Why Did The South Secede In 1860 Research Paper

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Why Did the South Secede In 1860? The seeds of secession had been sown early in American history; quite literally with the fundamental differences in agriculture and resultant adoption of slavery in the South. From early days, the thirteen states had grown up separately, and each had their own culture and beliefs, which were often incompatible with those held in other states. The geographical and cultural differences between north and south would manifest themselves at regular and alarming intervals throughout the hundred years following the drafting of the constitution. Tension reached a peak during the 1850s, over the right to hold slaves in new territories. The Wilmot Proviso of 1846, roused bitter hostilities, and vehement debate turned …show more content…

To begin with, the crisis revolved around land conquered from Mexico during the war. A little-known Congressman, Wilmot, proposed a resolution to outlaw slavery in the new territories. It was defeated in the Senate, but its significance lay in the proverbial hornet's nest that it stirred up, with Southern Congressman outraged. A solution, however, was found with Henry Clay's 1850 Compromise, which organised New Mexico and Utah as territories, without outlawing slavery, and strengthening the Fugitive Slave Law to satisfy Southerners, while admitting California as a free state and banning the slave trade in the district of Columbia to please Northerners. Stephen Douglas was instrumental in passing this legislation, by dividing it into smaller pieces, more easily swallowed by a notoriously divided Congress. Southern opinion at this stage was still largely in favour of preserving the Union if possible, but some states made it clear that if the terms of the Compromise were broken, secession would not be ruled out. The years 1850-52 saw the deaths of three great figures in American political history: Clay, Calhoun, and Webster. Despite holding very different opinions, they were nonetheless ardent unionists, and respected elder statesmen. Clay, known as the 'Great Compromiser', did much to heal sectional wounds following the Missouri Crisis, Nullification Controversy, …show more content…

The prospect of a federal government controlled by the 'Black' Republican Party was too much for some, and South Carolina was the first state to secede, followed quickly by six others. This did not necessarily have to mean Civil War, but few in the north were prepared to readily see the Union dismembered. Perhaps they remembered Madison's words at the drafting of the constitution; "great as the evil (slavery) is, a dismemberment of the union would be worse". Lincoln's election was the last in a string of events which had heightened sectional feeling to beyond the realms of reason or constraint. Emerson's warning that 'Mexico will poison us' seemed prophetically true, given the bitter struggle over bondage in the captured territories. When Clay, Calhoun and Webster died, realistic hopes of a peaceful solution to the sectional conflict died with them. Bloodshed in Kansas, weak Presidents, extraordinary goings on in Congress, a Chief Justice who was anything but impartial, extremists such as John Brown, and finally the United States' first sectional party all served to highlight the fundamental differences between north and south. Lincoln's election was the spark that ignited the tinder of secessionist feeling, blowing apart the Union. Furthermore, worse was yet to

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