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Essay / The Economic and Political Causes of the Civil War in the United States
Table of ContentsEconomic Causes of the ConflictEscalation of the ConflictConclusionThe Civil War, which took place from 1861 to 1865, was a pivotal event in American history that significantly shaped America. society and solidified the national identity of the United States. While the root cause of the war is generally attributed to the slavery controversy, the factors that led to the conflict were multiple. By examining the economic and political issues that contributed to the Civil War, it becomes clear that although the war may have been postponed through compromise, the underlying tensions between the Southern and Northern states would ultimately have resulted in a armed conflict. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayEconomic Causes of the ConflictOne of the main causes of the conflict was the economic disparities between the North and the South. The rapid development of a rail network in the North left the Southern states in a vulnerable economic position (Davidson et al. 270). As a result, Southern states relied heavily on cotton production, which required cheap labor. Limited immigration to the Southern states further increased their reliance on slavery (Davidson et al. 273). Slavery was an integral part of the Southern economy and without it the region would have been at a significant disadvantage compared to the industrialized North. Thus, when debates over slavery intensified before the Civil War, it was inevitable that the South would resist any attempts to abolish slavery. From a political point of view, the imbalance of power between the North and the South made civil war inevitable. The Southern states believed that remaining in the Union would compromise their honor and security (Calhoun 1). Southerners feared that the North, with its dominance in banking and commerce, aimed to subjugate the South (Davidson et al. 273). Although the idea of colonization of the South by the North was unfounded, such perceptions fueled Southern reactions to political imbalance and increased tensions between the two regions. The model of industrialization and trade relations between North and South, which greatly benefited the North, contributed to these beliefs. Escalation of conflict The conflict was further exacerbated by regulatory instability, which prevented the achievement of a lasting compromise. The Kansas-Nebraska Act, introduced by Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois in 1854, repealed the Missouri Compromise and intensified tensions over the issue of slavery (United States Senate). The act was intended to organize Nebraska's territories to facilitate railroad development (Davidson et al. 273). However, in order to gain support from Southern senators, Douglas had to explicitly address the issue of slavery by repealing the Missouri Compromise (Davidson et al. 273). Although this decision was risky due to growing tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups, Douglas prioritized the development of railroads from east to west. The act created two territories, Kansas and Nebraska, where the status of slavery would be determined by popular sovereignty (Davidson et al. 274). This led to an influx of pro-slavery and anti-slavery activists into both territories, resulting in violent episodes known as Bleeding Kansas (Davidson et al. 276). These events further intensified the divide between the North and the South, culminating in the election of Abraham Lincoln and the subsequent secession of eleven Southern states (Liu 68). Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a now.