Origins of the Civil War (Chapter 5)

The presence of slavery and discrimination is frowned upon by most, if not all, of modern society. The concept of a being placed as lesser or second to another based on the innate physical characteristics of each is preposterous – no one should ever carry the title of “second class citizen;” however, during the 1800’s, this mentality founded and maintained the economy and livelihood of the Southern United States. What would happen when the other half of the union demanded slavery, the sustenance of their economy, to be banned? Would the South succumb to the North’s abolitionist movement and requests? If only. What burgeoned was a product of centuries of buildup that soon erupted into what is known now as the Civil War.

The very beginnings of slavery and its impact and journey throughout the United States’ history occur during the early 1600’s. “Indentured servants” is what they were referred to as, African Americans who paid their services for seven years and were then freed, accompanied by their very own piece of land. However, the ideal and seemingly just nature of this compromise alters – for seven years of work on tobacco fields proved extenuating and, most times, ultimately fatal to the workers. And even if they were capable of surviving their exploitation, the servants were not always given what was promised. As time passed, the abuse slavery conveyed increased. Now, it wasn’t treated as a deal, it was a simple property-owner relationship that drained the slaves until they perished under the conditions. But as the mistreatment increased, so did the angered voices of those mistreated. AS much as they were somewhat included in political decisions as the Three-Fifths Compromise, which gave the enslaved population a count in Congress, proved, other citizen-lead acts did otherwise on a larger scale. The Black Codes exemplify this as they were created on the same year as the Three-Fifths Compromise and these made slavery technically illegal north of the Ohio River, however, whites still owned and stood highly above blacks.

The controversy surrounding whether or not slavery should be allowed became so vociferous and relevant that it led to the division of the nation in what is known as the Missouri Compromise. The compromise separated the United States in anti and pro slavery areas – the North against and the South in favor, also creating a new state named Maine from the North of Missouri to create a fair and proportional count. As much as the division aided in a consolidation of slavery boundaries, those against it didn’t think of it as enough. Here is where the abolition, or anti-slavery movement, begins in the 1820’s. The humanitarian response was huge, yet 36% of the white population owned slaves – making resistance to abolition something to consider. The gag rule is an example of the resistance; this was a law that tabled all anti-slavery petitions. But, as some fought against others were quick and just as stringent when fighting back. The Underground Railroad and founding of Liberia as a land for slaves are some demonstrations of support.

            As the fight against slavery continued to unravel, another event takes place that will influence the presence of a Civil War; this is the Mexican War. Americans started to expand further West in an attempt to claim more territory; they soon reached Mexican territory that is now known as Texas. United States citizens began to flood the area, to the point in which there were more Americans in it than Mexicans. This motivated the Americans to join in an uprising and claim the land as their own; they succeeded. However, an important event within it called the Wilmot Proviso stated that slavery would be illegal in all territory acquitted from Mexico.

The final triggers of the Civil War lie on the differences between North and South, and an important politic action. There was failure to address whether or not slavery would be allowed in territories, something noticeable since slavery’s very beginnings. The North was far more industrialized and advanced than South in nearly every way possible: communication, population, industrialization, urbanization, and income in goods. The South could only compete in manners of enslaved people and cotton – both of which went, very much, hand in hand. What tipped the glass in this entire issue was the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Here, they ignored the Missouri Compromise and decided that a sovereign choice through voting to decide where slavery would be allowed would be more appropriate. The Northerners were outraged, and a desire for a violent resolve between the two sides was imminent.

The Civil War was not something to be considered as a product of a few, shorty separated events. The matter of slavery and its place in society is something that had been battled, discussed, and fought for many years before. The latter part of those years is what motivated the violent solution – the differences between the North and South culminating and exploding during the acceptance of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. For the parties involved, a battle was the only way to decide the fate of equality in the nation. 

The divisions between the Northern states, Southern states, border states, and those not organized in the battle.