning a
single electoral vote (180) in the
South
The Lower South Secedes
• Outraged at Lincoln’s victory
• Since the states joined the union
voluntarily, they could leave it
–SC seceded on Dec. 20, 1860
–Feb.1861- south created the
Confederate States of America
•Elected Jefferson Davis Pres.
The War Starts
• Last minute compromise fails
• Sen. John Crittenden of KY
proposed a plan recognizing
slavery in territories south of 36
degrees 30 minutes
–Rejected by Lincoln
• Horace Greeley- federal
government should allow
seceding states to go in peace
–Many feared loss of business
Fort Sumter
• Federal troops continued to
occupy the fort
• Federal ship sent to supply the fort
in January had been forced to turn
back when Confederate forces
fired on it
• Lincoln sent only food as supplies
–Told the government this
–April 10- Davis ordered Gen. PGT
Beauregard to demand surrender
•Anderson refused
•April 12, 1861 Beauregard
opened fire & after 34 hours
Anderson surrendered
The Upper South Secedes
• By firing on federal property the
Confederate states had committed
an act of open rebellion
• Lincoln called for volunteers
–Upper south seceded