5 Causes Leading to The Civil War
As you may already know, the Northern and Southern parts of the United States had conflicts that led for many years, but there is one certain disagreement that changed the U.S., that changed living. There were 5 causes leading to the Civil War. 1. Economic and Social Differences between the North and South. Cotton was the number one crop in the South and after Eli Whitney invented the Cotton Gin (tool used for the separation of seeds from a cotton) business started booming. Before this invention slaves had to pick the seeds from each cotton and probably by the end of the day, they'd get to only about a pound. This "unique" tool meant business for the slaveowners. They thought that with the Cotton Gin grouping the cotton faster and the more slave they had to work this tool, the quicker the money came. While this happened, the North's economy was developing based on shipping, textiles, lumber, furs, and mining. Aided by waterpower and coal, manufacturing developed quickly and the North also traded with all countries. They also favored high tariffs or goods from other countries, and the South was against it.
2. States versus Federal rights.
In the 1700's, the original 13 colonies announced their independence from Europe and were already used to making independent decisions to get by in America. For this, the founding fathers were obligated to change the constitution during the American Rev. in oder to keep some states part of the Union. Virginia did not join when the Constitution abolished slavery, so it was changed. Also, Massachusetts needed a Bill of Rights before ratifying, so in the 1820's and 30's, the debate between who held which power (States or Federal Government) was brought up again. This occurred during the arguments of which the states were free or slave states. Since the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was put aside, there were still other states being argued about for free or slave. This divided the Nation with abolitionists altercating against the South for all free men and the South having the thought that slavery had a positive effect on the nation in the Nation. This went on with more disputes about National policy and economic inequalities.
3. Fight between Slave or Non-Slave state Proponents.
One great dispute that lead to the Civil War was deciding whether which states were free and which slave in order to keep them equal. Southerners wanted to bring Missouri into the Union as a slave state, but the Northerners opposed this because it would upset the 11-11 balance in the Senate between free and slave states. This led to increased sectionalism between the N and S. In 1820, Maine had finally admitted as a free state, so Missouri was then brought in as a slave state. The compromise prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36 degree 30' except for Missouri. As Ca became a free state, New Mexico and Utah were organized as territories and the issue of slavery could be decided by popular sovereignty. There was a strict fugitive slave law passed that forced the North to send all runaway slaves back to their slave holders, but of course, the North refused. During this, slave had just been abolished in Washington D.C.. There was another event that occurred which is know as the Kansas Nebraska Act. Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas proposed that KS and NE be organized as territories and that settlers decided by vote whether the territories would permit slaver - popular sovereignty> The Kansas Nebraska Act nullified the 36 degree 30' clause of the MO (Missouri) Compromise as both territories were N of the 36 degree 30' line. This led to a fight known as "Bleeding Kansas". It was a fight between proslavery settlers and abolitionists (anti-slavery) settlers. It was an outbreak of armed conflict. There was a massive migration to KS Territory by people arriving trying to "tip the balance".
4. Growth of the Abolition Movement.
The Northerners became more powerful and supported anti-slavery much stronger. One situation that boosted them up was a famous book Named "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This book revealed everything that went on in the South and how they really treated slaves. Whippings, fight to the death, Horrendous treatment towards African-Americans. This became so popular in the North that they stopped making copies in the South for embarrassment. There was another incident of a man named Dred Scott, a slave who sued for his freedom after his slaveholder had died. He won. This outraged the South. These were just a couple of events that brought up the North. Other events were the John Brown Raid and the Fugitive Slave Act.
The Northerners became more powerful and supported anti-slavery much stronger. One situation that boosted them up was a famous book Named "Uncle Tom's Cabin" by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This book revealed everything that went on in the South and how they really treated slaves. Whippings, fight to the death, Horrendous treatment towards African-Americans. This became so popular in the North that they stopped making copies in the South for embarrassment. There was another incident of a man named Dred Scott, a slave who sued for his freedom after his slaveholder had died. He won. This outraged the South. These were just a couple of events that brought up the North. Other events were the John Brown Raid and the Fugitive Slave Act.