Civil War and Reconstruction
Election of 1860 Candidates
| Party | Candidate | Platform on slavery |
| Republican | Abraham Lincoln | While opposing the expansion of slavery, the party platform did not call for it to be abolished. |
| Northern Democrats | Stephen Douglas | Platform limiting slavery, but didn't abolish it. Called for each state to vote on slavery. |
| Southern Democrats | John Breckinridge | Called for spread of slavery into new territories. |
| Constitutional Union | John Bell | A simple platform that said they "recognize no political principle other than the Constitution...the Union...and the Enforcement of the Laws." They hoped that by not supporting laws either for or against slavery and its extension, the issue could be ignored. |
Civil War and Reconstruction >> Civil War >> A Divided State >> Election of 1860
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