It is simple to fall prey to the history books, media coverage, and entertainment measures. That are intended to portray a particular era in history in a manner. That will hold the attention of the audience while maintaining. At least the premise of being supported by factual evidence and true accounts of the events of that time. Women in full ballroom gowns as they pranced about their family’s plantation. And chivalrous gentlemen who spent their days gallantly smoking cigars. And sipping brandy often compete with the images of the brutality of slavery. And the political assertions of the leaders who sought to continue the economic grandeur that came from such brutality.
Simply put, the Civil War can be viewed from multiple sources which will each depict a variety of causes. And often show pity for the Southern states. Who were reportedly seeking their constitutional rights to operate. As sovereign states apart from the evils of a larger federal government which could potentially ruin their way of life. However, looking into a more detailed evaluation of the root causes and the background of the Civil War. A new image of the south can be exposed that. Although it maintains many of the views of the easy life of the plantation owners. deprives the south from laying the primary blame for the war on the violation of the constitutional rights of the states. In fact, it will be shown that the primary cause of the Civil War was a blatant overreaction of the southern politicians to what could have easily been a smooth transaction into a new phase of the still developing nation.
First of all, it is important to recognize that there were several circumstances that led to the changes in the nation which created a sense of separation between the north and the south in the United States of America. In fact, many of these differences began long before the nation was truly a nation at all. Scholars note that many of these ” causes of the Civil War may be traced to a complex mix of factors, some of which can be traced back to the earliest years of American colonization” (Hickman).
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Many of the various immigrants into the colonies were known to migrate with others who were like minded and therefore the colonies were naturally divided through both ideologies as well as geographically. This created the need for some form of unified mindsets in order to establish the colonies as a nation. Through the recognition of this need, as well as numerous other areas of concern within the nation, the Constitution of the United States of America was formed. However, the forefathers treaded carefully on the issues that greatly divided the two regions and “provided for some protections of the institution of slavery, but also prohibited the importation of slaves after 1808” (“Politics in the Civil War”). Yet, with no definitive strategy written in the concepts of these issues, there was a lot of room for interpretation that would later cause greater issues between the regions.
As a united nation, the United States of America began to feel the pull between the different regions as there was no longer a division merely of the north and the south but also the indications as to where the western portion of the nation was to stand in this division. This based the conflict on the future of slavery in new territories and states as these areas were brought in after the ratification of the United States of America.
Each territory was given a certain level of sovereignty in deciding on the issue of slavery but politicians and activists continued to fight against the expansion of slavery. For example, according to scholars,” Rep. David Wilmot attempted to prevent slavery in the new territories in 1846, when he introduced the Wilmot Proviso in Congress” (Hickman). However, repeatedly, these proposals were defeated and the rights of the states and territories to make their own decisions based on the majority of the population continued to be the manner in which this matter was handled.
As the division seemed to be drawn specifically at the Mason Dixon Line whereas the north represented the idea that slavery was wrong and the south depending on this economic factor for the continuation of their way of life, slavery became a hot topic of conflict as it was viewed.
