Slavery: Major Cause Of The Civil War

1. Although slavery proved to be a major cause of the Civil War, several other factors contributed to the war between Northern and Southern States. The issue of states’ rights became a secondary cause for the Civil War. Southern politicians like John C. Calhoun contended that the states should be able to protect the institution of slavery by canceling out any laws that the Federal Government tried to pass that were unconstitutional. The issue of state’s rights as the cause of the Civil War is further seen in the South, which still held onto the idea of a loose confederation of states as written in the Articles of Confederation. Political turmoil and strife became another reason to the cause of the Civil War. With the potential split in the …show more content…
The first major battle of the Civil War takes place in July of 1861 in Manassas, Virginia. This battle is important because it is the first infantry fighting that takes place between the North and the South. Although, both sides were equal in the amount of troops on the battlefield, the Confederacy succeeded in forcing the Union from the field. This proved to the North that the South was a force to be reckoned with and for a while even hurt the morale of the Northern States politically and militarily. With the Union’s push to take Richmond, the Seven Days Battle would take place and saw Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s efforts to draw General McClellan into a decisive battle. With McClellan stalled by Confederate forces at Yorktown, Virginia, General Jackson is given time to bring his Confederate Army from the Shenandoah Valley to reinforce Lee’s forces at Richmond, which allowed the repelling of McClellan’s advances on the Confederate Capitol. With the victory at the Second Battle of Manassas, Lee believed that it was time for the South to go on the offensive to invade the North. Hoping to make a move on Washington and then move even deeper into the north, Lee’s plan is cut short when his battle plans are discovered at one of his abandon camps by Union troops. The Battle of Antietam would come from this leading to a turning point in the Civil War. Though the battle is a tactical draw, it is seen as a political victory for the North. For the first time Lee is forced to retreat and Lincoln is able to pass the Emancipation Proclamation. The next major battle takes place at Fredericksburg, Virginia. (Page 115) Although the Confederacy was able to achieve a victory here, for the first time, they are unable to replace the troops that were lost in battle. The Battle of Chancellorsville, which took place in Virginia, was another Confederate victory. It was there that t Union armies were forced to retreat, the Confederates once again lose men that they are unable