Leading Up to War
The American Civil War did not occur by coincidence. Years of political
disagreements, regional maneuvering, and ideological battling between the northern
and southern states led to the break up of the United States and the war that
followed.
African slavery was excistent in America since early colonial days. It stood at the
heart of the political disputes that led to the Civil War. While the agricultural South became ever more dependent upon slave labor, there was increased oppistition in the north to the expansion of slavery for both moral and economic reasons in a desire to keep slavery confined to the South in order to maintain job opportunities for whites in the North and on the expanding western frontier. They questioned the legitimacy of continuinjg slavery while posing a serious threat to southern ambitions to spread slavery westward.
In the 1850s, the tension between the two regions was becoming unbearable. The
Whig Party, unable to navigate the treacherous waters of the slavery
controversy, collapsed. In its place stepped forward the newly-formed Republican
Party, an avowedly anti-slavery party whose sudden ascendancy and ideological
platform upended the nation’s fragile political balancing ace.
disagreements, regional maneuvering, and ideological battling between the northern
and southern states led to the break up of the United States and the war that
followed.
African slavery was excistent in America since early colonial days. It stood at the
heart of the political disputes that led to the Civil War. While the agricultural South became ever more dependent upon slave labor, there was increased oppistition in the north to the expansion of slavery for both moral and economic reasons in a desire to keep slavery confined to the South in order to maintain job opportunities for whites in the North and on the expanding western frontier. They questioned the legitimacy of continuinjg slavery while posing a serious threat to southern ambitions to spread slavery westward.
In the 1850s, the tension between the two regions was becoming unbearable. The
Whig Party, unable to navigate the treacherous waters of the slavery
controversy, collapsed. In its place stepped forward the newly-formed Republican
Party, an avowedly anti-slavery party whose sudden ascendancy and ideological
platform upended the nation’s fragile political balancing ace.
Abraham Lincoln (Union President)
When Abraham Lincoln emerged victorious in the 1860 presidential election, Southern politicians, planters and religious leaders immediately labeled him as “the
black president” whose goal was to eradicate southern slavery, and to whom the South would never submit. Refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of Lincoln’s election as president southern planters in the Deep South were determined to create their own nation in order to protect and forever preserve African slavery, the “peculiar institution” that was the source of their wealth, power, and social standing. Lincoln was determined to keep the Union together at all costs. He even went as far as to take away citizen's right to a trial. He also established Marshall Law in the border states of the Union and the Confederacy.
black president” whose goal was to eradicate southern slavery, and to whom the South would never submit. Refusing to acknowledge the legitimacy of Lincoln’s election as president southern planters in the Deep South were determined to create their own nation in order to protect and forever preserve African slavery, the “peculiar institution” that was the source of their wealth, power, and social standing. Lincoln was determined to keep the Union together at all costs. He even went as far as to take away citizen's right to a trial. He also established Marshall Law in the border states of the Union and the Confederacy.
Jefferson Davis (Confederate President)
Davis only reluctantly accepted the presidency of the Confederate States of America. He began his superhuman task with very human doubts. But once in office he became the strongest Confederate. His special virtues were revealed by a
challenge of honesty, devotion, dedication, the call of a passionate patriot. As president, Davis quickly grasped his problems: 9 million citizens including at least 3 million slaves of sovereign Southern states pitted against 22 million Yankees; 9,000 miles of usable railroad track against 22,000; no large factories, warships, or shipyards; little money; no credit, save in the guise of cotton; little amount of weapons and no manufacturing arsenals to replenish losses; miniscule amounts of powder; undeveloped lead, saltpeter, copper, and iron resources;
and almost no knowledge of steelmaking. Assets could be counted only as optimism, confidence, cotton, and courage. Davis would have to conjure a cause, toughen a new nation, and make a war.
challenge of honesty, devotion, dedication, the call of a passionate patriot. As president, Davis quickly grasped his problems: 9 million citizens including at least 3 million slaves of sovereign Southern states pitted against 22 million Yankees; 9,000 miles of usable railroad track against 22,000; no large factories, warships, or shipyards; little money; no credit, save in the guise of cotton; little amount of weapons and no manufacturing arsenals to replenish losses; miniscule amounts of powder; undeveloped lead, saltpeter, copper, and iron resources;
and almost no knowledge of steelmaking. Assets could be counted only as optimism, confidence, cotton, and courage. Davis would have to conjure a cause, toughen a new nation, and make a war.