Southern Slavery and the American Civil War

1675 Words4 Pages

On September 17, 2011 thousands of protesters filled Zuccotti Park in front of Wall Street in New York City. Armed with peaceful protests and picket signs these protesters demanded change in the American system of equality. They fought for the cause they believe in: no one should be excessively wealthier than another person, and every American should have equal economic opportunity. This movement spread throughout the country with people captivated by the exuberance that fills these protests. This same passion that continues to fill these protesters once filled every American. However, in this instance Americans had enthusiastic, but opposing viewpoints about slavery. The North believed everything about slavery was morally wrong and that having slaves went against the American ideal of freedom. Southerners believed in their guaranteed right of property protection, and believed that the federal government taking away slavery opposed the democracy that America is also based on. When slavery re-emerged as a topic that needed to be settled, the political field was overcome by the chaos of this emotional subject. Slavery’s divisive influence over the political aspects of American society, mainly political parties, a Supreme Court decision, and expansion, severed the country in two when each side could no longer compromise, causing the Civil War. In the pre-Civil War era, political parties became identifying characteristics of Americans, and each party’s opposing viewpoint on slavery and a state’s rights to it divided the country into two perpetually arguing sections and laid groundwork for the Civil War. Before slavery had even emerged as a political issue, a Massachusetts Whig commented that if slavery was introduced into politics... ... middle of paper ... ...31 October 2011). Lincoln, Abraham, Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address, (Independence Hall Association--ONLINE) 1995-2011, http://www.ushistory.org/documents/lincoln1.htm, (accessed 16 October 2011). Lincoln, Abraham, Lincoln’s House Divided Speech, (Independence Hall Association--ONLINE) 1995-2011., http://www.ushistory.org/documents/housedivided.htm, (accessed 18 October 2011). Morrison, Michael A., Slavery and the American West: The Eclipse of Manifest Destiny and the Coming of the Civil War, (Questia—ONLINE) 1997, http://www.questiaschool.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=54440457, (accessed 20 October 2011). Volo, Dorothy Denneen and James M. Volo, Daily Life in Civil War America. (Westport: Greenwood Press, 1998), 19, 33, 93. Von Drehle, David, The Way We Weren't, (EBSCOhost--ONLINE)." April 18, 2011, http://web.ebscohost.com/ (accessed 17 October 2011).

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