The Civil War is one of the most prominent events in American History and is an event that most Americans are familiar with, at least on a conceptual level. The Civil War, like many conflicts was not just a bout of petty squabbling that escalated into warfare, but a more complex event that was affected by a number of factors. It was more than a war over the continuation or abolishment of slavery. It was a clash of cultures expressed through legislation, literature, personal and societal conflict, and, eventually, war. These expressions of disagreement would either instigate or mitigate the growing conflict until verbal discussion broke down and gave way to physical conflict. The base of the conflict that would later lead to the civil
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In events preceding this time period (e.g. Louisiana Purchase, Adam-Onis Treaty, Oregon Treaty, Mexican American War, Gadsen Purchase) the United States had gained a vast amount of territory to the west. Additionally, there developed a growing abolitionist movement that opposed the practice of slavery. At this time, there were an equal number of free and slave states in the Senate keeping power balanced. This would pose a problem when a section of that territory decided that they wish to become a state, since it threatened to tip the scale of power in favor to one side or the other. Abolitionist feared that much of the territory gained from Mexico would become slave states (despite the land being ill suited for agriculture and, therefore, slave labor). In many instances, such conflicts were mitigated by a moderate, compromising party known as the Whig …show more content…
In 1828 and 1832, Congress passed tariffs in an attempt to protect against foreign competition. However, these tariffs only helped the North while hurting the South, who had no competition. South Carolina protested the tariffs by claiming that states had the right to nullify federal laws with respect to their state if the law was against their interest. Additionally, he proposed that states volunteered to be a part of the union and could, therefore succeed from it when they please. Henry Clay, once again forms a compromise in which the tariffs would progressively lower until 1842. Another legislation known as the Wilmot Proviso was proposed in which it called for a ban against slavery in all territories claimed from Mexico, but it didn’t pass the
In events preceding this time period (e.g. Louisiana Purchase, Adam-Onis Treaty, Oregon Treaty, Mexican American War, Gadsen Purchase) the United States had gained a vast amount of territory to the west. Additionally, there developed a growing abolitionist movement that opposed the practice of slavery. At this time, there were an equal number of free and slave states in the Senate keeping power balanced. This would pose a problem when a section of that territory decided that they wish to become a state, since it threatened to tip the scale of power in favor to one side or the other. Abolitionist feared that much of the territory gained from Mexico would become slave states (despite the land being ill suited for agriculture and, therefore, slave labor). In many instances, such conflicts were mitigated by a moderate, compromising party known as the Whig …show more content…
In 1828 and 1832, Congress passed tariffs in an attempt to protect against foreign competition. However, these tariffs only helped the North while hurting the South, who had no competition. South Carolina protested the tariffs by claiming that states had the right to nullify federal laws with respect to their state if the law was against their interest. Additionally, he proposed that states volunteered to be a part of the union and could, therefore succeed from it when they please. Henry Clay, once again forms a compromise in which the tariffs would progressively lower until 1842. Another legislation known as the Wilmot Proviso was proposed in which it called for a ban against slavery in all territories claimed from Mexico, but it didn’t pass the