Slavery has widely been held as the primary reason for secession in the South. However, according to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2011 found that most Americans were divided on the matter. 48% of the Americans interviewed were of the opinion that “states’ rights” was the leading cause, 38% held slavery was the primary reason while the remainder was either not sure or thought both were contributory factors (Pierce par. 2). From the poll we can infer that secession was as a result of numerous factors. This inference is supported by the Declarations of Causes, published by some of the seceding states, which documented the various reasons why the states seceded (Pierce par. 3). This essay thus analyzes the numerous social, political and economic developments, which took place in the US between 1835 and 1861, which led to the secession of the South.
Economic Developments
The South was opposed to the taxation system of the federal government. The North had made significant economic events i.e. manufacturing and other industries were well developed while the South depended mostly on cotton farming yet the two were still taxed equally. The opposition to the tax system was clearly manifested in the blue print of the Confederacy where the tax was capped at 1% (Pierce par. 4).
Social and Political Developments.
The refusal of the North to pass the Fugitive Slave Act (allowed for fugitive slaves to be returned to the South) and the abolishment of slavery was perhaps the final blow to the Union and triggered the secession. The States’ rights were limited and the federation operated on unchecked discretion on matters affecting the individual states. The federal government could abolish slavery, a practice that was still being widely practiced in the South (Pierce par. 4). The South therefore wanted to check the autonomy of the federal government on matters surrounding slavery and ensure their cotton plantations had enough supply of cheap labor.
Works Cited
Pierce, John. "The Reasons for Secession". Civilwar.org. Web. 4 Jan. 2017.
