Economic and Moral Issues Causing The American Civil War

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The American Civil War fought from 1861 to 1865 is described as “the bloodiest conflict in the history of North America” (Feature Causes Of The Civil War). The Civil war or war between the states was fought for many economic, political and moral reasons tracing back to the very start of America. The civil war fought between the Northern and Southern states is truly a significant event in the history of the United States because it involved American citizens fighting against each other. The American civil war was initiated through the controversy over slave labor, unfair actions toward Southern states and the vast division between the Northern and Southern states. The North and South had totally different cultures and economies making their opinions on certain topics vastly different, hence contributing to the start of the war. The Southern state’s economy relied on the use of slaves to run their plantation system that produced mainly tobacco and cotton. “The price of cotton, the South’s defining crop, had skyrocketed in the 1850s, and the value of slaves—who were, after all, property—rose commensurately” (The American Civil War). Therefore the South was thriving economically. “With different geographies and climates, the North and the South developed very different economies and lifestyles” (Biel 11). The Northern economy was based on free labor and was able to abolish slavery due to a great amount of immigration due to the potato famine in Ireland. This caused the North and South to be vastly different in moral beliefs. The North became enlightened on the horrors of slavery through literature such as Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe which describe the mistreatment of slaves, this learning experience led to the abolit... ... middle of paper ... ... History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 07 Apr. 2014. http://www.civilwarmo.org/educators/resources/info-sheets/missouri-compromise "The Civil War in Missouri." The Missouri Compromise. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Apr. 2014. http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/causes-american-civil-war.htm "Causes of the American Civil War." Causes of the American Civil War. History Learning Site, n.d. Web. 12 Apr. 2014. http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/biographies/abraham-lincoln.html "Abraham Lincoln." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Relations, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/19407/American-Civil-War Hassler, Jr. Warren W. "American Civil War (United States History)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014. Biel, Timothy L. The Civil War. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 1991. Print.

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