Preview

Essay On The Causes Of The Civil War

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
532 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Essay On The Causes Of The Civil War
The American Civil War, the bloodiest war in America's short history, was thought to be only caused over the issue of slavery. While that did play into many of the more sophisticated arguments, there were many other deciding factors of causing the war. The war was not caused by just economic struggles, or political disagreements, but rather a mixture of both.

The economic struggle between the north and the south were all about deep-rooted beliefs. The International Improvements that the federal government sponsored would improve roads, bridges, and anything else that needed repairing. The northern states were all gung-ho about the idea, while the south believed that they shouldn't spend their hard earned money on some other state. There was also the the issue with the National Bank, while the north were eagerly awaiting this profound idea to happen, the south remained stubborn in their thought that each individual state should have its own bank, and control its own
…show more content…
The tariff issue almost made South Carolina secceed before it actually did, because they believed that they had no benefits from it and all the money through the tariff would go to the north. The south was also scared over the balance of power within the government. For example, free states took over the House of Representatives, for many years, and gained control over yhe senate because of the Compromise of 1850. Also, with the election of Abraham Lincoln, the slave states were beginning to think that the free states had control over the presidency. The final straw that aggravated sectionalism and brought along seccession was the Compromise of 1850, and the Ostead Manifesto. The Compromise of 1850 threw the balance of power off track, and when the slave states tried to balance it again through the obtation of Cuba, through the Ostead Manifesto, as a slave state, it was shot

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Rob Heaney dbq 11 3

    • 890 Words
    • 3 Pages

    One of the first main issues that required compromise to create a reasonable solution was the enactment of tariffs on the south. The main export of the south was cotton. Cotton was what supplied the south with almost all of its money. In about 1828 to 1833 the first major conflict between the north and south was created during the Tariff or Nullification Crisis. In 1828, the North enacted a tariff on the south that severely affected their cotton trade. The tax rates were as high as forty five to fifty percent. The tariffs were nicknamed the "Tariffs of Abominations" because the south was so disgusted at the high rates it was facing. The south spoke out against these high rates and the north lowered the tariff rates to thirty three percent. Despite lowering the tariff, South Carolina decided that they were not going to follow the tariff, and not pay it. The reasoning the state had was that they thought they should not have to follow any sort of law or tax that was not beneficial to themselves. South Carolina nullified the tariff and didn't pay them. The north was outraged at this act. The north thought that the if South Carolina was able to repeal the tariff and ignore it, who would be able to stop them from ignoring laws regarding slavery? The north and the federal government were offended and angry. An example of their displeasure is shown in Henry Clay's speech to the Senate when he states "I merely throw out these sentiments for the purpose of showing you that South Carolina having…

    • 890 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The North and South in the nineteenth century were different in lifestyle and morale as well as economy. The north had a booming industrial economy while in the South, cotton was king. Because of this, congress was continuously addressing controversial matters and providing answers that did not satisfy either one side or both. The early 1800s were full of the North and the South making many attempts at reconciliation that just fell short. Among those were the Missouri Compromise of 1820, and the Great Compromise of 1850. Other tempestuous attempts led to the Tariff/Nullification Controversy, anti slavery debates in congress, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Whether it was one side or the other, there was always someone to oppose - and in some cases, defy - the laws put in place, which eventually led to the succession of the southern states and the Civil War.…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the main factors for this swap in sectionalistic/nationalistic feelings throughout the country was the beginning of the industrial revolution. Before the Industrial Revolution, some New Englanders even talked about leaving the Union during the Hartford Convention. After the Industrial Revolution, the North’s place in the Union would be stronger then ever. The industrial revolution caused many northern cities, such as Boston, major economic growth. While previously the New England colonies’ economies were not as strong as the South, the North overtook the South in economic terms. Factories sprung up and manufacturing became a major part of the economy. Unlike the North, the South was not as greatly effected by the Industrial Revolution. They remained in their agrarian economy even as the North advanced. This caused a divide between the amount of railroads and factories between the North and South. The South began to lag behind the North in economic growth. The roles that had been set in the 1810’s had been reversed. Now the South wanted to secede from the United States.…

    • 418 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Civil War DBQ

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Many people were killed in the Civil War and many people will not forget about this ever. The Civil War was caused by economic outcomes of tariffs and slavery and slavery tensions on the society. The Civil War could have begun for many reasons, but it is hard to pinpoint one single thing that started it…

    • 667 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There are several things that play into why the Civil War started, although the overall burning issue was slavery. Many people argue that the Civil War started over states rights. But when you look at it the states rights were to abolish or protect slavery. This problem seemed to arise as the north became more industrialized and the south stayed predominately agricultural based. As the north began to look towards a city life people began to work together as one.…

    • 552 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The southern states not being as highly populated as the northern states feared Congress having the power to regulate trade. They gave in to a compromise that prohibited the federal government from levying export taxes and from interfering with slave trade, which the south depended on for their tobacco plantations.…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The political differences between the North and South ranged from deciding on what the budget of the United States should be used for to what should be the main crop produced and sold for income. in the 1860s the government made a lot more decisions on things such as what to produce and how to produce it then currently in the United States. The reason the north and south problems on what crops to produce had such an impact was because of the type of soil the North and South had. The reason industrialism flourished in the north was because the lack of soil needed for farming. The north farming situation was set up for more smaller farmsteads instead of the south with relied on more heavy farming and plantations. This taking us back to slavery. Due to the prosperity of farming in the south they relied more heavily on slaves than the north. political differences in the north and south were too diverse for the two parts of the country to continue as one this leading to succession of South Carolina in…

    • 748 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    If asked, most people would blame as the cause of the civil war the issue of slavery. This is understandable; many people in the U.S. at the time were against slavery, going to far as to help runaway slaves escape to the free north. But, while slavery at face value was a major factor, international politics and economics played a major role. Several factors, including the election of Lincoln, the raid on Harper 's Ferry, the Dred Scott decision, and, most importantly, the fugitive slave law, contributed to the growing rift between the North and South and, eventually, the Civil War.…

    • 888 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    They depended greatly on the North for their industries and factories, because they had very few. They also opposed federal spending on internal improvements and they wanted no tariffs. Even despite having a somewhat weak economy, the South wanted to gain their independence to become their own country, and to have their own way of life, which included slavery as legal. When Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860, the South thought that they would have no voice in the government, considering that Abraham Lincoln was against slavery. In hopes of being their own country, the South had no intention of fighting a war. However, before the war started, the South was unwilling to compromise. They thought that slavery should be allowed in all of the territories. They disagreed to the Missouri Compromise and to parts of the Compromise of 1850. Many felt that these compromises were unfair and biased. The South felt that their way of life and views on slavery were right and just. They turned to what they thought was their only choice: seceding from the Union. This enrage the North, which was one of the main causes of the Civil War.…

    • 623 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Civil War was the bloodiest war in all of America's history.But some things still remains a mystery in the Civil War.There were many reasons to how the Civil War was cause.A lot of people thinks that slavery was the cause,but it is only one of the many causes.Slavery, Economy, and State's Rights were the main cause to the Civil War.The slavery brought tensions,many differences in economy,and fighting for a cause.Tensions rose as Republicans and Democrats fight for a solution in slavery,the North and South many differences in their economy,and reasons to fighting in the Civil War.The Civil War was fought for slavery, economy, and State's Rights.…

    • 678 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    On December 20th, 1860 this was made a reality with South Carolina seceding. After this even it cause 6 more states to secede from the Union. In February 18611 the seven seceded states created a constitution and they became known as the “Confederate States of America”. This is where the inevitability of the Civil War starts. The North and the South had way too many differences to be able to get along with one another.…

    • 682 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Confederate States of America formed a political unit and then sought to separate themselves from the other northern states. The confederation was born with six southern agrarian and slave states of the United States: Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. The decision on the separation took place after the abolitionist Abraham Lincoln defeated the presidential elections of 1860. The North was commanded by the industrial bourgeoisie that defended the protectionism customs for not being able to compete with the prices of the English products. The South, which was based on the agrarian economy, was commanded by an aristocracy that defended freedom of commerce, exported almost all of its production, especially…

    • 346 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    One of the biggest issues that overshadowed the rest was the problem with slavery. The north wanted to get rid of all slavery, while the south opposed all efforts to block the increasing of slavery.…

    • 93 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Civil War Essay

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Civil War was the most divisive war in American history. In the early 1800s, the United States experienced a growth of nationalism and unity, but it was replaced by sectionalism, leading to the Civil War. There were many reasons why the South wanted to secede, reasons the North wanted to maintain the Union, and the controversy surrounding slavery and steps taken to abolish it.…

    • 390 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    There were many causes and effects of the civil war, some well known, while others not so much. Some of the causes include the preservation of the Constitution, the social and economic differences between the North and the South and Slavery. There were many effects as well, such as the advances in weaponry, the advances in the medicine industry and the population decrease. These causes and effects had a great impact on the American people and history as we’ve come to know it.…

    • 670 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays