Before the civil war era, America was split by different local identities. In fact, the Southern states had a pro-slavery identity that supported expanding slavery into the Western regions. On the other hand, the Northern states had abolitionist views and opposed expansion of slavery to the Western territories. The central issue causing the division was slavery where, in the Northern states, slavery was nearly completely barred by 1800s. However, slavery was the cornerstone of Southern states. Many Northern states had freed many African-Americans. Slavery divided the Northern and Southern states because ideologically, the Northern and Southern states were diametrically opposed.
The Southern states were investing more in slavery rather than in machinery. The Southerners were interested in purchasing land, some slaves, and then focusing on their plantations. On the other hand, the Northerners generally disliked slavery, and always urged the Southerners to free their slaves. This contributed to a division since the Southern economy depended greatly on slaves to work on their plantations as opposed to the Northerners, who were much developed and did not depend on slaves.
The emergence of activists and abolitionists inspired by the vision inspired of equity among Americans was a big blow to the Southerners. The abolitionists were demanding instantaneous liberation rather than a steady one. They insisted on acceptance of the African- Americans as equal citizens rather than deporting them to Africa. For example, according to William Lloyd Garrison, all men are equal and should be granted equal rights such as the right to liberty and freedom. He also called for the instant empowerment of the American slave population. However, some people like John C. Calhoun argued that the South could not surrender their institutions of slavery; therefore, there could not be any coexistence between abolition and the Union. The Southerners were emboldened when Chief Justice Taney upheld the view that slavery was protected in the constitution during the Dred Scott ruling.
Abraham Lincoln, while opposing the American division in his 1858 speech on “A House Divided” argued that America could not stand while divided. He held that government would support equity among the Americans and would not tolerate this division.
Abolitionism was an issue that stirred this division; this led to hostility in the Northern region as some thought it might disturb the Union or upend white supremacy. In antebellum North and even some states such as Illinois, racism was quite prevalent making it hard for African - Americans to enter this region.
In conclusion, it is evident that the primary issue that led to the division between the South and the North was the fact that the Northerners were against slavery, as opposed to the Southerners who still believed that the African-Americans were still properties, and they owned them to work in their plantations. However, the issue of granting the slaves equal rights was supported by some abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and politicians like Abraham Lincoln; some like John C. Calhoun still believed that slavery was right.
Works Cited
Calhoun, John C. 1837. Print.
Garrison, William Lloyd. The Liberator. 1831. Print.
Lincoln, Abraham. A House Divided Speech. 1858. Print.
Taney, Roger B. The Dred Scott Decision. 1857. Print.
