Southern states seceded from the United States after Abraham Lincoln
became president because:

A. Lincoln won fewer total votes than Democratic candidate John
Breckinridge.

B. Lincoln promised to use federal power to stop the spread of
slavery.

C. Lincoln supported the principle of popular sovereignty regarding
slavery

D. Lincoln believed that state governments should be more
independent

I think it is B

Explanation:

Southern states that seceded immediately after Lincoln's election in 1860 did so because they had already been planning it in the event of a Republican victory. Their motivation involved what they perceived as a threat to the institution of slavery, which their economy was dependent upon.

the law supported victims of political persecution.

explanation:

southerners, for their part, considered brown a terrorist. they felt threatened by northerners' deification of brown and worried about the potential for other, similar armed insurrections.

explanation: