Division of the Union was the main cause of the Civil War. Regardless of the political stance, or the argument of what the motives that led to this division was, the fundamental cause of the separation in Confederacy and Union. Many historians agree that the cause slavery itself, however, some counterparts consider it to be westward expansion.
After the Louisiana Purchase, many states were settled with the Missouri Compromise -the compromise established to momentarily calm the issues on slavery-. The Mexican-American War that gave such an extensive portion of land to the United States used to be a controversy amongst the people since some of them did not want to fight another war, as established in Document 7 and 8 on the war messages. After …show more content…
The Second Great Awakening was probably the most important movement in the claims of the Civil War without westward settlement. From secular communities like Shakers and Owenties; which believed asylums would rehabilitate people, the revivals stirred the nation. An example were burned-over districts, like New York and Ohio were revivals gained the most momentum. Also, in this time people were already starting to become abolitionist, and others believed that colonization of slaves was essential in the establishment of a white society. This shows the grow of division in the Union, without even considering the west. Also, an important factor, was the religious influence that the abolition movement gained. Slavery started to be seen as a sin, bringing the religious aspect to it. The Methodist and Baptist churches domination over the regions was also another stirring point on the leading factors to the war. William Lloyd Garrison is an epitome of the problems in the East since he suggested that the North should leave the Union to free itself from slavery. Even physicians had found “anatomical” differences between black and white men, arguing that blacks were in between whites and chimpanzees. The establishments of the Gag rule, and murder of Elijah Lovejoy showed that slavery was not liberty, but rather an infliction upon the beliefs written in the Constitution of America.
Slavery, racial distinctions, and division were the major causes of the Civil War. I think it was a combination of all these, and the problems in the west that led to the war since westward expansion reiterated the problem on slavery as an institution. Ultimately my answer is: It was the west that gave the tensions enough momentum to stir up the Union and commence the
After the Louisiana Purchase, many states were settled with the Missouri Compromise -the compromise established to momentarily calm the issues on slavery-. The Mexican-American War that gave such an extensive portion of land to the United States used to be a controversy amongst the people since some of them did not want to fight another war, as established in Document 7 and 8 on the war messages. After …show more content…
The Second Great Awakening was probably the most important movement in the claims of the Civil War without westward settlement. From secular communities like Shakers and Owenties; which believed asylums would rehabilitate people, the revivals stirred the nation. An example were burned-over districts, like New York and Ohio were revivals gained the most momentum. Also, in this time people were already starting to become abolitionist, and others believed that colonization of slaves was essential in the establishment of a white society. This shows the grow of division in the Union, without even considering the west. Also, an important factor, was the religious influence that the abolition movement gained. Slavery started to be seen as a sin, bringing the religious aspect to it. The Methodist and Baptist churches domination over the regions was also another stirring point on the leading factors to the war. William Lloyd Garrison is an epitome of the problems in the East since he suggested that the North should leave the Union to free itself from slavery. Even physicians had found “anatomical” differences between black and white men, arguing that blacks were in between whites and chimpanzees. The establishments of the Gag rule, and murder of Elijah Lovejoy showed that slavery was not liberty, but rather an infliction upon the beliefs written in the Constitution of America.
Slavery, racial distinctions, and division were the major causes of the Civil War. I think it was a combination of all these, and the problems in the west that led to the war since westward expansion reiterated the problem on slavery as an institution. Ultimately my answer is: It was the west that gave the tensions enough momentum to stir up the Union and commence the