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Difficulty: EasyPolitical Realignment and the Election of 1860

Read the excerpt below.

"That the normal condition of all the territory of the United States is that of freedom... we deny the authority of Congress, of a territorial legislature, or of any individuals, to give legal existence to slavery in any territory of the United States."
— Republican Party Platform, 1860

Which of the following best describes the primary goal of the Republican Party regarding slavery as expressed in this platform?

  1. Preventing the expansion of slavery into any new United States territories.Answer
  2. B
    Implementing popular sovereignty to let territorial voters decide the legal status of slavery.
  3. C
    Focusing national policy on resolving tariff disputes between Northern and Southern states rather than addressing slavery.
  4. D
    Immediately amending the Constitution to guarantee full voting rights for all African Americans.

Answer

Preventing the expansion of slavery into any new United States territories.
The correct answer is correct because the primary platform of the Republican Party in 1860 was to restrict the expansion of slavery into the Western territories, asserting that the natural state of US territories was free soil.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the stimulus document, noting the origin (Republican Party Platform, 1860) and key phrases such as 'normal condition of all the territory... is that of freedom' and 'deny the authority... to give legal existence to slavery in any territory'.
The text shows a clear intent to exclude slavery from all Western territories.
This establishes the core ideological stance of the Republican Party on the eve of the Civil War.
2
Match the core stance of the platform to the options provided.
The option asserting the prevention of slavery's expansion directly aligns with the platform's rejection of slavery in the territories.
The Republican Party was founded primarily as a coalition opposed to the westward expansion of slavery.

Key Concept

Political Realignment and the Election of 1860
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Topics

Political Realignment and the Election of 1860

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