Causes of the Civil War

Causes of the Civil War

Present-day Standard Causes

Slavery

• North's Perspective: Viewed slavery primarily as a moral issue, believing it was fundamentally wrong and in direct contradiction to the principles of freedom and equality laid out in the Declaration of Independence. Many in the North were influenced by abolitionist movements and literature that highlighted the inhumanity of slavery.

• South's Perspective: Considered slavery as an economic necessity for their agrarian society. The Southern economy relied heavily on cash crops such as cotton and tobacco, which were labor-intensive and depended on the institution of slavery for sustenance and growth.

Sectionalism

• There was a growing divide not just between the North and South, but also including the West, which developed distinct regional identities and interests. People identified more strongly with their state or region than with the nation as a whole, fostering a sense of loyalty that often conflicted with national unity.

Economic Differences

• North: Focused on industrial manufacturing, which required a workforce that included many immigrants. The North was becoming increasingly urbanized, with cities growing as centers of commerce and employment.

• South: Maintained an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and slavery, with less industrial development. They seen their system of labor as a cornerstone to their way of life, fostering a belief that any threat to slavery was a threat to their economic security and social order.

Other Causes

Growing Religious Movement Against Slavery

• This movement emerged around the 17th century and included significant early events and figures that condemned slavery:

  • Germantown Quaker Petition Against Slavery (1688): One of the first documented anti-slavery petitions in America, highlighting the moral arguments against the practice.

  • Pope Benedict XIV's Condemnation of Slavery (1741): An important religious figure condemned slavery as immoral, influencing both European and American attitudes toward the institution.

  • John Wesley (1774): Founder of Methodism, spoke out against slavery, calling it "the sum of all villainies," influencing many to join the anti-slavery cause.

  • Charles Finney (1832): A key leader in the Second Great Awakening who refused communion to slave owners, highlighting the religious opposition to slaveholding.

Political Movements

• The changing political landscape was influenced by growing abolitionist sentiments and anti-slavery factions:

  • Decline of the Whig Party: The party fragmented due to internal divisions over slavery, leading to its eventual dissolution.

  • Rise of the Free-Soil Party (1848): This party emerged to oppose the expansion of slavery into the territories, advocating for free labor and land.

  • Anti-Nebraska Movement: Gained momentum against the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed settlers in those territories to determine if they would allow slavery, resulting in conflict and the rise of the Republican Party in 1854.

Major Events Leading up to the Civil War

• Missouri Compromise of 1820: Attempted to maintain the balance of power between free and slave states by prohibiting slavery north of the 36°30’ line.

• Compromise of 1850:

  • California admitted as a Free State, tipping the balance towards free states.

  • Implemented popular sovereignty for determining slavery's status in western territories.

  • Enacted a new, stricter Fugitive Slave Law and abolished the slave trade in Washington D.C.

• Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): Allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide on the legality of slavery through popular sovereignty, resulting in violent conflicts known as "Bleeding Kansas," symbolizing the national conflict over slavery.

• Dred Scott Decision (1857): A Supreme Court ruling declaring that African Americans could not be American citizens and that Congress could not prohibit slavery in territories, intensifying national tensions.

• John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859): An audacious attempt by radical abolitionist John Brown to incite a nationwide slave uprising by seizing a federal armory, ultimately resulting in his capture and execution, and raising heated national debates about slavery and resistance.

• Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln was elected president, despite not being on the ballot in many Southern states. His election led to heightened fears of federal intervention against slavery, triggering secessionist sentiments.

Secession

• Initial Secession: South Carolina was the first state to secede on December 20, 1860, claiming it was a response to Lincoln's election and the perceived threat to slavery. Other Southern states quickly followed suit in January and February 1861: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

• Battle of Fort Sumter: On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina, marking the beginning of open conflict that escalated into the Civil War. Following the start of hostilities, additional states such as Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee seceded, sealing the divide between North and South.

John Brown

• Profile: Identified as a Radical Abolitionist who believed in armed resistance against slavery. He aimed to ignite a nationwide rebellion that would free enslaved people.

• Objectives: Intended to liberate enslaved people in Virginia and rally support from abolitionists in the surrounding areas.

• Harper’s Ferry Raid: Led an attack on the federal armory at Harper’s Ferry in 1859, intending to seize weapons to equip slaves for revolt; however, the raid failed, leading to his capture and execution.

• Legacy: His trial and execution sparked national debate: Was he seen as a hero fighting for freedom or a terrorist inciting violence against the established order?