In 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected president of the United States, and this event had significant consequences for the southern states. The correct answer is "secede." As a result of Lincoln's election, several southern states decided to secede or withdraw from the Union. This was primarily due to their concerns over Lincoln's antislavery views and his Republican Party's commitment to limiting the expansion of slavery. The secession of these states eventually led to the start of the American Civil War in 1861. Secession can be understood as the act of formally withdrawing from a political union or organization.
