FREE ESSAY ON CAUSES OF CIVIL WAR

CAUSES OF CIVIL WAR

Brian Quinn
Dr. Carmical
HIST 231-
December 4, 2000
There were many causes for the American civil war. Some causes were underlying and some
were immediate but all were vital in the cause for the American civil war. The
differences in the lifestyles between the north and the south were an underlying cause.
The south had an economy that was based almost entirely on agriculture. The north on the
other hand was an economy almost solely dependent on industry and commercialism. This
caused tension between the two sides on many different occasions. Another underlying
cause of the American civil war was the different places people lived. People from the
north lived predominantly in cities and people from the south lived mainly in rural
areas. Each side favored a government that would benefit their lifestyle the most.
Another underlying cause of the American civil war was the kinds of labor each side used.
The north used free labor in which the workers were not considered property of the owner
or boss. The south used slave labor in which employees were not paid or for that matter
considered employees, they were considered property of the plantation owner with no
rights as a human. The north opposed the slave labor in the south saying that it was
inhumane and that it would be impossible for the north to compete with the south due to
labor costs. Another underlying cause of the American civil war was the argument over
weather or not to place a tariff on imported goods. The south opposed the protective
tariff because they believed that the south should not have to pay a tariff because they
were uninterested in protecting the industry in which they did not use in the south. They
believed that a tariff should only be used to generate revenue not to cost them money.
The north believed that a protective tariff would be necessary in order to protect and
ensure the growth of small industries in the north. Another underlying cause of the
American civil war is the argument over who should control internal improvements the
states or the federal government. The north believed that the federal government should
pay for the internal improvements needed because they lived mainly in the big cities and
they believed that all should pay for these needs. The south wanted each individual state
to be responsible for internal improvements because they mainly lived in rural areas or
on farmland. The south saw this as an attempt by the north to get the south to pay for
their needs. Another underlying cause of the American civil war was the argument over a
national banking system. The north believed that a strong federal bank was necessary and
that it should assume all national accounts. The south believed that most of the debt was
the fault of northern states and that they should not have to pay for them. Another
underlying cause of the American civil war was how the people conducted themselves. The
people of the south followed a code of chivalry. The people from the north were very
materialistic. character was based on belongings and property. Another underlying cause
of the American civil war was religious beliefs. The north was predominantly catholic and
the south was predominantly protestant. Another underlying cause of the American civil
war was the argument over the strength of the government. The north believed that there
should be a strong federal government and weaker state governments. The south believed
that the state government should be more powerful than the federal government. Another
underlying cause of the American civil war was the argument over weather or not a state
or states can succeed from the union. The north viewed the attempt of succession by the
southern states to be an act of treason. The south saw succession, as their right in
order to preserve democracy. Succession must be a possibility. Another underlying cause
of the American civil war was political problems. The north was predominantly in support
of a democracy where everyone could vote. The south wanted an oligarchy where only the
rich were allowed to vote. Another underlying cause of the American civil war was, during
the time right before the civil war the debate over the containment of slavery or the
expansion of slavery. The north believed that slavery should be contained as is. The
south thought that slavery should be aloud to expand as far as the will of the people
allows it. Another underlying cause of the American civil war was the division of
political parties. The south was predominantly democrat and the north was predominantly
republican. The increase in disagreement between the north and the south led to nearly
complete intolerance. Eventually it became almost impossible for the north and the south
to compromise on anything. These are the underlying causes of the American civil war.
The American civil war also had many immediate causes. The novel written by Harriet
Beecher Stowe entitled Uncle Toms Cabin published in 1852. The novel was about how
slavery broke up families. The south believed that the book made them look bad. Abraham
Lincoln said that Uncle Toms Cabin was the book that started the civil war. The Ostend
manifesto of 1854; which gave the United States permission to take Cuba by either buying
it or just taking it. This further divided the north from the south. Another immediate
cause of the American civil war was the argument over weather Kansas was to be a free or
slave territory. The north wanted it to be slave free and some northerners even moved to
Kansas in order to swing the vote to their side. The south believed that a vote should
take place to decide weather Kansas would be pro-slavery or anti-slavery. This event
furthered the split between the north and the south. Another immediate cause of the
American civil war was the John Brown raid and the execution of John Brown. The north
believed the raid to be an act of honor by John Brown. The south saw it as an act of
treason and executed him. Another immediate cause of the American civil war was the
election of republican Abraham Lincoln as president. The south was outraged that a
republican could be elected president. Another immediate cause of the American civil war
was the attempted succession by South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, and Texas. The succession of those seven southern states was viewed as a
rebellion by the north. The succession of those seven southern states was viewed as an
act to preserve democracy. Another immediate cause of the American civil war was the
firing on fort Sumter by the south, which started the actual fighting. Another immediate
cause of the American civil war was the attempted succession of the four upper south
states: Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee. This was the last draw for the
north they decided to attack the south and return them to the union. Lincoln expressed
the importance of the American civil war. Lincoln said that the north had to win in order
to preserve the union. Lincoln also said that if the north were to win the American civil
war it would ensure the future of the United States of America. If the south were to win
it would split the union into two small independent countries. Two independent countries
would be easier for a foreign power to invade and take over. This fact scared president
Lincoln. These are the causes of the American civil war both underlying and the immediate
causes. All these events brought on the most horrific war in American history.