Why wersoutern states worried about Lincoln being elected president?

Southern states were worried about Abraham Lincoln's election to the presidency in 1860 because they feared his anti-slavery stance would threaten the institution of slavery, which was integral to their economy and way of life. Lincoln's commitment to halting the expansion of slavery into new territories heightened concerns that the Southern way of life would be undermined. His victory, without any support from Southern states, signaled a shift in political power that many Southerners viewed as a direct threat to their interests and rights. This fear ultimately contributed to the secession of several Southern states from the Union.