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Difficulty: MediumPolitical Realignment and the Election of 1860

Read the following excerpt from a political document published in 1860:

"Whereas, experience has demonstrated that Platforms adopted by the partisan conventions of the country have had the effect to mislead and deceive the people, and at the same time to widen the political divisions of the country, by the creation and encouragement of geographical and sectional parties; therefore,
Resolved, That it is both the part of patriotism and of duty to recognize no political principle other than the Constitution of the country, the Union of the States, and the Enforcement of the Laws."
— Constitutional Union Party Platform, 1860

Which of the following historical developments during the 1850s was the most direct cause of the political realignment described in the excerpt?

  1. The collapse of the Whig Party and the fragmentation of the Democratic Party over the expansion of slaveryAnswer
  2. B
    The successful resolution of territorial disputes through the federal enforcement of popular sovereignty
  3. C
    The dominance of debates over international tariff policies that divided northern manufacturers and southern planters
  4. D
    The rise of a coalition between western farmers and southern sharecroppers under the Populist banner

Answer

The collapse of the Whig Party and the fragmentation of the Democratic Party over the expansion of slavery
The debate over the expansion of slavery in the territories during the 1850s destroyed the Whig Party, split the Democratic Party, and led to the rise of the Republican Party. The Constitutional Union Party was formed in 1860 as a direct reaction to this sectional polarization, appealing to voters who wanted to avoid secession by focusing purely on the Constitution and the Union.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the source text to identify the main argument and context.
The excerpt from the Constitutional Union Party Platform of 1860 criticizes the rise of geographical and sectional parties and advocates for a platform centered solely on preserving the Union and the Constitution.
Understanding the point of view of the Constitutional Union Party helps identify the political crisis they were attempting to address.
2
Recall the major political developments and realignments of the 1850s.
During the 1850s, the Second Party System collapsed as the national Whig Party dissolved due to internal divisions over slavery (specifically the Kansas-Nebraska Act). The Democratic Party also fractured along sectional lines during their 1860 convention.
Connecting the document's concern about sectional parties to the historical context of the collapse of national parties provides the causal link.
3
Select the option that best describes this causal development.
The fragmentation of the national parties over slavery directly led moderate border-state politicians to form the Constitutional Union Party to seek a compromise path.
This aligns the historical evidence with the correct answer.

Key Concept

The collapse of the Second Party System and the rise of sectional parties during the 1850s.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Political Realignment and the Election of 1860

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