What was the cause of the American Civil War?
Introduction
There are several issues that resulted to the occurrence of the American civil war. The Southern and the Northern regions of America generated along different opinions. The Southern individuals remained to be mainly agrarian economists while the Northern region was continuously becoming more and more attached and committed to industrialization. Distinct social cultures as well as political beliefs were created in return. All the changes resulted into the rise of disagreements in regard to matters such as taxes, internal development, slaves, tariffs and federal versus the state’s rights[1]. Slavery is the primary issue that resulted to the eruption of civil war. The burning matter that resulted into the union’s disruption was the continuous debate over the future of slavery. The dispute primarily resulted it succession which led to war in the western and Northern territories and states. The war was a fight of the attempt to preserve the existing unions while the Southern were fighting in order to determine and develop their self independence as a fresh state’s confederation under its self based constitution[2]. This paper will present an analysis of slavery as an American civil war cause and advocate slavery as the primary source of the war.
Slavery was often noted by Abraham Lincoln, as the root source of slavery. Slavery tensions dated back to opposing ground of the American revolution that occurred in the 18th century led to the rise of a republic that was focused to creating white’s freedom and blacks bondage in America[3]. Within several years the Sothern and the Northern region arrived at a point in which compromise was never an option. At this particular period civil war has already began. Slavery created a rising dispute as the Northern region which was industrialized abandoned to objective of bondage while slavery need increased in the Southern parts. The agrarian South was particularly in quest of free and extensive labor force so that the economic growth would be stimulated[4].
In particular, the blacks were being exploited by the American whites in the production of textile. This was the primary conditioning of the social and economic development different in the South and North and the opposing perception on the social structuring. Slavery to the Northern was now being viewed as a barbaric historical object that had been passed by time, a hindrance to the development of Christian and secularism[5]. This was mainly because according to the Northern slavery contradicted the independence declaration ideals as well as offered degradation of aspiration of free labor to the Northern region society. In the early 1830s, several anti slavery movement’s publications were made by some activists considered as faithful such as Garrison, weld, Tappan brothers and others[6]. The activists were primarily making the claim that slavery was a major sin. This led to the development of the abolitionism movement as well as a victory over most white Americans. The primary goal of the abolitionists was to develop an improved society through reforms that would convince people that it was not right morally to maintain humans bondage. The belief that slavery was to be rejected kept the movements since they believed that everyone deserved equal rights. Most of the events that led to the occurrence of civil war are associated directly with slavery[7]. Slavery can be described as the system that is grounded on utilizing the enforced labor of other individuals. At the period of civil war the abolitionists held several conflicts with the Southern based on their slavery preference. All the conflicts such as border war conflict resulted to the development of a violent attitude by the South and the North towards one another.
Bleeding Kansas is one proving that slavery was a primary cause of civil war. This is particularly demonstrated as a war of the border. The border was is the period when the United States offered Kansas the opportunity for the citizens to have the ability to vote[8]. If the war never occurred this implies that the freedom of the state would not have been achieved. The state was been given the freedom to exercise their voting rights in order to support slavery and those against the practice were killed[9]. The event of killing was a support of the rise of a violent attitude that was developed due to the differences in perceptions and preferences of slavery. The event was viewed by most as a representation of the hatred against those that either supported or did not support the continuity of slavery.
Slavery is the most contributing aspect to the rise of civil war. This is because slavery was an economic problem to the Southern and a moral problem to the Northern. Slavery was the primary driving force for the slave’s states in the South in leaving the union. The civil war was primarily driven by Southern states succession by leaving the union. The Southern held the belief that slavery was much better as compared to immigration since the slaves owners were responsible for catering to their basic requirements. In most cases they referred to the plantation life to me more favorable to the slavery families. Based on this belief the immigrants were lowly paid and provided extensive and hard labor in a poor working environment that was not healthy or safe for them[10]. The Southern states succession was the primary factor to the rise of civil war. The Southern rebellion view was viewed by Lincoln and thus vowed on preserving the costs of the union at any given cost.
Despite the fact that the issues of ineffectual leadership, different perceptions and states’ rights contributed to the rise of war slavery proves to be a primary cause which was influenced by sectionalism and slavery expansion. States rights led to the development of territorial government rights and tariffs issue. Slavery can thus be referred as a long-term cause of civil war in America. Slavery was the main issue since everything including the complete Southern culture was dependant on the practice of slavery. This therefore, implied that if they gave up the society would be affected highly. The Southern region was more in the provision of state’s rights rather than a centralized government and any states that arose had to make its decision on whether it was in for or against slavery[11].
The rise of the civil war was mainly grounded on the existence of opposing views in regard to the issue of slavery. The perceptions led to a change of attitude between the Southern and the Northern since the Southern were only interested in economic growth while the Northern were focused on transforming the social structuring[12]. The Northern hoped to achieve this through the provision of equal rights to all the American residents. This would therefore mean that the abolition of slavery would affect the performance of the Southern economy due to the lack of free labor in exchange for the basic needs. The issue of slavery led to the destruction of the association amid different individuals generally as the matter was responsible for induction of pride. Slavery was a minor issue to the Northern but it was highly valued by the Southern as their source of labor and an influence to the economic and social growth.
Conclusion
Finally, the conclusion is that slavery was one of the primary causes of civil war occurrence in America despite the fact that it was backed up by several minor reasons. The social and economic development differences of the South and North and the contradicting perception on the economic development and social structuring would not be compacted. The Southern region mainly considered slavery as the optimal path for attaining economic development, while the Northern region made the claim that maintaining human bondage was morally wrong and thus the union was expected to reject the continuity of slavery. Lincoln’s proclamation course against the practice of slavery additionally let loose the American civil war. Liberation declaration permanently transformed the scope and the nature of civil war. The black soldiers high participation in the operations of military was an essential forward movement in the fight for attaining all Americans equality[13]. The violent attitudes that led to the rise of the war would not have occurred without the existence of slavery.
References
Abraham, Lincoln. 1855. Lincoln Addresses The Fugitive Slave Law. Letter to Joshua F. Speed. Springfield, Illinois. Retrieved from http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/letter-to-joshua-f-speed/
Calore, P. (2008). The causes of the Civil War: The political, cultural, economic, and territorial disputes between North and South.
John C. Calhoun. 1837. Speech On The Reception Abolition Petitions: Revised Report. Retrieved From Http://Users.Wfu.Edu/Zulick/340/Calhoun2.Html
Mountjoy, Shane, and Tim McNeese. 2009. Causes of the Civil War: the differences between the North and South. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10318887.
Tucker, Spencer, James R. Arnold, Roberta Wiener, Paul G. Pierpaoli, and David Coffey. 2013. American Civil War: the definitive encyclopedia and document collection. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=658643.
[1]Tucker, Spencer, James R. Arnold, Roberta Wiener, Paul G. Pierpaoli, and David Coffey. 2013. American Civil War: the definitive encyclopedia and document collection.
[2]Mountjoy, Shane, and Tim McNeese. 2009. Causes of the Civil War: the differences between the North and South. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.
[3] Abraham, Lincoln. 1855. Lincoln Addresses The Fugitive Slave Law. Letter to Joshua F. Speed. Springfield, Illinois.
[4] John C. Calhoun. 1837. Speech On The Reception Abolition Petitions: Revised Report. Retrieved From Http://Users.Wfu.Edu/Zulick/340/Calhoun2.Html
[5] Calore, P. (2008). The causes of the Civil War: The political, cultural, economic, and territorial disputes between North and South.
[6]John C. Calhoun. 1837. Speech On The Reception Abolition Petitions: Revised Report. Retrieved From Http://Users.Wfu.Edu/Zulick/340/Calhoun2.Html
[7]John C. Calhoun. 1837. Speech On The Reception Abolition Petitions: Revised Report. Retrieved From Http://Users.Wfu.Edu/Zulick/340/Calhoun2.Html
[8]Calore, P. (2008). The causes of the Civil War: The political, cultural, economic, and territorial disputes between North and South.
[9]Tucker, Spencer, James R. Arnold, Roberta Wiener, Paul G. Pierpaoli, and David Coffey. 2013. American Civil War: the definitive encyclopedia and document collection.
[10] Calore, P. (2008). The causes of the Civil War: The political, cultural, economic, and territorial disputes between North and South.
[11] Abraham, Lincoln. 1855. Lincoln Addresses The Fugitive Slave Law. Letter to Joshua F. Speed. Springfield, Illinois.
[12] Mountjoy, Shane, and Tim McNeese. 2009. Causes of the Civil War: the differences between the North and South. New York: Chelsea House Publishers.
[13] Calore, P. (2008). The causes of the Civil War: The political, cultural, economic, and territorial disputes between North and South.
