American Civil War 1861-1865 - Essay Example

American Civil War 1861-1865 The American civil war took place in the year 1861 to 1865. The civil war is believed to have taken more American lives than any other war in the history of America1. This war also divided the people of the United States (U.S.) in that in some families brothers were seen fighting each other (brothers fought each other). The American civil war is also known as the war between states and the war of secession2. This civil war was between the southern states (also known as the confederacy) which were led by President Jefferson Davis who was trying to preserve slavery and the northern states (also known as the union) which were led by President Abraham Lincoln who was more dedicated to ending the slavery3 The American civil war remains to be the deadliest and the most destructive of all America’s war, it is considered to be the first modern war on the continent and perhaps the globe and the only conflict in the United States (U.S.) history that was fought on the nation’s soil, with some of the 620.000 0f the 2.4 million soldiers, millions more injured and the territory of the south become devastated4. The American Civil War of 1861 to 1865 and was the most important and worst event in the American history as it was an extremely bloody and cruel war, which had most Americans fighting amongst themselves5. The American civil war started on the 12th of April in 1861 when the southern troops fired the fort Sumter which was a U.S. military fort on the coast of Charleston6. South Carolina. This war ended in the 9th of April 1865 when the confederate General Robert Lee surrendered his ragged army to the union General Ulysees Grant at the Appomattox house afterwards the other confederate armies gave up7. The American civil war was the first war to be reported in the press to the people back at home. In the year 1860 the north and south developed into different sections. The division of the north and the south was characterized various issues which included political, social and economics in the country, these issues were seen to be slowly diverting the two regions further into separate directions. Economic causes of the regional division The regional conflict was between two regions of the United States (the southern states and the northern states) which had developed along different economic and social lines8. The south economic was based on slave labor while the north was just begging to industrialize using a free labor force. The United States (U.S.) regions split because of various different issues, one of the major issues that led to the regional divisions between the two states is the slavery. The country (U.S.) was rapidly expanding in land industry and population, crucial differences developed in the economic culture between the north and south parts of the country, the issues were brewing under surface for some time and they exploded during the civil war in the middle of the 1800’s. The various issues that dominated the civil war include the regional economic difference, tariffs and the free slavery. Regional economic differences Each of these regions had different economic structures; the Northeast, South and Midwest. The regions traded with one another and became prosperous by being in the union; this was between 1860 and 1861. In the 1920s, Charles Beard made an influential argument that the economic differences among the South, North and Midwest triggered the war rather than constitutional and slavery debates9. Charles saw the industrialized Northeast form a coalition with agrarian Midwest in opposition to the Plantation South. Critics argued that the unification of Northeast was wrong because the territory was diverse with a lot of competing economic interests that were diverse. Most of the business interests of the Northeast between 1860 and 1861 opposed the war. The Beardian interpretation was accepted by a few of historians only after 1950; however, the interpretation was acknowledged by the economists. Slavery A free labor ideology that dominated the thinking in the north and it emphasized the economic opportunity. The southern described the free labor as greasy mechanics, small fisted farmers, filthy operators and moonstruck theories. The south strongly opposed the homestead laws that were proposed to give free farms in the west as they feared the small farmers would oppose plantation slavery10. Tariffs The federal tariffs on the British imported goods sold in the south were considered to have led to the resentment. During the Lincoln and Douglas debates in 1858 there was a controversy on whether slavery was at the root of the tariff. Political causes of the regional divisions Politics was considered to be one of the major causes of the American civil war and the regional divisions in the country. Some of the various political issues that led the regional division include the collapse of the two party systems and the election of the 1860. The collapse of the two party systems The great tension that was between the north and the south was reflected in a growing schism in the nation’s political parties. The nation’s two major parties (Whigs and democrats) began to break along the regional lines following the compromise of 1850 and the crisis in Kansas. The Whigs in the north largely blended into a new party hence the republicans. The republicans was formed in 1854 as an anti slavery party and it offered a progressive vision for the future that included an emphasis on industrialization, homesteading and education. In the south their party (Republican Party) was viewed as a troublesome element and that it could lead to more conflicts. Election of 1860 As this election was approaching much apprehension was seen due to the division of the democrats11. In the elections of 1860 there was lack of candidate with national appeal indicated that change was just around the corner and coming soon. Abraham Lincoln was representing the republicans as the south nominated John C. Breckinridge and the former Whigs in the border States created the constitutional union party and nominated John C. Bell. Lincoln won in the north, Breckinridge won in the south and bell won in the border States, the south feared the north growing population and increase in electoral power as it was afraid of complete control of the government by the free states. States rights The south turned to a states’ rights argument to protect slavery when it recognized that the control of government was slowly slipping away12. It made claims that that federal government was prohibited by the tenth amendment of the bill of rights from interrupting with the rights of slaveholders by taking their property (slaves) into another territory. The south also stated that the federal government should not and was not permitted to meddle with slaver in the areas (States) that slavery already existed. The south felt that the secessions would protect their way of life from the federal government. Abolitionism The slavery issue was heightened by the rise of the Abolitionist in the 1820s and 1830s. The north supporters believed that slavery was morally wrong13. The abolitionist based their viewpoint from those (they included; Abraham Lincoln) who thought that the spread of slavery and its influence should be stopped, those (they included; Theodore Weld, Arthur Tappan) who were calling for gradual emancipation and to those (they included; William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglas) who thought that slaves should be freed straight away. The abolitionist supported for the anti slavery causes such as the Free State movement in Kansas and campaigned for the end of the peculiar institution14. The Abolitionist cause gained more attention following the publication of the anti slavery novel (Uncle Tom’s cabin which was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe) which aided in turning the public against fugitive slave act in 1850. As the Abolitionists were gaining more fame an ideological debate arose from the southerners who were regarding the morality of slavery, in support of the debate both sides were repeatedly citing Biblical sources. Social causes of the regional divisions The social difference in the south and north had a great impact in the civil war hence it contributed to the civil war, as the south was based on a plantation system and the north was focused on the city life. In the north there was much need of change that involved the society as people of different classes and cultures had to come and work together, the south had to continue holding on to an antiquated social order. Works Cited Blair, Jayne. The Essential Civil War: A Handbook to the Battles, Armies, Navies and Commanders. 2006. Commager, Henry. The Blue and the Gray. The Story of the Civil War as Told by Participants. (1950), Excerpts from primary sources.  U. S. A. Bobbs-Merrill Co Inc. 1950. Griess, Thomas. The American Civil War. New York : Square One Publishers, Inc. 2002 Keegan, John. The American Civil War: A military history. Alfred A. Knopf. 2009. Kendall, Hosmer. The American Civil War The American civil War. Harper & Brothers. 2007 Henretta, James and Brody, David. America A concise History (4th ed.) Bedford/St. Martin's. Hesseltine, William. The Tragic Conflict: The Civil War and Reconstruction.Excerpts from primary sources. New York. George Braziller 1962. Read More