For this PSD-A, I decided to analyze Virginia’s declaration of secession, mainly because while Virginia did become part of the Confederacy, they had conflicting opinions and were still rather ‘close’ to the Union. Virginia’s first reason is because the Federal Government has “perverted said powers.” The document also makes a point of how the Federal Government has oppressed both Virginia and the rest of the “Southern Slaveholding States.” I think there are multiple reasons for this statement. Firstly, Virginia was probably standing up for what was ‘right;’ I doing so, also giving the other slave states a voice. Secondly, all the Southern states relied heavily on slave labor, so they seceded to protect their economy. No matter the reason, Virginia
In “Apostles of Disunion: Southern Secession Commissioners and the Causes of the Civil War,” Charles B. Dew analyzes the public letters and speeches of white, southern commissioners in order to prove that the Civil War was fought over slavery. By analyzing the public letters and speeches of the commissioners, Dew offers a compelling argument proving that slavery along with the ideology of white supremacy were primary causes of the Civil War. Dew is not only the Ephraim Williams Professor of American History at Williams College, but he is also a successful author who has received various awards including the Elloit Rudwick Prize and the Fletcher Pratt Award. In fact, two of Dew’s books, Tredegar Iron Works and Apostles of Disunion and Ironmaker to the Confederacy: Joseph R. Anderson, received the Fletcher Pratt Award for the best nonfiction book regarding the American Civil War. In his analysis, Dew argues that the fear of eliminating slavery along with the fear of racial equality were both crucial factors regarding the outbreak of the Civil War. By tracing the speeches and public letters of state-appointed commissioners, Dew effectively argues that the white, southern commissioners led the southern states into a Civil War in order to preserve the institution of slavery as well as the ideology of white supremacy.
Charles B Dew, PHD, a winner of Fletcher Pratt Prize from the Civil War Round table of New York for two of his books: Apostles of Disunion and Iron maker to the confederacy, is a native of St. Petersburg, Florida. A son of the south. His book Apostles of Disunion is a book in an attempt to analyze the question: why did the southern states went to secession? In his book, Dew explains why he is writing it and tries to answer (which I believe he does successfully) the question of was the secession due to state right or was the end motive the institution of slavery? The author clearly mentions that he is writing the book in
In a quick observation, it may be easy to observe that the Constitution of Virginia is much larger in length and detail than the United States Constitution. There are many differences between these two constitutions besides the authors or contributors being that James Madison contributed to both, however, he was not the complete author of the Constitution of Virginia (Constitutions of Virginia). Both Constitutions have the same idea in which it holds three separate branches of government, however, differences include the detail and content brought amongst the articles. Differences include, but are not limited to, division of the three branches, extra articles and policies, and the amendments. They
Charles B. Dew's Apostles of Disunion delves into the controversial topic of the causes of the Civil War and the secession of the states that eventually became the Confederate States of America. There are many accounts that point to defending states' rights as the primary cause of the Civil War. However, most people believe that slavery was the main and primary concern the deep South cited for seceding from the Union to form their own separate country focused on individual liberty and the progression of slavery in those states. Dew makes the point that searching for the cause for the Civil War is a search that continues to be debated
Debates over which powers were rightly the states and rightly the federal governments were already tense and the question of whether slavery should or shouldn’t exist in the new territories of America, added on to the already strained relationship between the two sides. Document A describes this situation as a cup on the edge of the shelf, certain things almost pushing it over the edge such as the addition of new states being free or under a slavery economy. Many compromises were formed to try and keep states’ rights as well as keep power for the government. The south wanted to assert their authority over the federal government so they could abolish federal rights they didn’t support, this was
One of Mr. Patrick’s main reasons is that the British communities were stock piling militant forces that were meant for America.
The second document the speech to Georgia from Mississippi Secession Commissioner charges the North with disregard for the constitution based on Article 1 sec 2&9, Article 4 section 2 and therefore being hostile and an enemy to the South. They further charge the Black Republican rule, of breaking and overturning the Constitution of the United States. These charges are based on the North’s
As in Alexander Hamilton’s “Farmer Refuted” and John Adams’s “Thoughts on Government,” the Virginia Declaration begins from the premise that men are by nature “equally free and independent.” Government by consent arises through a contract protecting the enjoyment of those rights and the subsequent “happiness
Ever wonder why rebelious symbols such as the confederate flag are still allowed its showing betrayal how the country was split in half and how we shed so much blood cause of that. You could be walking across the street and see the confederate flag and you may think nothing of it or you might think of all the lives lost and the separation in the country.
Just as Northerners saw flaws in the Constitution, Southerners viewed it not to be perfect as well. President James Buchanan, a northern man with southern sympathies clarified, “As sovereign states, they and they alone, are responsible before God and the world for the slavery existing among them” (Document G). However, In Doc B, an anonymous writer defends the state’s rights that the constitution should protect slavery where it exists. The union will fall apart unless these rights are protected.
In 1861, the first drastic steps toward the American Civil War were taken when South Carolina decided to secede from the Union. However, several factors led this state as well as several others to realize that they had no purpose to remain in the Union. One main reason that these states decided to leave was their belief of constant oppression and attacking of their Southern pride by the North. The idea of “Southern pride” was defined by the constant beliefs of the region to express its uniqueness and prove its importance to the nation and perhaps the world. This Southern pride existed in several forms, including in the their asset-based economy and their status quo, which in turn lead them to feel degraded in the United States and obligated to secede; this pride also helped the Southern states, as a part of the Confederacy, gain an advantage over the North in the beginning stages of the Civil War.
This shows that South Carolina had the right to secede because it was a sovereign state. It also shows how the South should have had the right to decide whether they would want to secede from the country or not. Another example is that when the Southern states joined the Union, it was voluntarily (Appleby et.al 556). “Nowhere in the Constitution is there any mention of the union of the states being permanent.” (http:/civilwar.bluegrass.net). This shows that they should have the right to leave the Union if they choose to. They had this right because the South had no bind with the Union stating that they had to stay except for the United States constitution in which the North had already violated. Even though the United States constitution was what they looked at as a contract, the Union already desecrated its’ terms before this dispute. It also shows how the right was their own and the government could not control their choices in staying or not. These reasons and examples show how the South had to right to secede because of various reasons regarding the political state the government was in.
After attaining liberty from a country reigning with a Confederate government, our now free country was saturated with post-war debt and with no adequate method of collecting taxes to make any kind of financial growth, in addition the people of the new land were no longer protected by a large well-equipped army provided by the previous government. Subsequently, citizens in Pennsylvania, and various other territories, made known of their frustrations with post-revolution anticipations and economic woes. In an attempt to establish their own government, there were conflicts that came about over the issue of representation, slavery, and the idealism of true freedom.
The political theories of nullification and secession were by no means regarded lightly throughout American history. When comparing states’ rights to the federal law, deciphering which carries more precedence could quickly become a rather sticky situation. As a result, much speculation was raised as to whether or not these two concepts were constitutional. When analyzing various arguments made throughout the past, it is easy to see that nullification and secession were clearly not justified by the Constitution.
For years the enslaved black people of America was forced to sit through a day, year after year, that expresses freedom and independence. Just as today, the people of this great nation are being told to never forget about that tragic day when flight 9/11 flew into the twin towers in Manhattan, New York. On the other hand, we the people, of all races, are slowly being told to forget about slavery for what it really was. To help celebrate the start of the Civil War (April 12, 1861), the Pew Research Center surveyed americans to gather their views on the causes and effects of this war. But to their surprise, 48 percent of americans believe that the Civil War was due to the conservation of states rights.