The statement which best expresses the reason why the Southern states decided to secede (break-off) from the Union after the election of 1860 is: They feared that the southern economy and way of life would be destroyed.
Based on historical records, the Union was made up of states that were divided into two categories and these included:
The Southern states were actively involved in slave trade and the establishment of slave plantations for the growth and development of their agricultural produce.
After the election of President Abraham Lincoln in 1860, the Southern states such as Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Alabama seceded from the Union because they feared that their economy and way of life would be destroyed without slave labor.
Read more on Southern states here: brainly.com/question/646531
