The American Civil War - Essay Example

The American Civil War The American civil war occurred in 1861-1865 due to slavery. The war was aimed at governing the unification and independence of the Confederacy or the south. Seven undiplomatic Southern states claimed their withdrawal from the United States and thus formed Confederacy States of America. In return, the northern states and the southern states split. This paper analyzes the causes and events leading to the American Civil War. One of the causes of American civil war was the economic and social variances between the north and the south.

The south based its economy on agriculture. Only the wealthy and influential folks who owned plantations in the South could hire, rent or own slaves. Eli Whitney’s invention boosted cotton plantations allowing the plantation owners to utilize slave labor. The north, however, was more of an industrialized region, with more entrepreneurs. The two areas were quite different, and the South feared that the North would try to impose its systems on them (Kelly). The second reason was the government limited the federal rights in the states.

In 1832, South Carolina declined to pass the federal tariff legislation of 1828. Thus, the government used military force to put the region in check. The southern states felt limited in expressing the state rights. The Dred Scot decision is the third cause of the civil war. Dred Scott was a slave who sought nationality through the American legal systems. The Supreme Court denied any African-American from obtaining US citizenship, consequently, enslaving more people. The election of Abraham Lincoln also contributed to the war.

They feared that the Republican president would abolish slavery. Thus, ruining the Southern economy. That is why Lincoln was a worthy opponent to the expansion of slavery. In conclusion, it is true that the American civil war was caused by discrimination and selfish needs. Slavery denied people a real life as capitalism ruled allowing the rich to be richer. The legal systems were corrupt with unfair discrimination. Works Cited Kelly, Martin. Top Five Causes of the Civil War. 21 February 2015 .