Assess the factors that led to the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 The main factor that caused the American Civil War in 1861 was slavery as it was the underlying fundamental division between Northern and Southern societies that made living in harmony impossible. However, we must also examine the economic disparity between the North and South, political failure to manage the situation and the impact of the election of Lincoln in 1860. Although slavery is the underlying reason, the civil war would not have happened if it were not for the financial divide that developed because of slavery. These core factors were exacerbated by political mismanagement, a catalyst for the outbreak of the Civil War and Lincoln’s election in 1860, the trigger factor. Despite this, had it not been for slavery, there would have been no initial divide between North and South which created economic disparity and led to Southern paranoia over Northern expansionism which led to war, thus the most important factor.
What Lead to the Civil War. From the beginning of the United States, war was inevitable between the North and the South, over the issues of slavery. Ever since Eli Whitney’s invention of the cotton gins in 1790, the South has been on a completely different economic path from the North. In the 1850’s political developments, the Fugitive slave act, the Dread Scott decision, and the John Brown raid, eventually all drove the regions further and further apart. Even though the North and South tried to reconcile their differences on the issue of slavery by implementing compromises in the 1820’s and 1850’s, both attempts failed, leading up to the Civil War.
He realized the high ground south of the town of Gettysburg, with its high bluffs and rocky ledge, was good ground. He knew his battle was a delaying action, waiting for the entire Army of General John Reynolds 1 corp to arrive He dismounted his calvary troops and positioned two divisions on the ridges north and northwest of the town. He was attacked early the next morning and was able to hold them off for two and a half hours allowing the 1 corp with its infantry to reinforce the ridges. This was one of the biggest breaks for the Union forces by keeping the high ridges out of the hands of the Confederate Army, which gave the Union forces the
His fantastic strategies combined with his skills of being a great general helped many of the outcomes of the American conflicts in his time and many of the victories may not have been received if it was for MacArthur. His involvement at West Point, the Korean War and his service during WW2 were just some major events that made MacArthur so popular and powerful. His influences throughout his life also helped him become the great General he
During wars, armies use the opposing sides’ disadvantages to work in their favor. The War for Independence was no different. England held the advantage of having the most dominant Navy in the world. Their naval power was incredibly overwhelming, especially to the colonists whose navy was nonexistent. Not only were the English more capable of winning a sea battle due to their superior Navy, they had the upper hand on land also.
The Union seemed about to seize the besieged city of Vicksburg, Mississippi and capture an entire Confederate army, which was trapped up in the town. This would cut the Confederacy in two and give the Union free navigation of the entire Mississippi River. The position of General Braxton Bragg's Army of Tennessee was little better. Not only had Bragg's invasion of Kentucky been repulsed in the autumn of 1862, but also his defeat near Murfreesboro, Tennessee in early January of 1863 had nearly driven his army out of Tennessee
As slave-owning and slave trading were accepted routines of colonial life, slavery would play a central part in the language of the revolution. The perseverance of the legalized institution of slavery until 1865 is unquestionably the most controversial aspect of all American history. The hypocrisy of the new republic dominated the spotlight of the global stage. The US cultivated and advocated philosophy of the Enlightenment while continuing to legitimize the evil of slavery amongst countless innocent souls. As the European lands were building powerful states on the foundations of revolutionary ideas, and dismantling the whole system, the United States forged a strong central government to deal with the political and social issues that divided the American republic.
However, as the war progressed, Union forces grew strongly dependent on the blockade of Southern ports to cripple the South’s forces. The blockade was designed to force the South into submission in the most humane way possible and with least bloodshed and proved to be highly effective. As ports were blocked off and taken over, commerce with other countries were quickly tied and with no ports, shipping cotton would become highly
Slavery in The Civil War The American civil war from 1861 to 1865 divided many people in the United States, even turning brother against brother. There were also great amounts of bloodshed and was one of the bloodiest wars in the US and left a heritage of brief and bitterness. And the basis of this war, slavery, slavery is usually very cruel and has been around since early man. Their were two sides to this war, the North and the south. The North consisted of 19 free states in which slavery was prohibited and in the South 15 slave states which could own slaves.
The American Civil War, spanning the years of 1861-1865, was fought primarily over two key issues; slavery and states’ rights. Though examples of conflict concerning both of these issues can be seen as early as before the framing of the Constitution, there were several key events in the mid-1800’s that contributed to the exacerbation of the negative Northern and Southern sentiments. These events would culminate with succession of the Southern Confederate States and lead the nation into the bloodiest battle in her history to date, the Civil War. The Northwest Ordinance of 1789 was the first major legislation to address the issue of slavery in future regions. This ordinance set the precedent of the United States expanding by creation of new states instead of expansion of existing ones.