This slavery is by far one of the more difficult subjects to look upon when discussing American history and its influences. Slavery shaped this nation, for bad and for good, and this country would not be the same without this dark stain that influenced so much. Yes it was a terrible thing that went on in this country for years, but good did come out of it. It may have taken time, even after slavery was abolished, but it started a movement that changed the world and the rights of all people, of all races, to come. Most people don’t realize that slavery didn’t start in the United States, it was actually started sometime in the 16th century, but the first Africans were sold in Jamestown around 1619.
The war was due to a culmination of events ranging from the institution of slavery, its implications on society, and the economic impact slavery was having on society. The American Civil War was also due to an uneasy alliance between the Northern and Southern congressman that after many decades of compromise and conciliation, their bipartisanship failed and in their views there could be no more compromise. Arguably the North and South both believed that they were fighting a war against political oppression and the condemnation of a way of life, the North believed they were fighting for free economic expansion and later the emancipation of a people, while the South believed they were fighting for their own rights and way of life. The American Civil War was more than a war about slavery, and the extension of slavery; it was a war of states’ rights over federal, it was also a technological push for industrialization over the continuing agricultural mode of living. The war did not erupt in 1820 because a compromise was reached.
The North with all the industrial business had a total different way of life and can see how they totally disagreed with the way slaves were being used and treated. As said in political objective section Lincoln wanted a military victory prior to announcing the emancipation proclamation because he knew it would cause many more problems. Lincoln’s impatience and no military experience did render him from making better decisions which could have ended the war earlier and with less deaths and injuries. With the north controlling most of the railroads and weapons they had a huge advantage over the south, if he could have been a little more patient and trained his men properly could also have ended this much earlier. With the number of personnel the rebels had vs union was little to none, they held off the north by smart tactics of well-trained officers.
How important was the issue of slavery in causing the American Civil war? Due to slavery America was divided into two halves, the North and the South, both had very different and in some cases radical views. Firstly the more industrialised North generally was through and through against slavery as many felt it was immoral but also realised that if you paid your workforce you would increase your means of production and efficiency which helped them become more industrialised. However the south was reluctant to give up their slaves and felt that they were doing the slaves a favour in keeping them, housing them and feeding them. They were like children and would not survive by themselves.
Instead of focusing on the obvious unconstitutional and emotional treachery of slavery which is very much overdone, the economic event was very much overlooked. Though its strong economic gain for the entire nation forever impacted our dominance, the negative effects will always pour through. It was the existence of slavery, with its negative impact on politics, economics, and social relations that fatally crippled the South in its bid for independence. The slave trade eventually played a central role in determining the fate of the South, as a business that created a unified South under proslavery ideology and encouraged western migration to preserve the institution of slavery. As mentioned by William Harper, “The cultivation of the great staple crop cannot be carried on without slaves.” (Harper, Memoir in Slavery, 1837) In a time of western expansion and the cotton boom, some slave traders were able to accumulate great wealth from the slave-trading business and sought opportunities to acquire higher social status and financial stability.
Nothing back then was black and white for former slaves and the white Southerners. The answers took time to get to each and every one of those citizens. Those answers came in the form of more blood being spilt and discrimination running rampant throughout the South. Over this course of time, civility finally became the norm through these struggles you are about to read about. Race Relations after the Civil War 3 The way white Southerners made it difficult on former slaves in the South was to create what was called “Black Codes”.
Karim 1 Kye Karim History 120 What advantages and disadvantages did each side of have when the Civil War began? The American civil war was huge and it was between the North and the South of the country mainly over human rights issues and the way people were being treated in the south. Things in the South of the country were getting so bad that the push from the majority in the north grew so much that they had to do something to help free people. The larger numbers were by far in the north which would them well for going to war but down in the south they were fighting for what they believed in which would also push them in battle, I’m going to look at how different advantages and disadvantages played out over the war to help one side win. The Civil War went on for four years between 1861 and 1865, looking in from the off set the north of the country was the strongest side by far and completely geared and prepared to go into major conflict.
The beginning of slavery began as punishments for crimes in Africa, leading to Europe wanting them. Which also lead to the United States also wanting them because of economic problems which started the triangular trade. Free slaves came to happen because of the Confiscation Act of 1862, but even when freed, they were still discriminated and lacked choices to choose from to live their lives. Also, the freed slaves didn’t know what to do to survive on their owns. Slaves were better off than freedmen because they had food and shelter, some slave owners were kind to the slaves, and slaves knew what they had to do.
Causes of Disunion in the United States In the late 17 and 1800s, the United States began to split between the North and the South. The North and the South had many conflicting views, but their contrasting views over slavery were the most significant motives for the beginning of the Civil War and disunion of the early United States. After the western territory was claimed by the U.S., everyone had a vision of what could be. The Southerners wanted to keep their “southern way of life”, while the people of the north saw a future of hope and one where western homesteads would not improve if they were full of cultivated plantations ran by numerous enslaved workers. People all over the country felt that the deciding factor for freeing slaves would affect their own lives.
Slavery was part of southern culture. This caused debate with the North and South and caused them to spit into two separate territories. Lastly, The Northerners hated the fugitive slave law, which was another important cause of the Civil War. The fugitive slave law stated that anyone being caught helping a slave will be fined and that citizens had to report any acts of someone helping a slave to freedom. The Northerners hated this law.