Running Head: Inevitable Civil War

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The Inevitable War: American Civil War History

Andre A. Voudy
University of Central Florida
11/11/14

Running Head: Inevitable Civil War

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Abstract

This paper looks into the known evidence on the origins of the Civil War, the worst
American War in our fresh history. It reveals the conflict between regions, historical
references/roots of the topic of Slavery, and the significance of the Abolitionists movement on
different areas throughout the county at the time.
Keywords: Slavery, North (Union), South (Confederate), Tension, Economics.

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Purpose

The North and South fought over many political issues, mainly the idea of slavery.
Simply put, the South wanted and needed it and the North did not want it at all. The South
prepared to do anything so they could be allowed to keep it. This was the issue that
overshadowed all others. At this time the labor force in the South had about 4 million slaves.
These slaves were very valuable to the slaveholding planter class. They were a huge investment
to Southerners and if taken away, could mean massive losses to everyone involved in the dark
practice. Slaves were used in the South as helpers in the fields in the cultivation of tobacco, rice,
and indigo, as well as many other jobs. Both regions used slave labor but it was the South that
needed more slaves at this time. They were now growing more cotton than they ever had before
because of the invention of the cotton gin. Cotton production with slaves jumped from 178,000
bales in 1810 to over 3,841,000 bales in 1860. Within that time period of 50 years the number of
slaves also rose from about 1,190,000 to over 4,000,000. (Slavery Ep. 1). The plantation owners
in the South could not understand why the North wanted slavery abolished, if the use of slaves
also benefited the North.(I would mention how the North benefited as well) After the American
Revolution, slavery never died in the North it just became more popular in the South.
Appeal to Slave Labor
With that being said, by the time of 1804, seven of the northern most states had abolished
slavery or passed Post-Nati laws. (Nieman) During this time a surge of democratic reform swept
through the North and traveled as far as the new West. There were demands for political
equality. The South felt these views were not important. All of these views eventually led to an
attack on the slavery system in the South, and showed opposition to its spread into whatever new
territories that were acquired. Northerners said that slavery revoked the human right of being a

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free person. Now with all these views the North set out on its quest for the complete abolition of
slavery. When new territories became available in the West the South wanted to expand and use
slavery in the newly acquired territories. But However the North opposed to this and wanted to
stop the extension of slavery into new territories and . The North wanted to limit the number of
slave states in the Union. But many Southerners felt that a government dominated by Free states
could endanger existing slaveholdings. The South wanted to protect their states rights. The first
evidence of the Norths actions came in 1819 when Missouri asked to be admitted to the Union
as a slave state. After months of discussion Congress passed the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
This compromise was legislative measures that regulated the extension of slavery in the United
States for three decades. Now the balance of 11 Free states and 11 slave states was in trouble.
Maine also applied for statehood in 1819, in which it was admitted as a free state. }To please the
South, slavery would be prohibited forever from Louisiana Purchase territories north of 36 30'.
(Glauber) Missouri and Maine were to enter statehood simultaneously to preserve sectional
equality in the Senate. For almost a generation this Compromise seemed to settle the conflict
between the North and South. But in 1848 the Union acquired a huge piece of territory from
Mexico.
Organizational Opportunity. This opened new opportunities for the spread of slavery
for Southerners. Another part of the compromise was the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, which
provided for the return of runaway slaves to their masters. But However many Free states in the
Union passed personal liberty laws in an effort to help the slaves escape. (Goldfield 366) All
these compromise measures resulted in a growing of hostility between the slave and Free states.
The last main conflict that led to succession was during the presidential election of 1860.

Comment [O1]: . ( I might organize these

sentences different so it reads a little smoother;
possible if you started with After months of
discussion Congress passed the Missouri
Compromise of 1820; a legislative measure that
regulated the extension of slavery in the United
States for three decades. This was necessary because
the South wanted to protect their state rights due to
the Norths actions in 1819 when Missouri and
Maine requested to be admitted to the Union as a
slave state.Now the balance of eleven Free states and
eleven slave states was in trouble.

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Influence. The newly formed Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln on

principles that opposed the further expansion of slavery. Now with Lincoln being elected the
South really felt that expansionism was being threatened, and because expansion was vital to the
survival of slavery they also felt their way of life was being threatened. Because slavery was
such an important part of Southern society, the South felt that they could not survive without it,.
Now they felt there was nothing more they could do. They were cConvinced that they should
make a bid for independence by succeeding rather thenthan face political encirclement;. Tthis
was officially the end and now the South wanted to succeed. Lincoln said that succession was
illegal and said that he intended to maintain federal possessions in the South.
No Resolve. The existence of slavery was the central element of the conflict between the
North and South. Other problems existed that led to succession but none were as big as the
slavery issue. The only way to avoid the war was to abolish slavery but this could not be done
because slavery is what kept the South running. But when the South seceded it was said by
Abraham Lincoln (quotes?)A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government
cannot endure permanently half slave and half free;. Because slavery formed two opposing
societies, and slavery could never be abolished, the Civil War was inevitable. These were all the
reasons why the Civil War was fought over political beliefs and the North and South had totally
opposing views.

Comment [O2]: I think it is a good paper, a few

too many of the sentences started with but and
because.

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The Inevitable Civil War

I. Introduction to the Tension between North and South
A. Labor force
1. Slavery in South used for Cotton and Tobacco
i. Facts from movie seen in-class
B. Action taken in both
1. Laws passed for North
2. Souths views on growing hostility
C. Right of Slaves
II. New territory, new problems
A. Expansion to the West
1. Missouri Compromise
i. 1820
ii. 1850
III. Presidential election of Abraham Lincoln
A. Moral battles
1. Is a slave a rights holder?
B. Movement towards total abolition of Slaves
1. Succession by South
IV. With all the problems evident, the Civil War was inevitable
A. Slavery is main point through all the little problems
Conclusion With tension rising every year it seemed, every new problem and opinion added
fuel to the fire that was the inevitable Civil War

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Works Cited

Glauber, David. Missouri Compromise, 1820 p.1 Worksheet

Broward College. October 2009. Paper.
Goldfield, David. The American Journey: A History of the United States p.366 Ed. 5
Pearson Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 2009.
Nieman, Donald. Slavery and the Constitution p.1
Broward College. October 2009. Paper.
Slavery and the Making of America. Dir. Chana Gazit. Episode 1
Liberty in the Air. WNET Thirteen, USA, 2005. DVD.