Election of 1860, secession of Georgia, and Alexander Stephens role.

              In 1860 there was the presidential election. Running for office was northerner and republican Abraham Lincoln and 3 other southerners. Abraham Lincoln ended up winning even though he did not even get 50 percent of majority vote. Another obstacle was that 10 southern states didn't even put his name on their ballot for election. This showed southerners the huge population difference between the north and south. A big problem for the south was that Lincoln was a republican, and most likely would take away their biggest strength, slaves. By the time Lincoln was put into power, 7 southern states had already seceded. In his inaugural speech he stated that he would reunite the nation. In 1861 Georgia's secession convention took place. As all other southern states voted, Georgia voted to secede. Unlike other states, it was not unanimous, or even close to it. Alexander Stephens, a Georgian, was chosen to be the confederacy's vice president. This is because he originally wanted to stay in the union but eventually changed his mind. He was there to show his reasoning to other southerners unsure about the idea. This gave Georgia a big honor in the confederacy.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8319858/Abraham-Lincoln-wanted-to-deport-slaves-to-new-colonies.html