The Civil War
The worst American Civil war since the revolution in America took place between 1861 and 1865. This war resulted from numerous occurrences that led to mistrust and eventually the destructive fighting. This essay explores what caused the American civil war. It explicates the causes starting with the initial causes down to the war itself.
Slavery
Firstly, the Southern States of America primarily relied on plantations as the cornerstone of their economy. The unfortunate thing about this was the plantation economy relied on needed slavery, to perform and sustain itself. In comparison, the northern states had established beyond farming of cotton. On the other hand, the Northern States had built its economy on trade and industries. This made them less sympathetic of the slave system that took place in the south. Arguably, the slave issue was further aggravated by the republicans who saw slavery as inhumane and too uncivil for a modern society. This conflict resulted to the federal government stopping the expansion of slavery to the North. Resultantly, the south decided to withdraw from the confederation. While scholars and different tutors point to many more reasons behind the civil war, slavery was at the heart of the Southern States economy, and it was clear they would fight to keep it.
Sectionalism
Evidently, the Southern States differed from the Northern ones in many ways. More so, the need of the Southern States differed to those of the North in various ways. Such difference that were observable early1800 ranged from; social structure, economies difference, political values, and customs. Unfortunately, as America progressed, the differences between the Northern and the southern states widened further. The Southern States entirely depended and concentrated on farming or plantation agriculture that relied on slavery to function. The Northern States, on the other hand, slowly phased the slavery out from existence. The Northern States urbanized, industrialized, and used modern methods of the time to build and manage prosperous farms. This difference created serious tension that would see the Northern state treat slavery as wickedness. To the south, the new sentiments were discomforting causing the south to warm up to the war in fear of complete abolition of slavery and thus cotton trading
Protective trading
As the North was working hard to industrialize they faced intensive competition from Europe. Fearing for its economy, it pushed for more tariffs to control European business partners. However, this was not without consequences, the south was to suffer the blunt of the economic disgruntlement. The south supplied Europe with cotton, and Europe paid handsomely. Europe on its part supplied the south with manufactured goods at agreeable prices that were now being jeopardized by Northerners tariffs. The south wanted free trade. This further raised the heat as the North seemed to be set to destroy the south economically.
Lincoln
Lincoln election and subsequent policies were the last straw on the camel’s back. The southern states saw the rise of republicanism and to them the values within the manifesto of the parties only pointed at abolition of slavery. During his inauguration, Lincoln said that the constitution was the perfect union and a binding contract. With statements like this, the southerners read more than they could hold. It was clear to them slavery had been turned to a course of extinction and with it their economic stronghold.
Secession
It reached a point where the south felt it no longer thought the federation had its interest at heart. Primarily the federation had with time created laws that showed it was after abolition of trade. Secondly, the interests of the two divisions had grown apart and thus the reason for unity was, put into question. Thirdly the election of President Lincoln saw the south reach a decision to secede from the rest of the country. South Carolina adopted a declaration, which justified secession from the union in December 1860 barely a month after Lincoln election. Other southern states Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas and Louisiana also seceded to form the confederate state. Additional four states also seceded and joined the confederation. These were Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and a portion Virginia leading to the formation of West Virginia in 1863.
Nationalism
The secession separated the country into two kinds of citizens nationalist and those who felt the union was no good. While it was not a serious factor to the Northern where everyone was most likely a unionist, in the southern states, nationalism saw the division of southerners in two. Those who wanted a United States union and those who thought its time was past, which formed a wider Unionist force. The result was the south strongly preferred secession to keep their way of life. However, to the surprise of the South the North was far readier to fight for unionism. Unionism was far more important it meant economic, political, and social power all significantly required for the success of the industrial revolution, which the North was pursuing.
In conclusion , the sequencing tension and disagreement resulted to “war”. The south took the first strike in 1861 and for the four years they were overwhelmed by the northern that were richer in industrial machinery. The South was, outgunned from all directions and the economy destroyed. This was resulted to 600,000 to 700,000 soldier's deaths from both sides at a ratio of 1 to 3. With the northern, side losing one soldier for every three from the confederation.
