Causes of the Civil War: Long Term Causes (from Colonial Times) 1. Social and Cultural Divide between North and South –North: more urbanized, more diverse,

Causes of the Civil War:Causes of the Civil War:Long Term CausesLong Term Causes

(from Colonial Times)(from Colonial Times)

1. Social and Cultural Divide between North and South1. Social and Cultural Divide between North and South

– North: more urbanized, more diverse, more developed, North: more urbanized, more diverse, more developed, more advanced infrastructure / transportation / more advanced infrastructure / transportation / communication systems, more cosmopolitan, more communication systems, more cosmopolitan, more dynamic, more religious, greater emphasis on education, dynamic, more religious, greater emphasis on education, families…..families…..

– South more rural, less diverse, less urbanized, less South more rural, less diverse, less urbanized, less developed, plantations dictated social development…. developed, plantations dictated social development….


2. Economic Differences2. Economic Differences

– North more industrialized: more merchants, traders, North more industrialized: more merchants, traders, shippers, manufacturing: more diverse economy: shippers, manufacturing: more diverse economy: based on wage labor: supported Tariffs, BUSbased on wage labor: supported Tariffs, BUS

– South based on Plantation economy of tobacco at South based on Plantation economy of tobacco at first and now Cotton: based on slave labor: first and now Cotton: based on slave labor: suspicious of Tariffs and BUSsuspicious of Tariffs and BUS


3. Political Divide between North and South3. Political Divide between North and South

– Historically, North placed more emphasis on Historically, North placed more emphasis on Federalism, power of Federal Government and the Federalism, power of Federal Government and the Elastic Clause: Hamilton, Adams, Webster…1.8.18, Elastic Clause: Hamilton, Adams, Webster…1.8.18, BUS, TariffsBUS, Tariffs

– South placed more emphasis on States Rights and South placed more emphasis on States Rights and Amendment 10: Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Calhoun, Amendment 10: Jefferson, Madison, Jackson, Calhoun, 1010thth Amendment Amendment

– North was more Democratic, South more Aristocratic..North was more Democratic, South more Aristocratic..


4. Slavery4. Slavery““Slavery was not the only source of discord. The two Slavery was not the only source of discord. The two sections were very different and they wanted different sections were very different and they wanted different things from their national government…Although there things from their national government…Although there were serious differences between the sections, all of were serious differences between the sections, all of them except slavery could have been settled through the them except slavery could have been settled through the democratic process. Slavery poisoned the whole democratic process. Slavery poisoned the whole situation. It was the issue that could not be situation. It was the issue that could not be compromised, the issue that made men so angry they did compromised, the issue that made men so angry they did not want to compromisenot want to compromise

……It was not the only cause of the Civil War, but it It was not the only cause of the Civil War, but it was unquestionably the one cause without which the was unquestionably the one cause without which the war would not have taken place.war would not have taken place. The antagonism The antagonism between the sections came finally, and tragically, to between the sections came finally, and tragically, to express itself through the slavery issue.” (Bruce express itself through the slavery issue.” (Bruce Catton, Catton, The Civil WarThe Civil War))

Causes of the Civil War:Causes of the Civil War:Immediate CausesImmediate Causes

Events of the 1850s, esp. after 1854, Events of the 1850s, esp. after 1854, intensified these differences (Social / intensified these differences (Social / Cultural, Economic, Political, differences Cultural, Economic, Political, differences over Slavery) and further polarized North over Slavery) and further polarized North and South, propelling the Nation to Civil and South, propelling the Nation to Civil War in 1861War in 1861

1. Opposition in North to Fugitive Slave Law of the 1. Opposition in North to Fugitive Slave Law of the Compromise of 1850…failure of that Compromise, Compromise of 1850…failure of that Compromise, and Compromise of 1820, to permanently solve the and Compromise of 1820, to permanently solve the issue of slaveryissue of slavery

2. Expansion of Abolitionist Movement / Literature in 2. Expansion of Abolitionist Movement / Literature in the North after 1850…inc. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s the North after 1850…inc. Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 18521852

3. Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854, destroyed 2 3. Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854, destroyed 2 Compromises….(see notes on all 3 Compromises)Compromises….(see notes on all 3 Compromises)

4. Formation of anti-extension Republican Party in 4. Formation of anti-extension Republican Party in 1854: collapse of Whigs, split in Democrats 1854: collapse of Whigs, split in Democrats

5. Settlement in Kansas, but Rivalry: two territorial 5. Settlement in Kansas, but Rivalry: two territorial legislatures in Kansas, 1855…Shawnee v Topeka, with rival legislatures in Kansas, 1855…Shawnee v Topeka, with rival supporterssupporters

6. Rivalry turns to violence / bloodshed: Lawrence killings, 6. Rivalry turns to violence / bloodshed: Lawrence killings, Bleeding Kansas and John Browne, 1855… Pottawatomie Bleeding Kansas and John Browne, 1855… Pottawatomie MassacreMassacre

7. Sumner vs Brooks (Butler), violence spills over to the 7. Sumner vs Brooks (Butler), violence spills over to the Congress: Senate, 1855Congress: Senate, 1855

8. The Dred Scott vs Sanford Decision, 1857 by the 8. The Dred Scott vs Sanford Decision, 1857 by the Supreme Courts adds to the conflict between North and Supreme Courts adds to the conflict between North and SouthSouth

9. Kansas and “Lecompton Constitution”, (Buchanan) 9. Kansas and “Lecompton Constitution”, (Buchanan) 1857……. Further splits the Democratic Party1857……. Further splits the Democratic Party

10. The Economic Crisis / “Panic” of 185710. The Economic Crisis / “Panic” of 1857

11. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates / “Freeport Doctrine”, 11. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates / “Freeport Doctrine”, 18581858

12. John Browne and Harpur’s Ferry, 185912. John Browne and Harpur’s Ferry, 1859

13. Lincoln’s victory in the Presidential Election of Nov. 13. Lincoln’s victory in the Presidential Election of Nov. 1860……….. South remembers his “House Divided 1860……….. South remembers his “House Divided Speech:…South Carolina starts SecessionSpeech:…South Carolina starts Secession

14. Events at Fort Sumpter, March 1861….Southern 14. Events at Fort Sumpter, March 1861….Southern Confederacy….Civil WarConfederacy….Civil War

Documents

Causes of the Civil War: Long Term Causes (from Colonial Times) 1. Social and Cultural Divide between North and South –North: more urbanized, more diverse,