Politics that led to the Civil War
The north and south had become different ever since the areas started to grow with opposite economies. The two regions disagreed on several issues including slavery, states’ rights, and Presidents. The north and south were inevitably going to clash and it just so happened to be in 1861.
Slavery had become an issue since they were brought to America as slaves. The South’s economy depended on the extra help to run plantations. The north had an economy that consisted of industries and shipbuilding. Both of which did not involve slavery. Many people that were raised in the north grew up disagreeing with slaves entirely. Southern farmers were not going to let the north push slavery to extinction without a fight. This issue some consider to be the number
one cause of the Civil War. After the start of the war, Lincoln changed his goals of the war from “saving the Union,” to “abolishing slavery.” This only intensified the South’s reason to fight.
States’ rights were something that the south wanted to be more prevalent
in society than already present. The farmers believed that the states should
decide what was accepted and what laws would be enforced depending on the state.
This would later become a major statement in the south to try and keep the north
from placing federal laws in place to prevent slavery. This was considered as a
possibility towards a solution but would later be omitted. The proposal would
allow the northern states to abolish slavery and the southern states to accept
slavery. As Abraham Lincoln said after his presidency, “A house divided cannot
stand.”
Previous presidents caused major political clashes between parties. When
Republican Abraham Lincoln won the election for president in 1861, tensions only
increased. Most southern farmers were democrats that would naturally oppose a
republican that supported abolition. Abraham Lincoln promised that his intent
was not to get rid of slavery, but few in the south believed him. Later, during
the civil war, Lincoln would put in place the Emancipation Proclamation that
would free slaves in the north. Politics ended up playing a major part in the
war as laws passed during the war, changed soldier’s reasons as to why they were
fighting in the Civil War.
http://www.shmoop.com/civil-war/politics.html
Slavery had become an issue since they were brought to America as slaves. The South’s economy depended on the extra help to run plantations. The north had an economy that consisted of industries and shipbuilding. Both of which did not involve slavery. Many people that were raised in the north grew up disagreeing with slaves entirely. Southern farmers were not going to let the north push slavery to extinction without a fight. This issue some consider to be the number
one cause of the Civil War. After the start of the war, Lincoln changed his goals of the war from “saving the Union,” to “abolishing slavery.” This only intensified the South’s reason to fight.
States’ rights were something that the south wanted to be more prevalent
in society than already present. The farmers believed that the states should
decide what was accepted and what laws would be enforced depending on the state.
This would later become a major statement in the south to try and keep the north
from placing federal laws in place to prevent slavery. This was considered as a
possibility towards a solution but would later be omitted. The proposal would
allow the northern states to abolish slavery and the southern states to accept
slavery. As Abraham Lincoln said after his presidency, “A house divided cannot
stand.”
Previous presidents caused major political clashes between parties. When
Republican Abraham Lincoln won the election for president in 1861, tensions only
increased. Most southern farmers were democrats that would naturally oppose a
republican that supported abolition. Abraham Lincoln promised that his intent
was not to get rid of slavery, but few in the south believed him. Later, during
the civil war, Lincoln would put in place the Emancipation Proclamation that
would free slaves in the north. Politics ended up playing a major part in the
war as laws passed during the war, changed soldier’s reasons as to why they were
fighting in the Civil War.
http://www.shmoop.com/civil-war/politics.html