AQA · A-Level · History

    Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017

    A Nation Divided, c1845–1877 – The outbreak of Civil War, 1854–1861: The…

    Full specification wording

    2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877 – The outbreak of Civil War, 1854–1861: The drive for secession of the South: the presidential election of 1860; southern political leaders and proclamation of the Confederacy; outbreak of hostilities

    The drive for Southern secession culminated with the pivotal presidential election of 1860.

    Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 4 of 4
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    The drive for Southern secession culminated with the pivotal presidential election of 1860. Abraham Lincoln’s victory, achieved without a single Southern electoral vote, convinced Southern political leaders that their region had become a permanent minority facing an existential threat to slavery. Led by 'fire-eaters' and prominent figures like Jefferson Davis, seven Deep South states seceded, proclaiming the Confederate States of America in February 1861. The crisis escalated as the Confederacy seized federal property. The final outbreak of hostilities occurred in April 1861 when Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter in South Carolina, prompting Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers, which subsequently drove four Upper South states to secede.

    What earns the marks

    • Analyse the electoral map of the 1860 presidential election to demonstrate the purely sectional nature of Lincoln's victory.
    • Evaluate the motivations and rhetoric of Southern political leaders in justifying secession as a defence of states' rights and slavery.
    • Detail the formation of the Confederacy in Montgomery, including the drafting of its constitution and the election of Jefferson Davis.
    • Examine the sequence of events leading to the outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter and the failure of last-minute compromises like the Crittenden Compromise.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Stating that all slave states seceded immediately after Lincoln's election.

      Put it right: Four Upper South states only seceded after the outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter.

    • Claiming Lincoln campaigned on the immediate abolition of slavery.

      Put it right: His 1860 platform only opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories.

    • Confusing the initial Confederacy of seven states with the final Confederacy of eleven states.

      Put it right: The distinction is crucial for understanding the timeline of secession.

    Exam tips

    • Emphasise the demographic and electoral shifts that made a Republican victory possible in 1860 without Southern support.
    • Analyse the secession ordinances of the Deep South states to provide primary evidence that the protection of slavery was the central motive.
    • Discuss Lincoln's strategic handling of the Fort Sumter crisis, forcing the Confederacy to fire the first shots of the war.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the 2J America: A Nation Divided, c1845–1877 – The outbreak of Civil War, 1854–1861: The drive for secession of the South: the presidential election of 1860; southern political leaders and proclamation of the Confederacy; outbreak of hostilities lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    Which outcome of the 1860 presidential election served as the immediate catalyst for the secession of the first seven Southern states?

    Listen

    The drive for Southern secession culminated with the pivotal presidential election of 1860. Abraham Lincoln’s victory, achieved without a single Southern electoral vote, convinced Southern political leaders that their region had become a permanent minority facing an existential threat to slavery. Led by 'fire-eaters' and prominent figures like Jefferson Davis, seven Deep South states seceded, proclaiming the Confederate States of America in February 1861. The crisis escalated as the Confederacy seized federal property. The final outbreak of hostilities occurred in April 1861 when Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter in South Carolina, prompting Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers, which subsequently drove four Upper South states to secede. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Analyse the electoral map of the 1860 presidential election to demonstrate the purely sectional nature of Lincoln's victory. Evaluate the motivations and rhetoric of Southern political leaders in justifying secession as a defence of states' rights and slavery. Detail the formation of the Confederacy in Montgomery, including the drafting of its constitution and the election of Jefferson Davis. Examine the sequence of events leading to the outbreak of hostilities at Fort Sumter and the failure of last-minute compromises like the Crittenden Compromise. Exam tip: Emphasise the demographic and electoral shifts that made a Republican victory possible in 1860 without Southern support.

    See it

    A vertical flowchart with nine boxes connected by arrows. The first box is the presidential election of 1860, leading to Lincoln's victory without a single Southern electoral vote. That leads to Southern political leaders being convinced their region is a permanent minority facing an existential threat to slavery. This leads to seven Deep South states seceding, then to the Confederate States of America being proclaimed in February 1861. Next the Confederacy seizes federal property, then Confederate forces bombard Fort Sumter in April 1861. This leads to Lincoln calling for 75,000 volunteers, and finally to four Upper South states seceding.
    It shows the sequence from Lincoln's 1860 election victory through secession and the proclamation of the Confederacy to the bombardment of Fort Sumter and the secession of four Upper South states.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Secession and States' Rights

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Leadership and Decision Making

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Outbreak of War

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Electoral Politics

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Secession and States' Rights
    The drive for the South to leave the Union, justified by Southern political leaders as a defence of states' rights and slavery.
    Leadership and Decision Making
    The role of Southern political leaders, including 'fire-eaters' and prominent figures like Jefferson Davis, in orchestrating secession and forming the Confederacy.
    Outbreak of War
    The final outbreak of hostilities in April 1861 when Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter, prompting Lincoln to call for volunteers.
    Electoral Politics
    The pivotal presidential election of 1860, in which Lincoln's victory without a single Southern electoral vote convinced Southern leaders they were a permanent minority.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A vertical flowchart with nine boxes connected by arrows. The first box is the presidential election of 1860, leading to Lincoln's victory without a single Southern electoral vote. That leads to Southern political leaders being convinced their region is a permanent minority facing an existential threat to slavery. This leads to seven Deep South states seceding, then to the Confederate States of America being proclaimed in February 1861. Next the Confederacy seizes federal property, then Confederate forces bombard Fort Sumter in April 1861. This leads to Lincoln calling for 75,000 volunteers, and finally to four Upper South states seceding.

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    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

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