The Route of the Civil War Essay example

The name Civil War is misleading because the war was not a class struggle, but a sectional combat, having its roots in political, economic, social, and psychological elements. It has been characterized, in the words of William H. Seward, as the “irrepressible conflict.” In another judgment the Civil War was viewed as criminally stupid, an unnecessary bloodletting brought on by arrogant extremists and blundering politicians. Both views accept the fact that in 1861 there existed a situation that, rightly or wrongly, had come to be regarded as insoluble by peaceful means.

Finally, in the summer of 1862, with the realization that the war would not be won without the end of slavery, Lincoln drew up the Emancipation Proclamation (Fincher). This document freed slaves in all areas who rebelled against the Union. This began a rippling effect to many other aspects of the war and led to the enlistment of African Americans in the Union Army and Navy.

Who would have thought that a nation could split and turn on each other? The Civil war has main causes, key people, and battles. All of the people, events, and causes effected how the war came to be and how the Civil War was fought. The important people of the Civil war made important decisions that may have caused one side to a victory or a horrific lose. The battles of the war were bloody and devastating, and the causes of the Civil War show how different the North was from the South. Many people know the Civil War was extremely significant, but most people don't know what caused this major battle in history.

The Emancipation Proclamation was a pivotal document in the American Civil War, but not for the reason a lot of Americans think. Crafted by 16th president, Abraham Lincoln and issued on January 1, 1863, The Emancipation Proclamation did not free the slaves ("The Emancipation Proclamation"). Rather it did not free any slaves in the Union. The Emancipation Proclamation stated all slaves in the rebellious states "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free" ("The Emancipation Proclamation"). The most important phrase in this quote word being "rebellious states," this phrase means that the only slaves being "freed" were the ones who currently lived in the place where the people did not consider

The Civil War was one of America’s most brutal battles in history. Majority of which being white, male soldiers. Over the years, many historians have argued the actual involvement of blacks during the civil war era. Many claiming that they were doing nothing more than assisting the actual, white soldiers in combat such as, nurses, and wagon drivers, not actually picking up the gun and shooting alongside in battle. Most people look over the fact that almost ten percent, or 180,000, of the Union army were African American. Though a small fraction of the amount of total soldiers during the war, their involvement is still significant. These soldiers recruited and voluntarily, committing the same acts of bravery of any Caucasian solider, due to the prejudice against them, they were pushed to the back burner and treated with disrespect, virtually diminishing their extensive courageous acts. Nevertheless these soldiers made an impact in world changing war.

Frederick Douglass once said “What a change now greets us! The Government is aroused, the dead North is alive, and its divided people united…The cry now is for war, vigorous war, war to the bitter end, and war till the traitors are effectually and permanently put down” (Allen, 2005). In 1861, the start of the Civil War was needed by the Confederacy and the Union. Ever since the American Revolution and the birth of the United States, seventy-eight years earlier, there were many disagreements that began to tear apart the country. The main issues that were debated were state rights, unfair taxation, and slavery. Slavery was the main issue because it caused a separation between the north and the south. The north had mostly abolished slavery by this time because it became an industry driven economy, while the south was made up of plantations that grew crops. Almost half of the southern population was made up of slaves because about one-third of families owned slaves. The southern states wanted to break away to start their own establishment and we able to have slaves if they wanted. The Civil War began with the Battle of Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter is located in the Charleston, South Carolina harbor, three and a half miles from the shore. Many events occurred leading up to, during, and after the battle to mark it as an important part of the Civil War.

Slavery was a crucial issue on the Union 's diplomatic front with Britain. Lincoln realized that he could use emancipation as a weapon of war as the war was now primarily being fought over slavery. He also wanted to satisfy his own personal hope that everyone everywhere would eventually be free. So in June 1862, Congress passed a law prohibiting slavery in the territories. Lincoln issued the final form of his Emancipation Proclamation (Document F). It stated, “slaves within any State...shall be then, thencefoward, and forever free.” The proclamation had a powerful symbolic effect. It broadened the base of the war by turning it in to a fight for unity.

After being reluctant to freeing any slaves, Lincoln finally issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, three years after the south seceded from the union. Lincoln, didn 't have the power to free slaves in the South because the South was a new nation. Although it was law that slaves be free, who was going to tell them they were free? Certainly not the men that made profit off their labor. Even as free men and women, where would they do? Many were illiterate and only knew farm labor.

The war began properly started with the battle of Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter was a union fort in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina. Later the United States Army troops in the fort denied to leave, Confederate uses strength to fire upon the fort with cannons. It was capitulating without casualty but was forced to be the bloodiest war in nation's history (Historynet.com).

The battle between armies did not begin until 1861, however the conflict within the Country began at its founding. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence which included “all men are created equal; and they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” he unintentionally yielded abolitionists stimulation in contradicting the institution of slavery. Despite the controversy slavery faced at the Constitutional Convention, the inclusion of the fugitive slave law, the extension of the African slave trade and the three-fifths clause were added with compromise, in anticipation of founding a Constitution and securing the Union, however it would

In 1861, the American Civil War commenced after many years of tension building between the Northern and Southern states. The main reason of the tension was said to be the debate of slavery between the North and South, and although some documents support this claim, it is false. The war had been brewing since 1607, before slavery was even introduced to the colonies that would become the United States of America. The debate of slavery did play a major part in the civil war; however it did so in supporting the true cause of the civil war. The main cause of the American Civil War was not the debate of slavery, but rather Europe’s role in the American economy.

In the Civil War the North had many advantages over the South. The South was outnumbered, out supplied, and pushed into a corner using military tactics. Many things changed because of the Civil War. The military tactics used by the North changed how war was fought from then on. Many changes were made politically; some were only temporary, while others were permanent. After the war was over, the country was reunited and the image of the soul and duty of our country redefined.

There were several primary causes that would eventually lead to one of America’s bloodiest war and now I will explain each one in further detail. One of the main issues that would spark tensions between the northern and southern states was their differing views on slavery. In the North the most prominent idea in peoples mind during the period before the war was the idea of free labor. (Perret 10) They believed that it emphasized economic opportunity in the northern states. (Perret 14) Many anti-slavery movements would soon begin in the northern states and gain great momentum within the 1830’s and 1840’s. What these movements aimed at doing was to change the way people worked and lived which would help the working class adapt to new

What challenges did the “new immigrants” face (those arriving between 1877 and 1914) that previous waves of immigrants did not?  (Discuss at least 2 challenges.)

The Civil War was a very critical event in American History. It started by many disagreements between the North and the South. For blacks as for other Americans, the Civil War was a strong voice preaching the needs for devotion and allegiance to form a justified nation. After the war ended there were many results that would forever linger throughout America and the world.