...What really caused the Civil War? The Civil War was a war known to many. Between April 1861 to about May 1865, Northern and Southern American soldiers geared up for the nation’s first Civil War. It was fought mainly on key differences of principals and viewpoints of the North and South. Many people think the main or only cause of the Civil War was slavery, however there are many different aspects that led up to the war. The North and South had very different economies and ways of life. They tried to make compromises to suit both parties, but they never fully satisfied anyone. Of the many plausible causes of the Civil War, economic differences leading to divisions of wealth, slavery, differences in population and politics all led to the Civil...
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...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...
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...The American Civil War defined the future of America’s framework, but the various causes of the war also defined the outcome of the battle. From economic differences, to political disagreements, as well as friction from the northern and southern views on slavery put the nation to the brink of war. And growing sectionalism also caused problems within the two sides, until a fever pitch was inevitably hit. With the difference in economy, the growing sectionalism between the north and south, and the political disagreements, war was all but preventable. The economic differences between the north and the south were a major factor in the Civil War’s tension starting to build. Tariffs on imported good gave the north an economic advantage, as their exports were faster to make and more desired. While the south’s exports, mostly cotton, took time because of how...
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...Mr. Kotris English III 7 Dec 2011 How the Civil War Affected the United States Economy “The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865 and it was one of the most devastating wars in history.”(Kelly) Should the Union have helped the South become more industrialized like the northeastern part, or should it have just left the South like it was, an agrarian-based economy that relied heavily on slave-worked plantations for the production of cotton for export to Europe and the northern U.S. states. “If the economy of the South would have been ranked independently in 1860, it would have been the fourth richest country in world.”(Carter) The northern states were more of an industrialized economy, where they made clothes, iron, etc. No war in American history strained the economic resources of the economy as the Civil War did.(Barbieri) Governments on both sides were forced to resort to borrowing on an unprecedented scale to meet the financial obligations for the war. With more developed markets and an industrial base that could ultimately produce the goods needed for the war, the Union was clearly in a better position to meet this challenge.(Pearl) The South, on the other hand, had always relied on either Northern or foreign capital markets for their financial needs, and they had virtually no manufacturing establishments to produce military supplies. The Civil War’s most devastating effect was on the economy, where it caused labor issues all across the southern...
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...The Cause of the Civil War The United States Civil War was the result of conflictive ideologies between the Northern states and the Southern states. The North was abolitionist and heavily developed while the South was poorly industrialized and strongly dependent on agriculture. More than being a social issue slavery was the basis of economy in the Southern part of the United States. The problem was not about whether slavery was morally correct, but whether the South could economically survive without this type of labor; for Southerners slavery was an economical pillar and crucial for their subsistence, to the extent that it would rather fight or secede from the Union before giving up their profitable labor system. In contrast, the North was more densely populated and had more resources in terms of money, men, and supplies than the South did. Slavery for the North was not as necessary as it was for the rural South. Further more, the South was a strong believer of small national government and strongly advocated state rights over national laws, while the North was a strong supporter of federalism and believer in the Union with no option of secession or nullification, which was a common thread of Southern states against the Union. As all these differences grew bigger between the two, more issues and sectionalism emerged and finally led to the American civil war. To summarize, the American Civil War was caused by the differences between the North and the South leading to economic...
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...The deadliest war on American soil is the Civil War. The Civil War started when the Confederate States of America seceded from the Union. The first shots fired in the Civil War was in Fort Sumter, South Carolina on April 12, 1861. On May 9, 1865, the Confederate army surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse. In total, there was about 620,000 soldiers that died from combat, starvation, and disease. The Civil War was caused by the varying economies in the North and South, whether slavery should exist (expand westward), and the failure to establish a compromise. The first main cause of the Civil War was the varying economies between the North and the South. The North’s total population was 23,000,000 million,...
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...What Caused The Civil War? “Civil War was not a mere strife for territory and dominion, but a contest of civilization against barbarism.” – Frederick Douglass. The Civil War was consist of the South vs the North. The Civil War was also known as the “War Between States”, happen in 1861 and lasted for four brutal years. Why did this happen and for a nation that should've been together? The three main causes of the Civil War between the North and the South were abusive slavery, contradicting political views, and the chaotic economy. The first main cause of the Civil War was conflict between the North and the South about slavery. Both sides had different point of views about slavery. North was anti-slavery and the South was pro-slavery. Frederick Douglass, an abolitionist, in his speech, “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro” goes on about how most people celebrate the 4th of July with freedom, but how can a black man participate if he doesn't have those rights. “To him, your celebration is a sham.” (Document G) Then, you have a southern, George Fitzhugh, stating that slaves are “the happiest, and, in some sense, the freest people in the world” (Document H). You get to see the South’s perspective about slavery thinking that slaves have a better life because they provided them with work and a home. These...
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...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...
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...To this day the Civil War is the single most deadly war that American soldiers have been involved in. In fact, it is estimated that the military loss of the Civil War is nearly greater than all of America’s involvement in all conflicts since its foundation in 1776. The Civil War has been tied to numerous events dating from the 18th century all the way to nearly the end of the 20th century in America. American society in the 18th and 19th century was slowly deteriorating and would eventually lead to the North and the South becoming conflicting societies by the 1830s-1850s. The 18th century was a very much important time for the 13 colonies and the newly formed United States. They had broken away from England, with the use of the Declaration...
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...The American Civil War is said to be “the last ancient war and the first modern war.” One of the last wars with mass cavalry units and the first war which railroads placed a major part. This was a difficult time for the North and South, not only were they fighting a Civil War, they were adjusting to new inventions. They have gone from horse-drawn carriages to railroads, medical practices that had barely changed in a hundred years; were now treating wounds caused by new inventions. This would be a new kind of war for both the North and South. Prior to the Civil War each side had its advantages and disadvantages. If you were to compare them you would find differences in economic, social to cultural even transportation then any similarities. With so many difference and beliefs it’s no wonder they tore the nation apart, fought against family members and destroyed property. The South was in all aspects following behind the North and did not except or want changes imposed by the North. Regardless of the differences perhaps at the beginning of the war the South was ready to defend its way of life. Their over all differences lead to the Civil War and it was not solely because of slavery, but the right to live as they had for years. Before the war you had the upper and lower South who did not agree to secession at the same time. This caused a dividing line not only was the North and South divided the South was divided between its self. These eight states, Kentucky, Tennessee...
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...On April 12th of 1861, the Northern and Southern regions of the United States were at war. For decades, the North and South had many disagreements, and grew further apart as more events occurred. The North and South were two different worlds, yet one country. The two regions had different cultures, and ways of living, and sectional issues began to arise, splitting the once unified nation into two, a Union and a Confederacy. This outbreak of the American Civil War was irrepressible; the economies of the North and the South were very different, there were unresolvable social disagreements between the two regions, and there was a strong political divide between the North and the South, which all led to an inability to compromise, and in turn...
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...Eric Yarger HIS/115 The Civil War in my opinion was a war that could have been avoided if each state could have acted as a whole nation rather than an individual state. This war divided our country and in some areas today they still seem to be fighting the same battle that the north and south fought. The Civil War took place over much of this great nation and as a whole experienced a great loss of life. Between both sides, civilian and even Native Americans over 600,000 deaths were recorded. There were probably many others that were not recorded. Even thought the north lost more soldiers than the south, they won the war which ended up in end of slavery. The south called their part of the war “the lost cause”. According to historian Shelby Foote; “Any understanding of this nation has to be based . . . on an understanding of the Civil War. . . . The Civil War defined us as what we are, and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things. It is very necessary if you’re going to understand the American character in the 20th century to learn about this enormous catastrophe of the mid-19th century. It was the crossroads of our being.” I feel Foote wrote this so people could understand that the Civil War was the event in history that has made us the nation that we are today. The Civil War has taught us a nation about what we have lost and what we have gained. It also has taught us that if we were to work at something we believe in we can achieve it. To fully...
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...The evolution of the North and South of the United States was significantly different. The North industrialized and its economy mainly consisted of manufacturing and trade. On the other hand, the South’s economy was agrarian based. As the economies developed in opposing directions the cultures and political beliefs did as well. One major source 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...
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...Certina Rolle 10 Henry History Assignment American Civil War Causes of the American 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. There were many said causes that led to the American Civil War. They were social, political and economic, however, the root of the Civil War was slavery. 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 a class-based system. This system consisted of upper classes, middle class and then slavery. Many depended on slaves and were accustomed to this way of life, which was hard to change. Plantation owners had slaves working for them, and those who could not afford to own slaves would work on their own farm. The North had more immigrants settling in its areas, where labor was needed, but not the labor of slaves. Therefore it had a more developed society where most people worked in factories, and did not follow a class system. The Northerners opposed to Slavery as a body in the South, as the Confederate States were the only region in the world that still legalized the ownership of slaves. This angered the Southerners and threatened their way of life. Economic differences also developed between the two regions. The Southern states were farming states...
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...The American Civil War In my final project I would like to try to describe the American Civil War. I chose this topic, because I think there are still disparities between the South and the North. I would like to learn something more about it. I would also like to discuss racial problems. In my opinion it is interesting to show a different perspective of slavery during the war and African American’s status these days. This project should also remind people of what the American Civil War was about. The Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Causes o the war 3. Abolitionism 4. The war 5. Characteristics and results of the war 6. Reconstruction period 1. Introduction The American Civil war was an armed conflict that took place between the States of the Union (today's founding states of the USA) and the Confederation of States (11 states that wanted to secede from the Union). The war lasted from 1861 – 1865. This war is also known as the North versus the South. 2. Causes of the war • Difference between the North and the South The North - industry, coal mining and processing iron, financial, more people, slavery was prohibited The South – agriculture, cultivation of tobacco, cotton and sugar cane, backward industry, legal slavery • Slavery Slavery was the most obvious reason for the war. The northern states wanted to ban slavery throughout the USA, while the southern states feared, that it would destroy their economy. The balance between "free states"...
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