causes of the civil war. what was the civil war war between the northern u.s. states and the...
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Causes of the Civil War
What was the Civil War
War between the Northern U.S. States and
the Southern U.S. States
Lasted 4 years: 1861-1865
Brother fighting brother
Most destructive war in the nation’s history
Sectionalism People feel more loyal to the interests of one's
own region or section of the country, rather than to
the country as a whole
People identified more as Northerners or
Southerners instead of Americans
SectionalismThree main sectional factors:
① Geography
North
o climate and land not suitable for large
farms so turned toward industries
o Size of states are smaller
South
o climate and land perfect for farming
o Size of states are larger
Sectionalism
Three main sectional factors:
② Economics: Tariffs – tax on foreign goods
North: made money through industries
o Therefore the taxing of foreign
goods protected them from
competition
o Profits increased
SectionalismThree main sectional factors:
② Economics: Tariffs – tax on foreign goods
South: made money through farming
o They traded their crops for manufactured
goods with the northern states and
European countries
o Tariffs cost the South money – the goods
they got from the trade now cost them
more money
o Felt that the U.S. government was
favoring the North
Sectionalism
Three main sectional factors:
③ Slavery
North o against it – including the spread of it
o No need for slaves in an industrial
environment
South o a necessity to their livelihood
o considered slaves their property
New Territories Being Added
Every time new territory was added to the U.S. the
question of whether it would be free or slave was asked
Why:
Unbalance the power in the U.S. Senate between
free and slave states
o North: did not want slavery to spread; knew if a
territory had slavery it would turn to a slave
state when annexed
o South: felt it was their right to take their property
anywhere
Slavery Becoming a Moral Issue
First slavery was only a political issue but it was starting
to become a moral issue as well:
① Fugitive Slave Law
Came out of the Compromise of 1850 which was
about California being annexed
Law said that anyone who knew of a runaway
slave must help return the slave to their owner
or risk a fine or jail time
Made Northerners feel a part of the slave system
Slavery Becoming a Moral Issue
First slavery was only a political issue but it was starting
to become a moral issue as well:
② Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that
showed the true side of slavery
Once people read the book, and knew the truth
about slavery, it was hard for them to just go
about their own lives
Slavery Becoming a Moral Issue
First slavery was only a political issue but it was starting
to become a moral issue as well:
③ Dred Scott Decision
Background:
o Dred Scott was a slave that had lived in
Missouri (slave state) for many years
o Dred Scott later moved with his owner to
Wisconsin Territory which was a free territory
o When Scott’s owner died he sued for his
freedom since he was living in a free
territory
Slavery Becoming a Moral Issue
First slavery was only a political issue but it was starting
to become a moral issue as well:
③ Dred Scott Decision
U.S. Supreme Court Ruling
o African Americans were not citizens
o Slaves were property
o Congress could not outlaw slavery in
territories only in states
Highest court in the land condoned what
southern slave owners were doing and said a
human being was property
Federal Rights vs. States Rights
Federal Rights:
U.S. Constitution gives more power to the
federal government than states
U.S. Supreme Court had already ruled that
federal laws always trump state laws
Federal Rights vs. States Rights
States Rights:
The belief that states have the right to not
follow federal laws within their borders
o This belief is not legal
Believed that the federal government
should not intervene in state decisions
o Southern states believed that slavery
was a state decision
Lincoln Becomes President
Southerners were convinced that if Lincoln
won the presidency that he would abolish (get
rid of) slavery
Upon Lincoln’s win the southern states started
seceding (withdrawing/leaving) from the Union
Lincoln Becomes President
Lincoln:
#1 goal was to preserve the Union
At this time he had no intention of getting
rid of slavery
o Did not feel he had the power to
o Did not want to upset the bordering
southern states