Which statement represents the views of the Republican Party in the 1860 election? A) Opposed the extension of slavery B) Favored freeing all slaves C) Favored popular sovereignty D) Opposed internal improvements

A) Opposed the extension of slavery

The Republican Party in the 1860 Presidential Election primarily stood on the platform that opposed the extension of slavery into the new territories of the United States. This position did not necessarily mean the immediate abolition of slavery where it already existed, but rather aimed to prevent its spread. This stance was a key component of the Republican Party's platform and greatly contributed to the election of Abraham Lincoln as president. The option that suggests they favored freeing all slaves (B) is not accurate in the context of the 1860 platform, as emancipation became a more central theme during the Civil War, particularly with Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The Republican Party did not advocate for popular sovereignty (C), which was the idea that the residents of each territory should decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. Nor did they stand against internal improvements (D), which were generally government-funded infrastructure projects; in fact, they often supported such developments as part of the overall economic growth.