Southern states seceding

Definition

After the Election of 1860, several Southern states chose to secede from the Union and form their own government. This act of secession was primarily driven by the fear that Abraham Lincoln's election as president would threaten their right to maintain slavery.

Related terms

Abraham Lincoln: The 16th President of the United States who won the Election of 1860 and was seen as a threat by Southern states due to his anti-slavery stance.

Secession: The act of formally withdrawing or separating from an organization or alliance, in this case, referring to Southern states leaving the United States.

Slavery: The practice of owning other individuals as property and forcing them into forced labor without pay. Slavery played a central role in causing Southern states to secede after the Election of 1860.