Motives Towards The Civil War The Civil War was a defining event in American History. Throughout the 1840s and 1850s there was major turmoil across the western territories due to expansion of slavery. The South’s view of slavery saw it as an essential to their nation. Since, America could not have made any growth without the help of slaves. On the other hand, the North’s view on slavery saw it as an inhumane way of life. So, this created some hefty tension between the North and the South. The expansion of slavery evoked many economical, social, and political issues throughout the western territories, which led up to the civil war. The Mexican War led to a huge victory to the United States along with the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. This
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This promoted the “idea that America was destined by God and by history to expand its boundaries over a vast area” (Brinkley). This idea of “territorial expansion would reopen the painful controversy over slavery” (Brinkley). Henry Clay and several others warned the people that this idea would spur up several issues. Just like Manifest Destiny the Free-Soil Ideology became a social crisis. The two beliefs of this ideology were “free soil” and “free labor” which reflected both in the North and South. The northerners agreed that slavery was dangerous to the American democracy stating, “all citizens have the right to own property, to control their own labor, and to have access to opportunities for advancement” (Brinkley). On the other side, the South were considered “antithesis of democracy” because they saw slavery as the epitome of aristocracy (Brinkley). This idea of “free-labor” for the south was seen as strength and a growth to the “nation’s democratic ideals” (Brinkley). There are many theories as to how the civil war started, but one in particular was widely publicized; Lincoln’s statement, “Is this the little woman who made the great war?” (Brinkley). The “little woman” was Harriet Stowe, “the most powerful of all abolitionist propaganda,” wrote the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This novel sets off a ripple affect on antislavery creating a powerful influence throughout the
This promoted the “idea that America was destined by God and by history to expand its boundaries over a vast area” (Brinkley). This idea of “territorial expansion would reopen the painful controversy over slavery” (Brinkley). Henry Clay and several others warned the people that this idea would spur up several issues. Just like Manifest Destiny the Free-Soil Ideology became a social crisis. The two beliefs of this ideology were “free soil” and “free labor” which reflected both in the North and South. The northerners agreed that slavery was dangerous to the American democracy stating, “all citizens have the right to own property, to control their own labor, and to have access to opportunities for advancement” (Brinkley). On the other side, the South were considered “antithesis of democracy” because they saw slavery as the epitome of aristocracy (Brinkley). This idea of “free-labor” for the south was seen as strength and a growth to the “nation’s democratic ideals” (Brinkley). There are many theories as to how the civil war started, but one in particular was widely publicized; Lincoln’s statement, “Is this the little woman who made the great war?” (Brinkley). The “little woman” was Harriet Stowe, “the most powerful of all abolitionist propaganda,” wrote the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This novel sets off a ripple affect on antislavery creating a powerful influence throughout the