The American Civil War was a brutal event in the American history that changed the nation’s future from a slavery-based economy to a federal one. History posits that the war had erupted in response to the differences in ideological beliefs primarily the North versus the South. The Northern states had been the first to abolish slavery in their lands; their industry relied more on importation and heavy industrialization. On the other hand, those states located in the Southern part of the United States were agricultural based. For instance, South Carolina was dubbed as the ‘Cotton King’ state due to its reliance on cotton production. During these times, cotton industry relied on slavery and these made all cotton products available to the people. Yet in contrast to the popular argument, what Professor Holt offers was a deeper perspective to ponder on how the Civil War originated. He proposed that the American Civil War did not exist merely as a result of the differences in ideology or due to the North’s aggressive tirades over the Southerners slave system economy.
Instead, the war had been a long time hot pot. Meaning, indeed, the differences in ideological beliefs were there, but it was not enough for the North and South to declare war to each other. In the 1850s, the US had been dealing with the issue of political parties; likewise, the destruction of the two-party system led to the outbreak of the war. In this respect, Professor Holt explains that people at that time had lost their interests in the political parties since what they was not entirely addressed. And the he posits that when the Republican Party won the elections, the Southerners spearheaded by pro-slavery politician John C. Calhoun declared cessation from the Union.
“Americans grew impatient with the inefficacy of traditional political methods and institutions. Widespread disgust with politics as usual engendered cries for reform that helped destroy the old parties, propel voters to new affiliations, and shape new parties as ways were sought to reform power to the people.” (Holt 403).
As a result, many people had created various political parties that sought to cater the public’s concerns. With the existence of too many parties, the politics of America in the antebellum period became diversified and not centralized on two parties alone as many people allied themselves on the parties they deem right and just. The collapse of the two party system made the American politics a dramatic surge of emotional and political crisis as more and more people became actively engaged in the game of thrones in the 1850s that they lost all the notion to build the nation into one but instead focused more on what would benefit the other rather than as a whole. The people’s impatience in the lack of political will to unify America fuelled by the contrasting ideological differences was the main reason, according to Holt, that the Civil War emerged as one of the most notorious battles in the history. The economic differences between the North and South were only side shows to the real reason of the Civil War outbreak.
WORKS CITED
Holt, Michael F. “The Political Divisions that Contributed to Civil War.” N.p: n.p., n.d. PDF File.
