The War of Rebellion: The Civil War

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The Civil War was a very significant war that resulted in making the nation and the government stronger. Peculiarly both sides had very different views on what caused the war, what they wanted out of the war, and what the war meant resulting in what is considered the bloodiest war in America’s history, around six hundred thousand Confederate and Union soldiers died in battle. What did they all die for though? Depending on whether you were from the North or the South the answer to this question would vary. In fact, evidence from the speeches of leaders on both sides proves that each side had a very different meaning for the war and wished to achieve very different outcomes. Contrary to what I originally believed this war much more than the issue of slavery. While the South was very concerned with the possibility of abolishing slavery, securing their rights and obtaining sovereignty was their main driving factor. The North did not simply want to end slavery either. President Lincoln was much more concerned with keeping the Union together because once one state left it would lead to others and eventually the “United States of America” would become the “Sovereign States of America.” That’s not to say that slavery was not a huge player in the Civil War though. I feel the Confederacy felt they weren’t receiving the rights promised to them in the Constitution, but the specific right they were talking about is the right to own slaves. I find it all very ironic. The South secedes and demands equality and rights but has the complete opposite opinion when it comes to their slaves. Lincoln promises not to abolish slavery but what does he later do? Pass the Emancipation Proclamation. The war in general seemed to be based off of some seemingly ... ... middle of paper ... ...n history. The fact that both sides had very different views on what caused the war, what they wanted out of the war, and what the war meant resulted in a conflict that would change the course of American history and cause us to become a even stronger nation. Fortunately, for us today, the North won the war and saved the Union. Our current government along with our Nation could be drastically different or not even exist at all today if the South had successfully seceded. As for the issue of slavery, if the South had won slavery may have been preserved for a while but I don’t believe it would have lasted forever. The Civil War was more than just a conflict over rights and slavery. It was the war that proved America had successfully created a powerful democratic government that was a force to be reckoned with whether you were a citizen, a state, or a foreign nation.

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