Which event most likely influenced the voting pattern in the context above?

The expansion of slavery significantly influenced voting patterns, particularly in the context of the antebellum United States. During this period, the debate over the extension of slavery into new territories and states was a contentious issue that divided the population along regional lines. Southern states generally supported the extension of slavery to maintain their economic interests and political power, while Northern states, where abolitionist sentiment was growing, increasingly opposed it.

As new territories joined the Union, the question of whether they would be free or slave states became a determining factor in political alignments and voting behavior. This polarization solidified existing regional identities and loyalties, ultimately leading to intense political campaigns and realignments as parties sought to navigate these heated issues. The significance of slavery in shaping national policies and elections during this period cannot be understated, as it ultimately played a critical role in the events leading up to the Civil War.

The other choices, while impactful in their own right, do not relate as directly to the specific context of voting patterns influenced by regional and sectional tensions over slavery. For example, the development of railroads and industrialization facilitated economic growth and transformation, but they did not as fiercely divide the electorate in the same way that the expansion of slavery did. Similarly, waves of immigration in