Essay Example on the Causes of Civil War in Antebellum America

The American civil war is a well-known four-year battle that began in 1861 and ended in 1865. The main participants were southern and northern nations who were conflicting about several issues that led to the civil war. Antebellum America refers to the period before the civil war and specifically the American south. Some various issues and events led to the civil war, such as the abolition of slavery, segregation, and economic development. This paper will address the causes of civil war In Antebellum America.

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The economies of southern united countries and that of Northern states differed significantly. Foner suggests that the south economy activities were mainly on agriculture due to fertile soil, which led to the establishment of several plantations in the region. On the other hand, the north focused on industrialization because of the available ports, including the availability of cheap labor from the immigrants. The south region had several cotton plantations making the region the largest exporter of cotton to satisfy the world’s demand. Due to this increasing demand, there was a need for human labor in the plantations, further increasing the issue of slavery. Because each region wanted to develop and expand its economy rapidly, this led to conflicts between the two areas in America, leading to the war.

The development of various states in America during the Thomas Jefferson era saw the formulation of many treaties and acquisition of lands leading to the expansion of the country, especially towards the west. Slavery was a major issue that caused conflicts between the politicians from the North and South regions. The leaders from the north were against the expansion of slavery because it was going to affect their power in terms of making policy-related decisions negatively. However, the politicians from the south supported the development of slavery because, according to the American constitution, slaves were part of citizens and required federal representation. Slaves were sourced from Africa because it was believed that whites were superior. Many activists, reformists, and abolitionists were against slavery in America. Slavery is the main reason why movements and organizations were founded in Antebellum America.

Antebellum America was characterized by social organizations that fought for reforms and social and educational change. Some organizations focused on ending slavery creating social reforms in antebellum America. These issues led to conflicts that contributed to the civil war in America. Due to the African-American’s experience as slaves, those who had been subjected to injustice wanted freedom. Examples of exploitation the people of colored had to endure include punishments, prohibitions from accessing education or traveling freely, family members were separated, and sexual harassment of women. These experiences fueled the need for liberation, leading to several meetings and organizations that resulted in the civil war.

Besides slavery and economic development, political conflict was another major issue that led to civil war in Antebellum America. The politicians disagreed because of the unequal sharing of government power and authority. The sectors, such as public health and education in the north and south, were not comparable. The use of militias was also common during strikes caused a clash between the warring parties. The unions and labor movements wanted laws that would protect the workers from being enacted. The objective was to allow workers to work for eight hours a day to avoid exploitation.

Racial segregation was prevalent in the south, where the whites dominated the people of color. The blacks could not interact freely as the former were not to access the same hospitals, schools, use the same toilet and cemeteries as the whites. Additionally, some taxi drivers in specific states were prohibited from carrying individuals of a certain race. The segregation made blacks inferior to the whites in terms of social status and academic accomplishments. The other group affected by discrimination were the Chinese. Individuals who wanted equality in the south were willing to fight for an equal society free of social, economic, and political segregation. This further lead to the lynching of the black men in the south, especially those who were challenging the segregation system. The lynching involved some brutal activities such as cutting of body parts such as fingers and ears before killing the victim. This kind of inhumanity led to the civil war as people wanted to be treated with dignity.

Some key individuals or personalities played a vital role in the civil war in Antebellum American. Fredrick Douglas was among these individuals who managed to convince blacks in the northern region to willingly join abolitionist movements. Douglas was against slavery and mistreatment of the people of color, and through his speech, he fought for the rights of the blacks. He urged the black people to join arms to achieve freedom and to attain equality. Before the civil war, Fredrick Douglas fought for abolition as he was a reformer, writer, and abolitionist. The main issue was to abolish social degradation and to bring universal equality in the country. Apart from fighting for the wellbeing of the slaves, he also championed for the political freedom of the slaves. He wanted the slaves also to be allowed to vote. After the south accepted defeat in 1865, Fredrick Douglas stated that “Slavery is not abolished until the black man has the ballot.”

Abraham Lincoln desired to end slavery in America. This is evident through his sanitary fare speech when illustrated to the audience the meaning of liberty and how it can be understood differently. His main goal was freedom for all, including mostly for the people of color where one had to do what it pleases as long as it does not infringe on the rights of the other person. The slaves in the south had been emancipated so that they could not help the army win the war because slavery was a great tool in the southern economy. Lincoln believed that the emancipated slaves could still support the military with the human resources it required.

William Lloyd Garrison during the Antebellum American, he played a crucial role in the abolition and reform struggles. He is responsible for the formation of the Antis slavery society and the Liberator newspaper. He further fought for the women right after the civil war.

W.E.B Dubois Just like the other personalities, Dubois was a powerful influence in the period before and after the civil war in Antebellum America. He was an activist of human rights representing the black community. He focused on the restoration of the political, education, and civil rights of the people. After the end of the civil war, in the reconstruction era, together with others, he established the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).

Theodore Dwight Weld was an abolitionist during the antebellum period who worked to fight against slavery, especially before the civil war. Through his compelling and convincing speech and book, he managed to convert many individuals to join the abolitionist movement. Due to his Christian upbringing and beliefs, he believed slavery was a sin.

Conclusion

From the discussion, it is evident that the issues and events that led to the civil war were of importance to both the southern and northern states in America. The personalities who took part before and after the civil war shaped American history. The actions and works of these individuals continue to be studied widely.

Bibliography

Foner, Eric. 1865. Give Me Liberty: An American History. Fifth . Vol. 2. New York: SEAGULL. Accessed May 15, 2020.

Library, LLoyd Sealy. 2020. American History: The Civil War and Reconstruction: Key Personalities of the Civil War. March 10. Accessed May 15, 2020. https://guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/c.php?g=288398&p=4496619.