Premium Essay

Causes of the American Civil War

In:

Submitted By santanarino
Words 1571
Pages 7
Causes Of The American Civil War

Four years of American bloodshed on American soil. Why? The reasons are varied. From the formation of America to 1860, the people in this country were divided. This division was a result of location and personal sentiments. Peace could not continue in a country filled with quarrels that affected the common American. There is a common misconception that the American Civil War was fought only over slavery, when in fact there were several other reasons for why the War Between the States was fought.

The Civil War (or the War of the Rebellion as it is officially known) lasted for four years, from 1861-1865. It was between the American people; primarily the northern states vs. the southern states. The South was called the Confederate States of America (also known as the Rebels) and was led by President Jefferson Davis. The North was still known as the United States of America, or the Union, and the people were called the Yankees or sometimes the Federals. They were led by president Abraham Lincoln.
If one were to ask the average person the causes of the War Between the States, that person would most likely answer with one word: slavery. But this was not the only cause. Slavery had been a historical problem before the war. Slavery came up in debate during the making of the American Constitution, and both Northern and Southern states held slaves.

In 1611, a group of Scottish women and children were sold as the first slaves in America, and in 1618 the first African slaves were sold in America. Between 1611 and 1865 people of many cultures were sold as slaves in America. So you see it is also a fallacy that American slaves were only African, because many were not.

In the eyes of some Southerners slavery was a necessary evil. The South accepted this idea as a way of life. The South found slavery highly profitable and knew their

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Causes of the American Civil War

...Causes of the American Civil War THE CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR I Introduction to Civil War II Social Causes A Differences in society B Westward Expansion III Economic Causes A Differences in economy B Westward Expansion IV Political Causes A Government V Aftermath A Costs of War CAUSES OF THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR I. Introduction to Civil War The American Civil War was a war fought within the United States of America between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy) starting from 1861 and ending in 1865. This war was one of the most destructive events in American history, costing more than 600,000 lives. It was thought to be one that helped shape the character of the American individual today. From the Southern point of view, this war was a War of Rebellion, or a War for Southern Independence. From the Northern point of view this war was seen as a revolution. This unfortunate war started as a result of many years of differences between the Union and the Confederacy. It erupted after many years of conflict building up between the two regions. Between the North and the South there lay deep economic, social and political differences, but it is important to understand that Slavery was the root of cause of these differences. II. Social Causes There were many factors that contributed to the onset of the Civil War. Socially, the North and the South were built on different standards. The South, or the Slave States, was a slave-based community that followed...

Words: 1323 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

The Causes Of The American Civil War

...The Cause The American Civil war was a fight between the Northern states and the Southern states. The South was sick of the North telling them what to do and making laws they didn’t want. So as a result of this the South decided to break away and formed their own country, which is called the “confederacy”. The North wanted to stay united as one country so the war began. There were many events that led up to the Civil War. The events lasted from about 1860 until 1865. One important event being Bleeding Kansas, this was a fight between pro slavery and antislavery for the new territory of Kansas. Hundreds of men crossed the Missouri border and went and out-voted the anti slavery settlers in Kansas. This brought vicious retaliation from the anti...

Words: 479 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

American Civil War: Causes

...Many people believe that the major cause of the Civil War was because of slavery. In reality there were several factors that including about regional diversity, differing interpretation of the constitution, slavery, state's right, sectionalism, especial territorial expansion, led to the Civil War. States’ right is one of the most symbols of the American Civil War. States’ Right refers to the struggle between the federal government and individual states over political power. Since the time of the Revolution, two camps emerged: those arguing for greater states’ rights and those arguing that the federal government needed to have more control. At the Constitutional Convention and create, in secret, the US Constitution, many felt that the new constitution ignored the rights of states to continue to act independently. They felt that the states should still have the right to decide if they were willing to accept certain federal acts. And this resulted in the idea of nullification, whereby the states would have the right to rule federal acts unconstitutional. The federal government denied states this right. When nullification would not work and states felt that they were no longer respected, they moved towards secession. The Northern and Southern sections of the United States developed along different lines. The South was mostly rural and agricultural. With invention (sang che’) of the cotton gin in 1793,cotton farming becoming the most profitable (loi nhuan) business in the South....

Words: 856 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Main Cause Of The American Civil War

...April 21, 1861 to April 9, 1865 were the dates of the American Civil War starting and ending. The setting was in North America between the North and South Economic difference was affected throughout that era which caused feuds between states. Although the Civil War was caused by various of reasons followed by slavery, politics, and economy. These were 3 out of the many reasons on what caused the Civil War. The first main cause of the Civil War was conflict between the North and the South about slavery. Slavery in the 1800’s was harshly treated due to the color of their skin. Slavery helped cause the Civil War because equality didn't seem to exist for the slaves. Which once again makes them have no rights. ”Free laborers were the slaves that...

Words: 361 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

What Are The Causes Of The American Civil War

...The American Civil War which started in the mid-1800s was mainly due to Abraham Lincoln wanting to preserve the Union. Lincoln’s main goal is to keep the country together as one. The war did not just start due to Lincoln wanting to preserve the Union but also because of slavery, sectionalism, states’ rights, and secession. Some of these factors may have contributed to starting the war more than others but all played a role in starting war within the country. All of these factors eventually forced the country over the brink and mass war broke out. Various sources can account for harsh events that happened before wartime starting the war. These events were caused by short term factors. Slavery was probably the biggest factor that led to the...

Words: 263 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Apush Essay Causes and Effects of the American Civil War

...of the Civil War was the election of the new President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. Another vital cause was due to the fact that the South was a major advocate of slavery, and idea that the north greatly disagreed with. This disagreement allowed it to become one of the major origins of the Civil War. Consequently, the Civil War resulted in many changes that affected society in the United States forever. One major cause of the Civil War was the election of Abraham Lincoln as the 16th President of the United States. “The straw that broke the camel’s back” is a phrase that’s commonly used to represent the importance of this election. The aforementioned phase means that though all of the problems the United States were facing were being managed, the election was the one last minor problem that the government could not sustain, causing a relapse in the nation. Throughout most of the election, Lincoln held all of the free states and none of the states dependant on slaves. This was an enormous problem because as soon as Lincoln was elected, the people in South Carolina began meeting to discuss secession. Approximately two months succeeding Lincoln's inauguration, the nation began to collapse as South Carolina withdrew from the nation. This is because once South Carolina seceded, the domino effect occurred as many other southern states hopped onto the bandwagon and withdrew themselves as well. Lincoln saw this as unacceptable and without hesitation declared war soon...

Words: 865 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Whould You Sjod

...The impact of the Second World War was, without a doubt, crucial in improving the lives of black Americans over the years 1945-55, as it led to federal support of the cause. However, it wasn’t as important as the use of direct action which, for the first time, was able to convert de jure into de facto change. This, not the War, was therefore the most significant factor in the improvement, achieving something which federal support and the work of civil rights organisations which did not engage in direct action were alone unable to do.The impact of the Second World War was, without a doubt, crucial in improving the lives of black Americans over the years 1945-55, as it led to federal support of the cause. However, it wasn’t as important as the use of direct action which, for the first time, was able to convert de jure into de facto change. This, not the War, was therefore the most significant factor in the improvement, achieving something which federal support and the work of civil rights organisations which did not engage in direct action were alone unable to do.The impact of the Second World War was, without a doubt, crucial in improving the lives of black Americans over the years 1945-55, as it led to federal support of the cause. However, it wasn’t as important as the use of direct action which, for the first time, was able to convert de jure into de facto change. This, not the War, was therefore the most significant factor in the improvement, achieving something which federal...

Words: 769 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Remembering and Commemorating the War Essay

...Commemorating the War Essay According to Blight, Fredrick Douglas fought hard to protect the memory of the war. What was Douglas’s memory of the war and why did he try to protect it? North vs. South, Confederates vs. The Union. Rifles were fired… brother vs. brother. Men were named heroes for seemingly valiant acts in battle. We learn many things from the past. A nation was literally ripped in half in what was called the bloodiest conflict in American History. History is not an obsolete thing. Rather, it teachers valuable lessons. It can’t be denied how tragic the Civil War really was in American History. “It is not well to forget the past. Memory was given to man for some wise purpose. The past is the mirror in which we discern the dim outlines of the future and by which we may make them”(97). Prominent American Figure Fredrick Douglas was born a slave, educated, freed himself then became an accomplished author that fought for equality for blacks and many other groups in America. In the text Beyond the Battlefield: Race, Memory, and the American Civil War, author David W. Blight describes Douglas’s memory of the Civil War as something beyond the battlefield. Fredrick Douglas recognized the heroism and the death that happened on the battlefield. However there was much more than the combat and battle happenings that Douglas remembered. Douglas remembered what it was to be a slave; this very insight was the key to his memory of the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil War. Douglass...

Words: 1526 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Civil War Reconstruction: Great Distress In The Nation

...Civil War Reconstruction Essay The civil war was a time of great distress in the nation: Americans fighting against Americans, Americans’ homes and businesses being torn up, and American families being destroyed. Happiness was few and far between, since no one could escape the catastrophic war. The war is remembered by many names, such as the Second American Revolution or the half-accomplished Revolution. The names vary, but the memory still rings true. The war was monumental and tragic, but it united us all. The nicknames of the Civil War varied throughout the nation, at one point in time, but today the common history has united us all and all sides see the reason behind the names. After the war had ended in the mid-1800’s the South and the North were at odds with each other. The South had wanted to leave the United States and the North had prevented them from doing so, at the expense of over 600,000 American deaths (American Civil War History). The South believes that this war was a lost cause, since they believed they were justified in when they seceded from the nation. They thought that the North’s growing abolition movement put...

Words: 696 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

American Civil War

...The American Civil War Student’s Name: Course: Instructor’s Name: Institution: Date Submitted: The American civil war is a war that happened between the years 1861 to 1865. The war was fought so that the union could determine its survival and to ensure that it gets independence (Blattman, C., & Miguel, E., 2010). The war originated due to the issues of slavery that was especially practiced in the western countries. The lessons that struck me from the story of American civil war include the following; one is that there is a very big role of influence that a few important people can contribute in the outcome of a war. There were few individuals who influenced people to take part in the civil war in the United States during mid-1860 as they played major role in making sure most people participate in the war through incitement (Justino, P. 2009).For example Abraham Lincoln had a lot of influence to general public because of his position of being the commander in Chief although he had not been trained on military. The other thing that struck me from reading the civil war is that no one should ever undermine the determination of the average soldier. This is because the soldiers have a chance to show a difference no matter how the plans of the commander are. When the war started the soldiers fought very well not considering the plans but to show the outcome of the war. The soldiers wanted to ensure that they became the winners after the war which after the war they...

Words: 417 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Timeline Part Ii

...Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History in column C. See complete instructions in the Syllabus for the Module 3 assignment entitled. “Timeline Part II.” NOTE: The timeline project does not need to be submitted to turnitin. NOTE: Please write your answers in a clear and concise manner. Limit your submission of the Timeline Part II up to 250 words per topic/subtopic. For example, if a topic is divided into 3 subtopics, you may write a maximum of 250 per subtopic listed. Be sure to cite all sources. Major Event/Epoch in American History | Time Period/Date(s) | Description and Significance of the People/Event(s) to American History | 1) The evolution of the institution of slavery from the Colonial Period to the 1860s. | 1619-1860 | At first, slaves could earn their freedom. When they did, slaves tended to own their own slaves. This is how it was up until 1750 when Georgia legalized slavery. Slavery was more needed in the south than the north due to the climate and ability to grow more crops. (Webmaster, 2011) Around 1808, the importation of slavery ended due to the rise in births. Blacks then made up 20% of the American population. | 2) The socio-cultural impact of the abolitionist movement including: a) The effect of Uncle Tom’s Cabin b) The Kansas-Nebraska Act c) The Compromise of 1850 d) The Underground Railroad | A) 1851-1852B) 1854C) 1850D) 1830-End of the civil war | A) After the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin...

Words: 1557 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Causes of War

...The Causes of War Summer Hansborough POL 300 004016 What causes opposition? Imperialism, nationalism, Social Darwinism, and militarism are causes of war, and I narrowed it down to the following; freedom, money, ideologies, race, religion and land. Although these are causes of war, in most cases, the ultimate cause of war is an elitist mentality. One believing their ideologies, race, policies and beliefs are superior to those that do not fit in or follow that particular system. What are the causes of war? An age old question that no one has yet to give a definitive answer. What is war? One definition explains war as an aggressively armed battle between conflicting people. Another definition explains war as fighting between nations, or groups in a nation, using weapons. To sum it all up, war is a condition of active animosity or contention and it is not exclusive to people. There are many kinds of war, such as is the war on drugs, the war on terrorism, political wars, and the war on AIDS. The war on AIDS is interesting, because it’s not a war apposing people, but a virus, a disease. According to the bible, our war is not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, wickedness and power in high places. (bible, 2005) A system, which is designed to bring order and uniformity, is an attribute to the causes of war. A system is vital to administer order to society. In the early days, before America established its own money system, America used...

Words: 3707 - Pages: 15

Premium Essay

Slavery And The American West Summary

...Slavery and the American West is a masterpiece by Michael A. Morrison. The book was published on August 1997. It tries to appraise the territorial issue and it's relationship with the civil war and its origin. It is a logical chronicle of diplomatic happenings during the 1840s and 1850s and how it changed the political scenario of America. It outlines the upright dissension of the slavery expansion. The author opines a number of subject matter in his book. By referring to Jacksonian Politics, he talks about the western settlement. Later he writes about the split into two party system and the contribution of territorial issue to it. Though the territorial issue and slavery gave way to the Civil War, it was not the direct cause of it. He provides information about the brief thoughts of the cause of Civil War. The early twentieth scholars viewed slavery as the sole cause of Civil War. Likewise, the Progressive Historians had the view that the improper distribution of property and the hostility between...

Words: 652 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Civil War

...Confederates reunion in New Orleans, 1903The Civil War is one of the central events in America's collective memory. There are innumerable statues, commemorations, books and archival collections. The memory includes the home front, military affairs, the treatment of soldiers, both living and dead, in the war's aftermath, depictions of the war in literature and art, evaluations of heroes and villains, and considerations of the moral and political lessons of the war.[247] The last theme includes moral evaluations of racism and slavery, heroism in combat and behind the lines, and the issues of democracy and minority rights, as well as the notion of an "Empire of Liberty" influencing the world.[248] Memory of the war in the white South crystallized in the myth of the "Lost Cause", which shaped regional identity and race relations for generations.[249] 150th anniversary2011 marked the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War. Many in the American South attempted to incorporate both black history and white perspectives. A Harris Poll given in March 2011 suggested that Americans were still uniquely divided over the results and appropriate memorials to acknowledge the occasion.[250] While traditionally American films of the Civil War feature "brother versus brother" themes[251] film treatments of the war are evolving to include African American characters. Benard Simelton, president of the Alabama NAACP, said celebrating the Civil War is like celebrating the "Holocaust"....

Words: 710 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

World War Ii Through the 1970s

...least two (2) reasons that Americans in the late 1930s wanted to stay out of the European conflict that became World War II. 4. Explain the role that women played to help win World War II. 5. Describe at least two civil rights breakthroughs after World War II that moved the cause of African-Americans forward. 6. Describe at least two (2) ways in which the Vietnam War brought political awareness to a new generation of young Americans. 7. Describe at least two (2) programs of President Johnson’s “Great Society” agenda that are still with us today. 8. Include at least two (2) references other than the textbook. At least one (1) of your sources must be obtained from the collection of databases accessible from the Learning Resources Center Web page. Generic encyclopedic Internet resources such as Wikipedia or Answers.com will not be considered acceptable. Your assignment must:  Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.  Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required page length. The specific course learning outcomes associated with this assignment are:  Recognize the major turning points in American history since the Civil War.  Analyze how historical...

Words: 1534 - Pages: 7