The Constitutional Union Party, which nominated John Bell in 1860, primarily sought to:
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Correct answer: Avoid secession and preserve the Union by ignoring the slavery issue
The Constitutional Union Party was composed mainly of former Whigs and Know-Nothings who feared that the slavery debate would destroy the country. Their platform was simply 'the Constitution of the Country, the Union of the States, and the Enforcement of the Laws.'
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More Election of 1860 and Secession questions
- Which candidate in the 1860 election won the majority of the popular vote in the Southern states?
- What was a significant outcome of the Election of 1860 regarding the Electoral College?
- Which state was the first to secede from the Union following the election of Abraham Lincoln?
- The 'Declaration of the Immediate Causes Which Induce and Justify the Secession of South Carolina' explicitly cited which grievance?
- What was the primary goal of the Crittenden Compromise proposed in December 1860?
- How did President James Buchanan respond to the secession of the Southern states during his final months in office?