Causes of the Civil War Activity - Essay Example

Causes of the Civil War Activity Antebellum refers to the period immediately before the American civil war. During this period, the North American continent currently referred as the United State was divided between the north and south. This division arose from the difference in perception between the northerners and southerners. The differences among the occupants of the two regions ranged from soft issues like the role of women in the society to hard issues like the future of slavery (McNeese, 2001).

This short essay will analyze the causes of differences in perception between the northerners and southerners and their role towards the rise of American civil war. It has been a common belief that the northerners supported the abolition of slavery. This however was not the case since most northerners were more concerned with freeing the land from the colonizers than the abolition of slavery (Katcher, 2011). Although the northerners did not fully support the abolition of slavery, they had little concern over the issue.

The difference between northerners and southerners concerning slavery arose from different agricultural practices in the two regions. The southerners were large-scale farmers and therefore slaves a supplied cheap labor. The cotton boom proved slavery to be an important part of the economy leading to a delay in the abolition of slavery (Varhola, 2011). The northern economy depended more on industry than agriculture, the northerners were city dwellers, and therefore slaves were insignificant to them.

Proposals to abolish slavery therefore caused tensions between the two regions and were major cause of the civil war. Gender roles also played a major role in creating the differences between the north and south. Women have always fought for freedom or equality and this struggle is a common feature that characterized the antebellum period. Most American women were against slavery, their struggle against slavery was intended to unite them in their quest for equality between men and women. Unlike the southern women, the northern women had common interests that contributed to their unity.

The differences in southern and northern women arose from their duties and roles in the society. Northern women mainly worked or preferred outdoor duties while the southerners preoccupied themselves with domestic duties. The differences in roles played by southern and northern women in the society furthered the differences between the women in the two regions. The issue of states’ rights versus federal rights arose during the antebellum period and became rifer during the American Revolution (Brinkley, 2004).

The southerners supported greater states rights while the northerners preferred a strong federal government. The northerner therefore preferred a system whereby the state authority had more control over resources than the federal government. Contrary the northerners preferred a system with a strong central government. The differences in opinion concerning the state and central government arose due to the differences in economic activities between the two regions. This difference caused two opposing camps, which are considered a major cause of the American civil war.

During the antebellum period, America experienced a division between the south and the north. The cultural, economic, and different opinions on matters concerning slavery and state versus federal right were the main cause of the differences. These differences created controversies on sensitive issues such as the economy and national security resulting into the American civil war. ReferencesBrinkley, A. (2004). The Unfinished Nation: A concise history of the American people. Boston: McGraw-Hill.

McNeese, T. (2001). Causes of the American Civil War: The Differences between the North and sSouth. New York: InfoBaseKatcher, P. (2011). Aspect of American History. New York: John Wiley & Sons.Varhola, M. J. (2011). Life in Civil War America: Boston: F+W media.