AMSCO AP United States History Exam (APUSH) 2026 – Free Period 5 Practice Test Questions and Study Guide

The split in the Democratic Party during the Election of 1860 had a significant impact on the political landscape, granting an advantage to the Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. As the Democratic Party fractured into Northern and Southern factions, it effectively divided the votes that would traditionally support a single Democratic candidate. This division meant that instead of consolidating their strength to challenge Lincoln, the Democrats splintered their voter base, allowing Lincoln to secure victory without needing support from the Southern states.

Lincoln’s platform focused on halting the expansion of slavery into the territories, which resonated with many voters in the North. The inability of the Democrats to present a unified candidate against him—resulting from their internal conflicts over issues related to slavery—ultimately made it feasible for Lincoln to win the presidency with a plurality of the votes, despite having no support from the Southern states.

This context illustrates how the fracturing of the Democratic Party played a pivotal role in shaping the election results, facilitating Lincoln's ascent to the presidency and influencing the course of the nation in the lead-up to the Civil War.