Lincoln and Republican Triumph (1858-1860)

• Poor Farmer's son
• Educates himself 
• Grows up in Ohio River Valley
• Lawyer, Politician 
• Dexterous Politician 
• Free Soiler: no slavery in territories, canals, railroads, education, banks
• Drawn into politics again with Kansas-Nebraska Act 

• Rep take House of Reps
  • divides S. 
• Dems 1859
  • John Brown raids 
  • Harpers Ferry 

2 Elections: 

North: Repub vs. N. Demo 

(Lincoln vs. Douglas)

South: Con. Union vs. S. Demo (Bell vs. Breckinridge)

Outcome: Lincoln wins with ZERO Southern electoral votes 

Secession Winter (Nov 1860-March 1861)

Deep South-secede immediately. 

Buchanan's Response - 

Secession is illegal, but fed. 

Gov't can't act to stop it. 

• Proposal to permanently enshrine slavery in the US 

Constitution, and thereby make it unconstitutional for future 

Congress to end slavery. 

December 1860  

Lincoln's  Inauguration (March 1861)

• 3 Principles: 
  • Protect slavery where it exists, prevent expansion. 
  • Union is perpetual, secession is illegal. 
  • I will hold federal territory in seceded states and if needed, will