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- Introduction
The Civil War (1861-1865) is an unforgettable event in the history of the United States of America. This renowned war was fought between the Northern and the Southern states. The Northern states were the part of The Union. On the other hand, the Southern states had disaffiliated from the Union and were successful in forming Other names given to this War are the War for Southern Independence , the War between the States , the War of Secession and the War of the Rebellion. Although the name Civil War is greatly criticized as vague and inaccurate, it is the most extensively acknowledged name ("U.S. Civil War").
- Historical Background
The Civil War brought a devastating national crisis in the United States of America. It was not just a threat for the stability and unity in the country but also led to the deaths of more than five hundred thousand American citizens. It also destroyed the Southern economy. This was because there were a number of causal societal, fiscal and political factors that first led towards the 1861 (April 12th) attack on Fort Sumter eventually overlaying way for the Civil War to begin. The Civil War outbreak at Fort Sumter was the consequence of numerous issues including the matter of slavery and its expansion, Southern cotton production growth and increase, Abolition movement’s extension, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 1860 elections and the breaking away of southern states into independent territories.
- Causes
It is important to mention here that the name Civil War misleads due to its ambiguity. If truth be told, the Civil War was a combat between the two sections in the American land and was not a struggle between two classes. This factional conflict had its roots in the elements of politics, economy, society and psychology. The historians are still in a dilemma regarding the basic causes that led to the Civil War due to the complexity of matters. It is widely acknowledged as criminally stupid. The Civil War was a pointless and redundant mayhem that the haughty activists and clumsy politicians brought on the American nation. It was a conflict that was disorderly and out of control. This is the reason why a majority of historians agree that the circumstances in 1861 could not be resolved by adopting a peaceful approach (Kurtz 130).
The North and South had a mutual interest for establishing a new America when the American Revolution was on its peak and the country had adopted a new Constitution. This common interest naturally lessened the differences between the two sections. However, there was a steady growth in sectionalism. The Southern part was more or less absolutely an agricultural unit. The social order and economy was largely dependent on the plantation system and the institution of slavery. The wealth in South was mainly derived from the production of cotton. On the other hand, the North was a more advanced section due to its agricultural resources and industrial expansion ("U.S. Civil War"). However, regardless of this economic stability, the Southerners wanted to secede due to other economic reasons. Those include “federal subsidies to improve harbors in the Northern states, the exclusion of foreign vessels from the coastal trade to benefit Northern shipping interests, Northern control of the export trade (of which Sothern cotton provided more than half the value between 1815 and 1860), the reliance of Southern planters upon Northern banks for the redemption of foreign bills of exchange, and especially protective tariffs” (Woodworth 145-146).
As far as societal and political causes are concerned, the issues of constitutional controversy and slavery are regarded as the major ones that resulted in the Civil War outbreak. The free-thinking was dominated by the antislavery idealism. The African-American political, social and economical rights were sabotaged by many racist politicians as they wanted to protect the whites’ interests. The Southern economy was dependent on the slavery far the acquirement of wealth. When the question of slavery abandonment was raised, the mayhem between the two sections began as the Southerners didn’t want to lose their economic independence by abolishing slavery. On the other hand, the Northern states were in favor of abolishing the slavery from American land. For this reason, a number of politicians in the South including James B. DeBow, William Yancey, Robert B. Rhett etc. tried their hardest for disaffiliation from the Union in order to preserve the autonomy and reputation of the Southern states dependent on slavery (Woodworth 137).
- War Events
In the initial stages of the War, the Southerners were mostly the winners of the skirmishes. The Confederates were victors at First Bull Run (1861), Peninsula Campaign (1862), Second Bull Run (1862) and Fredericksburg (1862). However, they were suppressed by the Union forces at Antietam (1862), Monitor & Merrimac (1862), Gettysburg (1863), Vicksburg (1863), Sherman’s March to the Sea (1864) and Petersburg Campaign (1864-1865). In the last stages of the Civil War, the Confederates surrendered to the Union at Appomatox Court House in 1865. However, the assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln marred the success of the victors as he was the most prominent figure of the War. It is extremely saddening that the Civil War was the most brutal war in the American history as it killed millions of people and cost hundreds and millions of dollars. It is also an inopportune fact that the war propagated abhorrence, bigotry and intolerance in the people (Berman & Epstein 175-176).
- Reconstruction
Reconstruction period (1865-1877) was one of the most important affairs in the United States of America history. In simple words, it was the readjustment period after the Civil war’s end. As the Southern Confederates faced a terrible defeat in the Civil War, the lands were physically destroyed by the Union forces. A great collapse was also experienced by the institution of slavery which was the source of social and economic affluence in the South. Therefore, it became extremely significant to reconstruct the 11 Confederate states. As far as the Reconstruction successfulness is concerned, it was a triumphant period for the American nation as the country emerged as an integrated territory after the restoration of the former Confederate states. Reconstruction also caused the draft of new constitutions. All the states that were reconstructed accepted and acknowledged the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments. The resolution of the old issue of federalism vs. states’ right also took place during the Reconstruction period.
On the other hand, Reconstruction is also regarded as a failed attempt due to a number of reasons. To begin with, there was no particular protection granted to the farmer slaves from the persecution of whites. As a consequence, the radical Republican legislation turned out as a failure. Reconstruction also failed in bringing about essential amendments in the social structures of the Southern states. President Rutherford B. Hayes removed the federal militia from the conquered zones in 1877 (Berman & Epstein 199). This removal instantaneously resulted in the power reinstatement of the earlier representatives and slave owners in the Confederate states. The conservative Supreme Court also provided full support to the exploitative officials and politicians. With mutual consent, these governmental representatives passed black codes, qualifications for voting and additional legislation. It was done in order to subjugate blacks once again and take back the rights that had been granted to them by the Radical Reconstruction.
- Conclusion
Works Cited
Berman, Stacie Brensilver, and Mark Epstein. Preparing for the AP United States History Examination. Boston: Course Technology, 2013. Print.
Kurtz, Seymour. Jewish America. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1985. Print.
"U.S. Civil War." Questia. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Feb. 2014. <http://www.questia.com/library/history/united-states-history/19th-century-u-s-history/america-1861-1900/u-s-civil-war/u-s-civil-war>.
Woodworth, Steven E.. The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1996. Print.
