ESSAY - Causes of the Civil war

In 1861, a Civil War broke out in the United States when the South declared their
independence from the Union and established the Confederate States of America.

The American Civil War was mostly known to have been caused mainly due to
the difference in views on slavery between the states. Although it was one of the main
events that led to the war, the issue with slavery wasnt simply the only thing that
caused this civil war of 1861.

The South remained a mainly agricultural economy (hence, requires slaves for
hard labour) while the North became gradually industrialized (they depend on the
Souths cotton production). Different social cultural and political beliefs developed and
thus led to disagreements on issues such as taxes, tariffs and states rights versus
federal rights.

In the South, people accepted slavery as just how things are and even some
who saw it as morally incorrect regarded it as a necessary evil. So when abolitionists
threatened this way of life in the South in 1860-61, many were enraged. In North,
things were different. There were people in the North that were anti-slavery but some
knew that the Norths economic development was also based on the effort of poorly
paid workers who were not slaves but lived underprivileged lives.

Other than differences in the views of South and North, there were also political
issue which divided the country. Though addressed in the Constitution, was not there
resolved and which added to the conflicting forces leading to the war; the debate
between Federal power and States' rights. This too became a sectional conflict. The
resentment and fear of growing Federal power by those in the South was an important
factor in their decision to try to secede from Union.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was arguably the first warning signal of the civil
war. It was issued to maintain a balance of power between the slave states and free
states. The slave states feared that if they became outnumbered, they would lack the
power to protect their interests in property and trade. The Missouri Compromise
settled the question of slavery in the United States for many years.

Its repeal would bring about conflict that would lead to the Civil War. First,
Missouri and Maine would be admitted to the Union, one as slave and one as free. In
addition, the remaining territories would be divided into free and slave at the 3630'
parallel. This compromise became viewed as sacred by both sides.

When new territories were gained from the Mexican American War, there was
debate over what kind of state they should be. With the issue of whether Kansas
would become a slave or free state to be determined by "popular sovereignty,"
supporters of both sides flooded into the territory, causing murder and chaos. One of
the violent outbursts include John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in 1859. All of this
was called the Bleeding Kansas.
 Then, the Missouri Compromise was repealed in order to solve this in the form of
the Kansas-Nebraska Act.The act also led to a further increase in the tension
between the North and the South.

Dred Scott was a slave who sought his freedom but failed as the 1857 decision
by the United States Supreme Court in denied his plea, determining that no Negro
(anyone with African blood) was or could ever be a citizen. Northern abolitionists were
enraged and this contributed to the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860.

Uncle Toms Cabin is a novel which showed the reality of slavery and was
written in 1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe, a dedicated abolitionist, who was once
named as the little lady who started a war by Abraham Lincoln.

The secession of Southern States,which was due to Abraham Lincoln winning

the election, finally then led to the establishment of the Confederacy and the Civil
War.

ESSAY - Southern Society Structure

The Southern Society structure was similar to the times of the middle Ages. On top of the social
hierarchy were the plantation owners. They lived by as strict code of morals based on honor. They were less
in number but they had the most of Southern States wealth. Only a few owned slaves and among people
who owned slaves, these plantation owners owned 30-50 slaves.

Below them would be the free whites that worked the lands themselves, as they were too poor to own
slaves or some did not even have a job. They didnt have much food and were malnourished. Some of these
free whites have lives worse than the slaves but at least they had their freedom.

Then, there were the free slaves in the society. These free slaves had a limited amount of professions
they could pursue. They also had to have a pass that says that they were free. Free slaves had the right to
slave and use slaves, which were usually their family.

Lastly, at the bottom of the social hierarchy would be the slaves. They were human beings owned by
other human beings. They did not have the basic rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness and were
seen less than humans. A master might love his slave but they were still owned by someone else. Also, these
slaves could not get married legally as that would mean they couldnt be sold whenever.