Question

question 15 of 20
what led to lincolns win in the election of 1860?
a. he had the strongest platform.
b. he was popular in the north and the south.
c. there was a divided field of four candidates.
d. he won an overwhelming majority in the border slave states.

Explanation:

In the 1860 election, there were four main candidates (Lincoln for the Republicans, Breckinridge for the Southern Democrats, Douglas for the Northern Democrats, and Bell for the Constitutional Union Party). The Democratic Party was split over the slavery issue, leading to multiple candidates. This divided field split the votes, and Lincoln, who was popular in the North, won the electoral college even though he didn't win a majority of the popular vote. Option A is incorrect as "strongest platform" is subjective and not the main reason. Option B is wrong because Lincoln was not popular in the South (he didn't even appear on many Southern ballots). Option D is incorrect as Lincoln did not win the border slave states (some went to Bell or others).

Answer:

C. There was a divided field of four candidates.