The American Civil War: A Conflict of Ideals
The American Civil War (1861-1865) was a devastating conflict that pitted the Northern states against the Southern states.
While there were numerous factors contributing to the outbreak of the war, the central issue was the institution of slavery.
Key Causes and Dates:
- Slavery: The fundamental difference between the North and the South was their economic systems. The North relied primarily on manufacturing and industry, while the South's economy was heavily dependent on agriculture, particularly cotton, which was produced by enslaved labor. As the nation expanded westward, the question of whether new territories would be slave or free states became increasingly contentious.
- States' Rights: Southern states argued that they had the right to secede from the Union if they believed federal laws were unconstitutional. They contended that the federal government had no authority to interfere with their internal affairs, including the institution of slavery.
- Political Divisions: The rise of the Republican Party in the 1850s, which opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories, further exacerbated tensions between the North and South. The election of Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, in 1860 was seen by many Southerners as a direct threat to their way of life.
Timeline of Key Events:
- 1850s: The Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed popular sovereignty to determine whether new territories would be slave or free, led to violence and bloodshed in the region.
- 1857: The Dred Scott v. Sandford Supreme Court decision ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court.
- 1860: Abraham Lincoln was elected President.
- 1861: South Carolina seceded from the Union, followed by eleven other Southern states. The Confederate States of America was formed.
- 1861: The Civil War began with the Battle of Fort Sumter.
- 1865: The war ended with the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House.
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