It is no secret that the Northern and Southern Regions of America have both made themselves enemies in the past- history books and monuments around the country can attest to this revelation. Some may say that “opposites attract” or “differences are what bring you together," but it can be clearly found from evidence of what happened afterward- that disputes between the North and South region were not taken lightly. As it was things as simple as books, and as crucial as slavery that very much created a spark that many sources accredited to as “the very source of the Civil War” between the two regions that soon became know as “The Union” and “The Confederacy."
Among many historians, the Civil War was irrepressible and therefore inevitable. The rising sectional struggles over the issue of slavery between the 1840s to late 1850s inevitably led to Confederate secession from the Union and ultimately the Civil War. The issue of “slavery had to expand or die” generated intense conflict between pro and anti-slavery forces to the point of which diplomacy and reconciliation was unthinkable.(Why War Came 363) Furthermore, both groups perceived that they were being oppressed by the other which created immense sectional division. In addition, the birth of the Republican Party, which favored free labor over slave labor, and its’ rise to dominate the national government tremendously
As the first major battle of the Civil War the First Battle of Bull Run was an end to the illusions of a quick war and instead was a first glimpse of into the long and bloody four-year struggle the Civil War would become. In this paper the battle and its many repercussions across the political, social and military spectrum of the Union and Confederacy will be explored.
The Civil war was one of the biggest turning points in United States history. The nation’s failure to compromise on the subject of slavery led to an outbreak of war. Battles such as Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Shiloh led to what we know of today as a free nation. Great technological advancements in weaponry led to mass casualties among both north and south, often making death inevitable. Those who bravely served and those who were forced to serve lived a life of fear, starvation, and commitment to battle. Brethren killed each other for the sake of southern slaves. Not only did the soldiers have it rough, but the civilian population suffered hardships as well. Lack of everyday goods made it nearly impossible just to carry on with life. This turning point, the American Civil War, tore apart and further solidified us to the point of where we are today.
On September 27th 1864, Union forces, under the command of Brigadier General Alexander Asboth raided the small town of Marianna, FL. The battle will be virtually unknown in the history of the Civil War, but its success marked the longest successful incursion of Union troops into Florida (Cox, 2014). This raid had two goals; the first was to rescue the reported Union prisoners and the second was to liberate and enlist any slaves that were found along the route (Calvin, 2014). The prisoners were not located, but more than 600 slaves were liberated along their route (Cox, 2014). The subsequent battle did not last long, with minimal losses on both sides, but led to the decline of the Confederate stronghold in Jackson County.
The North and the South both had to make extreme adjustments in order to prepare themselves for an all-out internal war. Both sides of this conflict grew from the same place. Despite the impulse to close ranks amid the culture wars, however, professional historians have not abandoned the debate over Civil War causation. Rather, they have rightly concluded that there is not much of a consensus on the topic after all. Most people believe that the Civil war was fought over the slavery enterprise, and they are partially right. The civil war did in fact have ties to opposition and the attempted removal of slavery in the United States, but that was not the only reason for this bloody and ill-fated War Between the States.
Looking back with hindsight and the knowledge of warfare of the 21st century it is easy to say that the American Civil War was simply put, a very traditional war. Thinking of modern tactics and a course of numbers and deployment one might come to the conclusion that the Civil War was fought centuries ago; nevertheless, it only occurred 152 years ago. This hard fought national struggle was in fact a very modern war for many simple reasons, including the emergence of a new form of large national government with centralized authority, new state run economies, groundbreaking technologies, the development of rank based on merit rather than birth or relationship status, as well as many others.
Thesis: Despite the Confederate momentum going into Antietam, the battle would be the overall turning point of the Civil War.
The Civil War was the bloodiest, most severe war with the greater part of America 's history. It sets kin against kin and father against tyke and realized a bigger number of passings than most of America 's war before or since combined. The purpose behind the Civil War was no single event or action, regardless, a mix of various events and exercises. It was a sort of snowball effect, in any case this snowball had a stone in within - subjection. Oppression was likely the greatest single contributor to the opinions of ruthlessness and scorn between the North and South. Exchange events that incited the normal war are what really drove people over the edge, and some were more convincing than others. The first of these was the Compromise of
It was a group of radical Republicans and southern Democrats in 1865 that set the tone for one of the most infamous and earlier gridlock stories in Congress. After the assignation of Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson became president and the dispute incurred over how to fix the country. The Civil War had left the country with insurmountable damage and Congress could not agree on how to rectify the situation. Northern Republicans wanted to open voting rights to former slaves, which is exactly what the southern Democrats did not want. These Republicans, wanting to get more votes, passed two voting right pieces of legislation, which Johnson vetoes. Thus begins not only gridlock in Congress, but also attempted impeachment of Andrew Jackson. Gridlock is brought about by valid and meaningful pieces of legislations that both major political parties cannot agree to instate and while Congress may not agree to pass it, most often it is the citizens that suffer. (Browning)
The American Civil War, fought from 1861 to 1865, determined the condition of the United States. The Southern slave states, also known as the Confederate States of America upon their secession from the country, attempted to keep the system of slavery alive for as long as possible. Many combats were fought during this four-year period; specifically, the battle in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania from July 1st – 3rd, 1863, proved to be a pivotal turning point in the war. Author Henry Pfanz describes the battle in great detail in his historical analysis, Gettysburg: The First Day, examining the choices and costs made by both the Union Army of the Potomac and the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. The vital decisions made during
Have you ever wondered why the Civil War happened or why it was so substantial to American History? What was the battle that changed it all; that made it the history it is today? Many people have made speculations on the causes of the war and what the major turning point was, but cannot really narrow it down. In James McPherson’s Crossroads of Freedom: Antietam he points out the pivotal moments in American history that led up to and changed the Civil War, so that the reader can get a better insight on the causes and major moments that took place. McPherson explains that the Battle of Antietam was the battle that changed the course of the Civil War along with other important battles and moments.
The Civil War was a war that was thought to would have lasted no longer than ninety days. After all was said and done, the war lasted more than four years and claimed tens of thousands of lives of both The Union and The Confederate States. There were several battles fought on Northern and Southern soil, battles that forced bloody mortal combat between brothers in the fight for equality amongst all men. It tested the strength of the foundation that the United States was built upon. The Civil War was the first war that was documented both by the writings of the men and women involved in the war, and by photographers who were able to capture the true, raw emotion of life on the battlefront. The best way to learn about the Civil war is by exploring and learning about the brave people who sacrificed so much for their respective causes whether it be to liberate slaves from their masters and strengthen the Union, or to defend a newly founded Confederate states who fought to preserve their way of life in South.
Although the Civil War is nearly 150 years the effects are continuously evident. For many the Civil War is still very prevalent in their everyday lives. That being said the effects are different now for different groups of people. For some the war has become a simple part of the past, for others their ties to the war have been warped by time, and still others feel the sting of the war as if it happened yesterday.