Pre Civil War Sectionalism Essay

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Abraham Lincoln once stated in 1858 during a Lincoln-Douglass debate, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.” This was a statement made about the growing sectionalism that was happening the United States before the Civil War. Lincoln is referring to the issue of slavery splitting the country into two different factions. He believed that without a set law making slavery illegal, that the United States would fall apart. The events previous to the Civil War and the varying economic systems of the North and the South allowed Lincoln to predict the growing sectionalism in the pre-Civil War U.S. In pre-Civil War America, the U.S. had a split country in terms of…show more content…
Most decisions that led to other things would split the country in disagreement to the North and the South. One major one was Gag rule, which added much tension between the two sides. It was a growing abolitionist movement in the 1830s in the North. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 had great effects on both sides. itted as a free state. Furthermore, the 36 30 latitude longitude line was dividing line between free and slave states that was created by Henry Clay to keep both sides of the Senate happy. The Mexican- American War was another event that split the North and South, which was so opposed by the North. They believed that the territories that would be added would become slave states. This is when the idea of popular sovereignty became a more prominent doctrine used to prevent the federal government from interfering in state government, especially on the subject on slavery. After the war ended, however, this created a problem when California asked to be admitted in 1850, which was neither above nor below the 36 30 line. This eventually led to every time a slave state asked to be admitted, a free one was to also be admitted. Gag rule also added much tension between the two sides. It was a growing abolitionist movement in the 1830s in the

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