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The Cause Of The Pre-Civil War

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There are numerous complex reasons for the eruption of the Civil War. No single issue was the cause. However, certain events and ideas strained the relations between the North and South more than others. By the time the Civil War broke out, the North and South were almost two completely different entities. Although there was definite economic and political strife, I believe that social conflict around prominent issues such as slavery led to an irreconcilable shift in attitudes and relations. The pre-civil war era was turbulent; rapidly bringing about many social, economic, and political changes. During this period the economy experienced a “market revolution”, which spawned after the construction of the Eerie canal. States began to spend …show more content…

The main rift between the North and South revolved around slavery. Throughout the early and mid 19th century, more people (especially in the north) were comprehending the brutality of slavery in the U.S. Open objections to slavery increased, and sometimes even turned violent. Figures such as William Lloyd Garrison (founded an abolitionist newspaper), Frederick Douglass (renowned abolitionist speaker and author), and Harriet Tubman (helped slaves escape the South via the Underground Railroad) were all great leaders and symbols in the abolitionist movement. Furthermore, events such as the Dred Scott case spotlighted the injustice of how blacks were treated as property rather than human beings. This case actually opened up a more fervent discussion of slavery and in the end gave more recognition to the abolitionist movement. As the movement progressed and gained popularity, the strain with the South grew alongside it. In this sense, the Civil War was essentially inevitable. Another social issue that led to the civil war was a lack of unity. Many citizens did not yet feel as if they were part of a union, rather they felt part of one individual state. This mentality made it easier for southern states to consider secession from the …show more content…

It gave people a strong emotional tie to the war and led southerners to believe they were fighting a war to protect their innate rights. Neither side could find a compromise after the Kansas-Nebraska Act essentially destroyed the delicate balance of slave holding/non slave holding states created by the Missouri Compromise. Northerners were dismayed with the prospect of slavery moving westward, especially since much of that area was neither solely industry or farmland. The south, with its stubbornness and such established traditions, continued to feel threatened. The Civil War was inevitable with such a deep-rooted disagreement in place. Another cause of tension was increasing violence within the abolitionist movement. In 1859 John Brown and his supporters marched to Harper’s Ferry and seized the armory and arsenal, where he then tried to inspire a slave revolt. Brown’s plan failed and he was put to death, but this violence caused led to even greater Southern distrust of the abolitionist

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