Civil War Tensions
The American Civil War was not the culmination of one specific issue, which tore North and South, but rather the culmination of a perfect storm of issues and incidents that formed together to make war between the states "inevitable" (Foote, 1958, p. 29). The issues were various and complex: among them was the primacy of "states' rights" in the Constitution, and the usurpation of those rights (so it was felt by many a Southerner) by the Central government. This feeling was directly tied to the outcome of the Mexican-American War, which resulted in the annexing of large territories to the West. Would they be slave states or free states? If one followed the Missouri Compromise line, there should be no question. Slave states were below, free above. But with John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry and the frenzy of the abolitionist caused at fever pitch, the issue of slavery was more divisive than ever. Added to that the onset of the California gold rush, the push for California to be admitted to the Union as a "free state" and the fact that the Missouri Compromise line ran right through the middle of California, and suddenly the question of who had the right to dictate state policies (not indicated by the Constitution) -- the state itself or the central government, and matters quickly came to a head. Abraham Lincoln won the Presidency in 1860 on a vow to oppose slavery and uphold the Union. Upon his election, several southern states seceded in protest. They felt that the overreach of the central government into the affairs of individual states was an abuse of power. This paper will analyze and discuss these
30); and (socially) the issue of slavery (flamed to inferno-like levels by men like the radical abolitionist John Brown).
The key figures, events and battles of the war were numerous. Jefferson Davis led the South as President of the Confederacy. His response (firing on Ft. Sumter) after Lincoln dared to send a ship of "reinforcements" in spite of Davis' warning that the federals must withdraw from the fort (which was on Southern territory), initiated the conflict. Northerners rallied behind Lincoln, whereas before they had begrudged him the office. (Lincoln had essentially provoked Davis in order to whip up support). This "battle" started it all. But more followed. U.S. Grant made an impact as one of the first Union generals to effectively and consistently resist and attack Southern armies (his victory at Ft. Donelson was pivotal in breaking the Southern stronghold along the North-South border region). And the blockade of Southern ports by Union ships effectively destroyed the South's cotton trade, leaving the states no real means of supporting themselves economically. Davis anticipated Europe coming to the Southern States' aid, believing them to be as dependent upon the trade as the States were. But Europe had a surplus of cotton in store and felt no urgency in…
Civil War How did it happen that the North won the Civil War, notwithstanding the fact that the South had its own powerful advantages? This paper explores that question using chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 for reference sources. Background on the Southern economy and politics The South greatly expanded its agricultural industry (the plantation system) between 1800 and 1860, and in doing so became "increasingly unlike the North," the author explains in
Civil War represents a decisive period in American history, but also one of violence, during which more than 620,000 Americans died. (Gary B. Nash, Carter Smith, page 144) The American Civil War was fought between North and the South, and started as a result of their differences regarding slavery, state's rights and federal authority. The decisive moment was when Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln won the election, and become the president
Civil War of Northern Aggression Is the Term Accurate? The Civil war has been one of the most controversial topics in the history of United States. Where it has been given many names like War Between the States, the War of the Rebellion and the War for Southern Independence, one of its most controversial names is the War of Northern Aggression. There is an enormous amount of literature written on the subject
Civil War In a long war, all of the economic, financial and population advantages would favor the North since the South was a mostly agrarian region that imported its manufactured goods. Initially, both sides had expected that the war would be short and decisive, although by 1862 it was clear that it might drag on indefinitely. Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee and the other Southern leaders realized that their best chance
The war and the years that preceded it led to the creation of social classes in our country. These classes consisted of the rich upper-class down to the poor immigrants; and each class had its own rules and regulations by which it lived. To this day, a large part of our society is based on classes. Socially, the war divided races and started what would lead to racism, bigotry, and
Civil Wars It is estimated that between 1900 and 1967, there were 526 civil wars called throughout the world (Civil pp). Today, there are literally dozens of wars going on around the globe, and dozens more that have ended during recent years, such as the civil wars in Guatemala and Tajikistan. According to Christopher Cramer, most literature concerning civil wars has highlighted the role of political instability in the relationship between growth
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now