The Civil War was, by far, one of the bloodiest events in American history. Such an event devastated the nation, yet it did not happen on its own accord. A country divided politically, socially, economically, and geographically, each unfolding event drove America toward the brink of the Civil War. Prior to the war – the 1800s – many issues over politics, status of slaves, and the economy plagued the country. The North and South were divided upon these issues and continued to drift further apart with every compromise, movement, and legal decision, increasing violence and hostility on both sides. Although there existed many causes of the Civil War, in the end, the two most important causes of the Civil War were political and social. Political events including the Dred Scott Decision and the States’ Rights Doctrine before the Civil War increased tensions between the North and South. These conflicts resulted from contrasting ideas about slavery, states’ rights, and political parties: the North was mostly Republican, opposed slavery, and preferred a unified nation under the federal law, while the South was mostly Democratic, proslavery, and supported greater rights and power for states. According to Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, the Supreme Justice during this time, “the Act of Congress which prohibited a citizen from holding and owning property of this kind [slaves] in the territory of the United States north of the line therein mentioned is not warranted by the Constitution, and is therefore void” (Dred Scott v. Sandford). Since the ban of slavery in the northern part of the western territory was deemed unconstitutional and lifted by the Dred Scott Decision, an attempt to settle the issue of slavery, the North f... ... middle of paper ... ...nists and southerners alike, disliked this document – the prior felt it was unfair to the slaves and the civilians while the latter felt the act was not enough to protect slavery. The issue of slavery was still far from resolved, growing worse in intensity and existing in all social classes, even when the Fugitive Slave Act was repealed and a new compromise was made. By the time of the Civil War, a person’s position on slavery mostly determined which part of society he belonged to – the North or the South. Political and social causes launched the Civil War as the most significant causes of the war. Representing the conflicting opinions of the people, government decisions and social movements/ideas clashed. Problem after problem accumulated until violence ruptured. With no other option to resolve the conflicts, for America, the Civil War was inescapable.
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Show More“A house divided against itself cannot stand (Document M)”, said by Abraham Lincoln about how the North and South couldn’t continue being half free and half slave states it would slowly destroy the government that they tried to create. Lincoln also stated that, “Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it… or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become lawful…(Document M)”. Scott Dred a slave while wanting to become a member of the political community as told by the legislative and the historians that, “...a Negro of the African race was regarded by them as an article of property (Document L).” With the help of the rights given to him from the North it was stated that, “..in the territory of the United States north of the line therein mentioned, is not warranted by the Constitution, and is therefore void (Document L).” Politics assisted with the cause of the Civil war because the Southern and Northern views on freedom were too different that their would never be a real resolution that would make both political parties within the states
The loose interpretation of the Constitution by Chief Justice Marshall had greatly infuriated and scared the Southerners because if the government could regulate interstate commerce, then it could one day regulate slavery; it's technically commerce. Therefore, states such as South Carolina passed the Negro Seamen Act, which was later struck down unconstitutional, greatly hit the issue of slavery. South Carolinians had great bases for their beliefs because of the recent Denmark Vesey uprising.
The American Civil War was caused because of the North and South differences in economies, disagreements about abolishing slavery and whether the state or federal government had more power. These three factors played a key role in America's deadliest war. Understanding the causes of the Civil War is important because the war was one of the most important events in our nation's history. After the Civil War all men were truly created equal, it reunited the country as one, and redefined what it meant to be an
What caused the Civil War is not solely one. The main cause of the Civil War is economic difference between the North and the South, which had been set up since American colonial times. The economic division also caused political division and different arguments regarding slavery because both the North and the South fought to protect their own economic system.
Constitutionally the North favored a loose interpretation of the United States Constitution, and they wanted to grant the federal government increased powers. The South wanted to reserve all undefined powers to the individual states themselves. The South relied upon slave labor for their economic well being, and the economy of the North was not reliant on such labor or in need of this type of service. This main issue overshadowed all others. Southerners compared slavery to the wage-slave system of the North, and believed their slaves received better care than the northern factory workers received from their employers. Many Southern preachers proclaimed that slavery was sanctioned in the Bible. Southern leaders had constantly tried to seek new areas into which slavery might be extended (Oates 349).
The Civil War was a hard fought battle between the North and the South. The Civil War was caused by four main things: sectionalism, lifestyle differences, secession, and slavery (Wise). Slavery was the ultimate cause of the Civil War. The different leaders from the North and South had a large impact on what happened during the Civil War and how the battles were fought. The battles of the Civil War brought turning points and tragic moments in American History. In the end the North won and took control of the country and tried to bring it back together as quickly as possible. The Reconstruction Era after the war lasted for 12 years as the Presidents tried to reunite the split country (Reconstruction). The Civil War was a long hard fought war that ultimately changed the U.S. forever.
The American Civil War was caused by an explosion of conflictions, provoked by regional and sectional differences and an unfortunate sequence of political events. As explained earlier, the central theme of almost all of the events that brought about the Civil War was related to slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott Case, and the Election of 1860 were three events that played very instrumental roles in causing the Civil War, however each could have been handled differently by the parties involved. The approaches of the parties could have been more subtle, using compromises to settle disputes, in order to avoid a war.
The American Civil War fought from 1861 to 1865 is described as “the bloodiest conflict in the history of North America” (Feature Causes Of The Civil War). The Civil war or war between the states was fought for many economic, political and moral reasons tracing back to the very start of America. The civil war fought between the Northern and Southern states is truly a significant event in the history of the United States because it involved American citizens fighting against each other. The American civil war was initiated through the controversy over slave labor, unfair actions toward Southern states and the vast division between the Northern and Southern states.
In conclusion, these four events were the main causes that led to the American Civil War. All of these events had to do with slavery which is the overall reason why the war occurred. The main causes of the Civil War negatively and/or positively impacted a group of people. The Civil War is also known as “The War Between the States.” The issues between slavery and central powers were what divided the United States (10 Facts: What Everyone Should Know About the Civil
One of the main factors I feel like contributed and as well as started the Civil War was the political, cultural, and economic issues that were going on at the time. I personally feel like the division of the North and South was one of the main factors to the beginning of the Civil War. There was multiple situations when Northern and Southern congressmen had tried to get on an equal playing field but that came to a stop fairly quick. Things like slavery and slave labor were also some huge factors that had developed over time that contributed and continued the civil war that was taking place at the time.
By April 1861 America was at a breaking point. Tensions had been rising for years and things had finally boiled over. Americans were at war with each other. What had caused this once united nation to become so bitterly divided? There had been many contributors leading up to the outbreak of the Civil War. Things like the Fugitive Slave Act had enraged Northerners and caused a deeper divide between states. The book Uncle Tom’s Cabin had fired up both the Fire-Eaters and the Abolitionists alike. Though many events lead to the outbreak of the Civil War, three stand out in particular. These events were the catalyst that lead to the explosion of the Civil War. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, the California Gold
Many are clueless today on what caused the civil war in America. Three of the main causes of the war were: That nation was split into two totally different societies (Kelly), that the growth of slavery in American had become one of the most intense issues in America at this time period, and finally the election of the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
Many causes led to the Civil War. This all happened around the mid 1800s. It was a conflict between the Northern and Southern states. Both sides had their own view on slavery, and their separate views caused contentions between the two. Both had different views on whether to expand or stop slavery growth to the West, or have slavery at all.
One of the causes of the civil war was slavery .the south was for slavery and the north was against slavery the south also wanted to expand salvery to the west were the north strongly apposed that the south also wanted to be independent and thought that it was about states rights the south also hugly understimated the north about how powerfull they were and how ong the war would last the south thought it may last a couple weeks at the most and it ended up lasting a couple years
...reating disputes and angering southerners. Since the two’s markets were so distinctive it became hard to please both sides and eventually, these feelings along with growing tensions initiated the Civil War. Overall, in situations like the Industrial Revolution and Tariff of Abominations, the economy caused many feuds and the growing resentment to the other side directed the country to the Civil War.