Examkin

Question

Difficulty: MediumPolitical Realignment and the Election of 1860

Read the following excerpt from a speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln in Chicago, Illinois, in July 1858:

"I have always hated slavery, I think as much as any Abolitionist... but I have both consistently and frequently declared my purpose to let it alone in the States where it exists. I have said that I think the Constitution does not permit us to meddle with it in the States. Having said that, I have also declared my belief that we have the right to keep it out of the Territories."

Which of the following developments in the late 1850s did the ideas expressed in the excerpt most directly reflect?

  1. The efforts of the Republican Party to build a broad Northern coalition by separating free-soil principles from radical abolitionism.Answer
  2. B
    The adoption of popular sovereignty by Northern political leaders as the primary compromise to preserve union harmony.
  3. C
    The growing consensus between Northern and Southern political factions regarding the constitutional protection of state-level institutions.
  4. D
    The immediate legislative triumph of radical abolitionists in securing federal bans on the domestic slave trade.

Answer

The efforts of the Republican Party to build a broad Northern coalition by separating free-soil principles from radical abolitionism.
The correct answer is correct because Lincoln's speech reflects the Republican strategy to build a broad Northern coalition by reassuring moderate voters that the party did not advocate for the immediate, radical abolition of slavery where it already existed, but rather stood for the free-soil principle of preventing its expansion into the Western territories.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the speaker's main argument and political stance.
The speaker (Lincoln) distinguishes his position from radical abolitionists by stating he has no constitutional right or intention to interfere with slavery where it already exists, but firmly asserts the federal right to prevent its expansion into the territories.
Understanding the distinction between the containment of slavery (free-soil ideology) and its immediate eradication (abolitionism) is central to analyzing the Republican strategy.
2
Contextualize this stance within the political landscape of the late 1850s leading up to the election of 1860.
Following the collapse of the Whig Party, the newly formed Republican Party needed to construct a winning electoral coalition in the North. A moderate platform of non-extension was key to uniting diverse political factions.
Connecting the ideological rhetoric of the speech to the broader party strategy explains the political realignment of the era.
3
Evaluate the choices to find the one that best reflects this political development.
The option focusing on the efforts of the Republican Party to build a Northern coalition by distinguishing free-soil from radical abolitionism matches the speaker's rhetorical objective.
This confirms the primary learning objective regarding political realignment and the ideological positioning of the Republicans.

Key Concept

The rise of the Republican Party and the moderate free-soil platform designed to win Northern support prior to the Election of 1860.
Rate this question

Topics

Political Realignment and the Election of 1860

More questions from this topic