The North and South territories of the United States developed in different ways during the 1800s. The North favored small farms over large plantations, went through an Industrial Revolution, and established many large cities. On the other hand, the South utilized large-scale farms and slave labor to grow cash crops such as tobacco and cotton. The stark differences between these two cultures led to many disagreements that ultimately drove the South out of the Union. There were many catalysts such as John Brown’s raid and the Election of 1860 that depicted the hatred between the two sides. The two opposing opinions on slavery led to the secession and eventually the Civil War in 1861. John Brown’s Raid and the Election of 1860 highlighted why
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This election revolved around the candidates’ positions on slavery because the Democratic Party of the 1800s split into three groups based on their views on slavery to fight against the anti-slavery Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. Since Lincoln’s opposition was so divided among the South, he won the Electoral College handily without winning a single slave state, which pushed southerners closer to secession. Lincoln described his views on slavery in his letter to Horace Greeley when he wrote, “If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them” (1). While Lincoln acknowledges the value in resolving the hatred between the North and the South, he plans to abolish slavery, which leaves the South with no choice but to secede. However, after the election ignorant abolitionists like Robert E. Lee were not worried about the secession of the southern states when Lee wrote, “The steamer brought the President’s message to Congress, and the reports of the various heads of the departments, so that we are now assured that the Government is in operation and the Union in existence. Not that I had any fears to the contrary, but it is satisfactory always to have facts go on” (1). Robert E. Lee’s view on the state of the South shows that the differing views on slavery has drawn the two regions so far apart that the northerners do not understand how angry slaveholders really are. Lee and many other abolitionists were also adamant to spread their belief that slavery would eventually fall, which resulted in the climax of the hatred between the two sides. Due to the effects slavery had on the 1860 election, the Southern states grew closer to secession, but many experts today believe slavery was not the main cause of the Confederate States of
This election revolved around the candidates’ positions on slavery because the Democratic Party of the 1800s split into three groups based on their views on slavery to fight against the anti-slavery Republican candidate, Abraham Lincoln. Since Lincoln’s opposition was so divided among the South, he won the Electoral College handily without winning a single slave state, which pushed southerners closer to secession. Lincoln described his views on slavery in his letter to Horace Greeley when he wrote, “If there be those who would not save the Union unless they could at the same time save slavery, I do not agree with them” (1). While Lincoln acknowledges the value in resolving the hatred between the North and the South, he plans to abolish slavery, which leaves the South with no choice but to secede. However, after the election ignorant abolitionists like Robert E. Lee were not worried about the secession of the southern states when Lee wrote, “The steamer brought the President’s message to Congress, and the reports of the various heads of the departments, so that we are now assured that the Government is in operation and the Union in existence. Not that I had any fears to the contrary, but it is satisfactory always to have facts go on” (1). Robert E. Lee’s view on the state of the South shows that the differing views on slavery has drawn the two regions so far apart that the northerners do not understand how angry slaveholders really are. Lee and many other abolitionists were also adamant to spread their belief that slavery would eventually fall, which resulted in the climax of the hatred between the two sides. Due to the effects slavery had on the 1860 election, the Southern states grew closer to secession, but many experts today believe slavery was not the main cause of the Confederate States of