SLAVERY
(THE MAIN CAUSE OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR)
US History to 1877 – HIST101
American Military University, 26 April 2014
Many factors led to the occurrence of the American Civil War. The key issues were slavery, different political ideologies, right of the people, and economic reasons. However, the key reasons that lead to the Civil War was slavery. Slavery is touted as the main cause of the conflict between the states in the northern part and those in the south. To date, slavery is still considered the worst human tragedy to have occurred in the United States. Abraham Lincoln himself pointed out that slavery was the root cause of the Civil War because of increase in tension within the country.
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States of the Northern and Southern region were both right in their claims; hence, the war was inevitable. The Southern States had practiced slavery for many years that made it both legally and historically right. Therefore, the southerners had the right to defend their tradition and way of life.3
The idea of slavery was seen as an evil and not in accordance with most of the Republican states in the country. The anti-slavery movements wanted to stop the spread of slavery in a gradual manner. However, the people in the Southern States saw this as an abuse of their constitutional rights by barring them from practicing slavery. In the mid-1880s, acts of slavery were beginning to fade away in the Northern States, but they thrived in the Southern States. The main way to put an end to this was to result in violence since both factions had reached an impasse.
The main agenda of the abolitionists was to attain economic reforms that gave the southern part an unfair advantage. A different liberal group called for a gradual abolishment of slavery. Abraham Lincoln during the presidential election of 1860 ran with the ideology of slave abolishment and won by a minor margin. He used slavery as one of the main points when running for the presidency. Furthermore, he made it clear that he had abolished slavery in most states in the United States. In addition to going against slavery, he
Slavery, as Abraham Lincoln often noted, was the root cause of the Civil War. Tensions over slavery dated back to the contradictory nature of the American Revolution of 1776 that resulted in a republic simultaneously committed to freedom for whites and bondage for blacks (Barney W., p. 61). Within years North and South reached the point at which compromise was not possible. At that time Civil War had been started.
The causes of the Civil War were complex and have been controversial since the country began. Some causes include; states’ rights, economics, and slavery. The most recognizable and popular cause is slavery. The freeing of the slaves was an important moral issue at the time and one of the greatest causes of the civil war. "It was only by carefully avoiding the moral issue involved in slavery that Northerners and Southerners could meet on any common ground." (Goldston, 79). The time came in which our great country would finally address the moral issue of slavery. Although there are many different causes to the American Civil War, the main cause was slavery because other causes are rooted in the issue of slavery.
Factors that were the root of the Civil War were mainly economic and political differences. These differences increased sectionalism and tension in the United States; north versus south, each having different views on slavery, economy, and political policies. The inability to settle into a fair agreement resulted in the Civil War.
Slavery continued to cause major conflictions throughout the nation, especially between northern and southern states. Northerners and Southerners had two completely different views and insights on the issue of slavery. For most Northerners, they believed that slavery was wrong and it went against what the nation stood for; liberty and all men being created equally. However, there were some northerners who were antislavery and others (very few) were abolitionist. Although both sides opposed slavery, some individuals’ motives were self beneficial and really did not care so much for slavery while others believed in what America stood for and how it implies to everyone. Southerners on the other hand defended slavery, as it was their way of life.
The cause of the American Civil War has been a politicized subject for the past 152 years. There are many different theories for what the main cause is, however the best answer is an all of the above approach. The cause of the war that divided the nation cannot be narrowly defined into a single issue but each cause is affected and tied together. The main causes that resulted in the Civil War were the issue of nullification, tariffs, but most importantly just an overall difference in their ways of life. Yes, slavery was a cause of the war, but that was not one of the central causes that popular belief has engrained in us all, however, the role that slavery had will be discussed. These reasons all-fed off each other, which eventually
The most important causes of the Civil War were the Underground Railroad, The Fugitive Slave Act and the Dred Scott Decision because they all caused unnecessary conflict and a division between the North and South. The Northerners did not believe in slavery and tried to help the slaves escape, but the Southerners depended on slavery for getting work done on their farms. Slavery was the main cause of the Civil
Although the north and south were living completely different lifestyles, abolitionists from north were against slavery and advocated emancipation to slaves in the south. Slavery may not have been the only factor that sparked a disagreement between the north and south but it certainly had an influence on states decisions to remain or leave the Union. The conflict of slavery has been an issue as early as the American Revolution but it became a serious problem around the 1850’s and during the Civil War. The impact slavery had on the Union can be seen in events such as the Richmond Riots which began when the north blockaded the south’s ports, the Emancipation that freed all slaves, and the 13th and 14th Amendment which officially abolished slavery and granted African Americans equal rights as Whites. Unfortunately, the status of African Americans in the United States were not improving and can be seen in the Black Codes which was a step back from emancipation.
There are four leading causes of the Civil War. First, the concept of “States’ Rights.” Which was a struggle between the federal government and individual states over the political power? Nonetheless, it led to the outbreak of the Civil War because it caused a division between the North and south. As a result was the Compromise of 1850. The Compromise of 1850 because of California a free state, Southwest Territory, the adjustment of the border between Mexico and Texas, alienation of slave trade in DC, and for the southern a stronger Fugitive slave law. Therefore
The Civil War was during 1861-1865 . It was known to be the first modern war . It had very high numbers in death compared to any other war .Because this war followed the Industrial revolution ,this war was the beginning of new technologies, new weapons It was a war fought between the North ( Union) and The South (Confederates). The North did not want to keep slavery but the South did . Slavery was the cause of the separation between the two.There were many laws that were created that started conflicts. Some of those law were created to oppress slaves.Which caused the problems to get bigger. Eventually the U.S. Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act. The Fugitive Slave Act states that if a slave runaway they should be captured and returned to their masters. Section 8 of the Fugitive Slave Act states that anyone who caught a slave would receive a payment of five dollars . Then the Dredd vs. Scott Decision , a decision made by the supreme court , that African Americans, free or enslaved , were not allowed to be citizens . When Lincoln became President he gave freedom to slaves . And because of that decision the South seceded from the Union .
Slavery, some historians argue, was the main cause for the Civil War. It was one of the biggest issues in the 1800 's. Slavery generated conflict between the Southern and Northern states. The South was heavily reliant on slavery. They had a lot of plantations, which
The American Civil War remains as one of the United States’ darkest points in its history because of how dividing and brutal the war was as a whole. This war came from the extreme separation that was in the country, which came from regional differences and overwhelming sectionalism that was present in the United States. Overall, the country in the 1800s was ripe for a civil war, the issues of slavery, states’ rights, and sectionalism all contributed to the Civil War finally breaking out. The American Civil War occurred due to the accumulation of many different issues in the United States society, but a select few stand out as the obvious reasons. The election of 1860 and politics in general, the controversial Dred Scott decision and racial tensions in America, and the entire issue of Fort Sumter and the clash that occurred there, are the three main causes of the Civil War, but ultimately, the election of 1860, and the inevitable inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, is the most important and divisive cause of the Civil War due to the events it caused after the fact.
There where many reasons that lead to the civil war but, the three main reasons in my are the invention of the cotton gin, Uncle Tom Cabin and the Election of Lincoln. This three reason I believe was the main causes to the lead of the Civil War.
In the last page of chapter 2, McPherson comes to a conclusion about what the Union and Confederate soldiers are fighting for and that is slavery. McPherson talked about a lot of different aspects to what the North and the South were fighting for. “The issue of slavery lay at the heart of what many soldiers on both sides thought they were fighting for” (McPherson, 46).
Multiple issues among the North and the South contributed to the start of the Civil War in America, but the main conflict was the exchange of clashing views on slavery. In the North, slavery had already become less prevalent and disfavored among many. Businesses began to trade out slaves for paid workers, abolition movements gained support, and many began to see that slavery was immoral. The opposing southerners believed that slavery could be defended because of its economic benefits, biblical justifications, the belief that it was beneficial for non-slaveholding whites, and the idea that slaves were better off than the white wage workers in the North. Although the antislavery position eventually prevailed, each stance on slavery had legitimate arguments that could be validated.
Throughout history many civil wars occurred for many reasons, The U.S. Civil war were caused by the events in 1850s . The debate and conflict over of the North and South on Slavery,political decisions and economics lead to the civil war. Slavery was the significant contribution to the civil war as it led to the conflict in all systems. Since the Events in 1850s led to the increase in sectionalism and outbreaks of the U.S Civil war, events that were conflict over political decisions, slavery ideas, social and economic differences between the North and South.