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Capitalism and its Effect on The Civil War: Maddie Volz April 21st, 2023 How has capitalism (and the search for wealth) defined American identity?

The pursuit of wealth has been a defining characteristic of American society, with capitalism providing the framework for this pursuit. Capitalism has fueled innovation, entrepreneurship and competition, driving economic growth and prosperity. Starting from the formation of the United States, there has always been a sense of freedom that was more readily available than anywhere else in the world. As the nation developed, more people migrated to America and worked from the ground up to pursue their own happiness and build their own life and liberty. The longer this went on, the more rooted the “American Dream” became in our history and character, only amplified by the capitalist system in place, rewarding hard workers and dreamers. However, the pursuit of wealth has also led to inequality and social stratification, the first climax of many over the next century being the Civil War. This major US conflict was the effect of differences in economic interests and strategies in the North and South, brought on by capitalism and the chase for wealth and power in a new nation. Success in the 1800s was constructed based on the ownership of land, production and the capital gained from it, most notably through the use of exploited labor and as little government intervention as possible. As the United States continued to grow as a young nation, the economic prosperity of production and industry expanded rapidly, fueled by competition between companies and plantations alike. Due to the capitalist system in place, major corporations and plantations were in a constant battle for power over one another because the most successful group would reap the most benefits. In the North, industrialization was already well under way as factories spread across the region and production capacity increased with every new invention and factory built. The South, however, had established an extremely successful agriculturally focused economy through the mass production of cotton, tobacco and sugar, earning its name “King Cotton”. Despite their economic differences, both were working towards the same goal of 1

money and power through the use of different methods. Slave labor allowed for the rapid production of cash crops, which were sold to markets in the North and Europe. This system generated enormous profits for Southern plantation owners, but it also relied on the continued expansion of slavery into new territories. This inhumane institution allowed the generation of significant wealth for the white men in charge and the perpetuation of exploitation and oppression of African Americans that continues to affect society today. Slavery played an essential role in the development and success of the Southern economy and as time went on, this caused extreme tension between the North and South due to their differing beliefs on the. One example comes from James Henry Hammond’s speech on “The Admission of Kansas” in which he defends the ideology of African-Americans being the laboring class 1 . The North didn’t rely on slave labor like the South did which in turn meant that congress was faced with pressure from both regions to either protect or abolish slavery. Coming back to the beliefs of the Southern states, something that was emphasized repeatedly in history to date is unwanted government infringement. Many of the soon to be Confederate states felt that the federal government was overstepping their rights by dictating slavery in the South, something Southern leaders felt the federal government had no right to do. As seen in the document, “The Declaration of Causes of Seceding States”, the South felt neglected in their thoughts and beliefs on slavery because congress wasn’t working to protect the institution for the sake of their economy; in order for these states to continue to profit and grow, there needed to be new slave states added to the Union 2 . One example of this is the “Fugitive Slave Act”, passed by congress in 1850, this bill required that escaped slaves were to be returned to their owners even if they 2 The Southern States. 1861. “The Declaration of Causes of Seceding States.” American Battlefield Trust. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/primary-sources/declaration-causes-seceding-states. 1 Knoles, Lucia Z. 1858. “James Henry Hammond, "Speech of Hon. James H. Hammond, of South Carolina, On the Admission of Kansas, Under the Lecompton Constitution: Delivered in the Senate of the United States, March 4, 1858," 1858.” American Antiquarian Society |. https://www.americanantiquarian.org/Manuscripts/cottonisking.html. 2

were in a free state when found 3 . This bill was voted on in order to help keep peace between the opposing regions as free states were being added to the US which would in turn make the South feel ignored in their wants and beliefs. As the Civil War nears, tensions in the nation had reached an astronomical height, congress was working to keep peace for as long as possible by adding slave and free states at the same time so that any abolition bills on the table would continue to be voted as a tie. The addition of free states and little added protection of the right to own slaves only further angered the South from the standpoint of both slavery and governmental overreach, leading to their secession. At this point in time, the nation is now divided, the Union being an industry focused region with the federal government backing it and the Confederacy being an agriculturally centered region, run by wealthy, elite white men. Despite the fact that there were many causes to the civil war, the issue of slavery was at the center and simultaneously tied to the economic system in the South, causing Southerners to believe it was imperative to their future success to leave the Union and protect their power and wealth. When waging war on another, one of the most important parts is resources and access to them. In this case, Northern states were backed by the federal government and had been industrializing for decades which allowed them to regear in favor of the war effort. The South, on the other hand, had no industry to produce mass amounts of ammunition, clothes or guns, let alone a standing army or large population 4 . In this, we can begin to see how the differences in each region's economic systems played a role in their respective ability to wage war on each other. With the Civil War in full swing, the Union has been able to fund the war through bonds and deals with private companies so that all production could go towards the war. Contrary to the success in the North, the Confederacy worked to rally as many men as possible to fight, 4 Walkup, S.H. Lt. Col., and Gov. Zebulon Vance. n.d. “NCpedia.” NCpedia | NCpedia. Accessed May 3, 2023. https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/plea-supplies. 3 “Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.” 1850. Wiktionary. https://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/fugitive.asp. 3

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