Origins of the American Civil War

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe is a novel that was written as a call to action to its readers against slavery in the United States. Through many characters, mainly Tom, Stowe illustrates the heart-breaking realities of slavery to her readers. One instrumental way that Stowe did this was through the rhetorical device of antithesis. Two characters who embody Stowe’s use of antithesis are Tom Loker and Mr. Haley. Haley is described as a “short, thickset man” (3) and Loker as having a body expressive of “brutal and unhesitating violence” (66), emphasizing that Tom Loker is more abusive with his slaves. When discussing how their slaves act, Haley recounts a slave woman who lost her child, saying that she “ketches a knife” when her son is sold (68). Loker, on the other hand, says his slaves do not even get to that point because he “put my fist to her face” (68). This difference in treatment of slaves is used by Stowe to demonstrate that some slave masters are brutal and violent and not always like the masters she introduces initially. This difference calls attention to the fact that slaves are suffering under people without moral consciences. Mr Haley makes a statement saying that slaves will act better “by treatin’ on them well” (69), to which Loker responds “don’t make me too sick (69), suggesting that the mere thought of treating slaves humanely makes Loker sick. Haley says that as a Christian he does not feel the need to inflict “any more wickedness than is…

The movement known as the Manifest Destiny is based on the ideology that America was destined by God to expand their territory over immense areas. Although the settlers might not had wanted to take this certain approach, their movement was mainly an aggressive one for the first half of the ninetieth century. Americans had expanded their boundaries through conflict and treaties. The Manifest Destiny also involved the calamitous removal of inhabitants from their homes. The significance of these…

Research Paper: Events that Led to the Civil War The events that I think led to the American Civil War were; The Missouri Compromise of 1820, “Bleeding Kansas”(1954), The Dred Scott decision of 1857, and the Battle at Fort Sumner of 1861. The reason why these events played such an immense role in the lead up to the Civil War was because they created a vast rift between the South and North over their respective thoughts about the existence of slavery. Ever since slavery had been…

The mid-1800s was a time of turmoil in the new United States, both socially and politically. Tensions grew between sections of the nations over countless issues of the time. In 1856, the United States declared war on Mexico, and within a short period of time, one and a half million square miles of land had been added to the United States. The Mexican American War was important, not only in its ramifications, but in its causes. Similarly, the Dred Scott Decision of 1857 had disastrous effects on…

Court who ended up siding with Sanford's brother which resulted in Scott suing Sanford's brother stating that Sanford had physically abused him. The Court had labeled Scott a slave under the law and explained that because he was a slave, he could not sue. However, after much debate, the Court decided that Scott was still considered a slave and even if he was not considered one anymore, Congress did not have the power to ban slavery in the country's territories. Executive Order 9066 During World…

Taney ruled that slave was not a citizen of the American so they had no right to bring their any disputes to the federal courts. Furthermore, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was unconstitutional because slave was personal property so Scott had never been free. The court also made a decision that the slavery could not be banned or deprived in the United State. All the decision to the Dred Scott case created a strong react for the American Public and antislavery groups because they feared that…

his numerous policies. International commerce and technology were both things he supported, to benefit farmers and their way of life. This development would, according to Jefferson, provide an escape from the British way of life and industry. Then America would prosper, so long as farmers could obtain land at a reasonable price. These ideas inspired a massive movement that led to western expansion. Jeffersonian policies played a key role in westward expansion, 19th century America relied…

the outcome in his inaugural speech two days before it happened. Nevertheless, this decision divided the Democrats party as well; Stephen A. Douglass opposed it for his idea of popular sovereignty. The division of Democrats, however, helped lead Lincoln’s victory later in the Election of 1860. Overall, the Dred Scott case contributed to the tension between anti-slavery and pro-slavery in the North and South; on the other hand, it helped divide the Democratic Party and led to Lincoln’s and the…

Throughout the mid-18th century, the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision became a key contributing factor in the separation between the Union and Confederacy going into the American Civil War. With the conflict of proslavery and antislavery groups fighting for new states, this choice became a debated topic within the detached United States for the effect it had in the slavery legal and economic system. Riots transpired and differences between political leaders and Court justices arose as the…

Dred Scott was an enslaved man who belonged to John Emerson. Dr. Emerson died in the free state of Illinois while he had Dred Scott with him. This created a big debate whether he should have freedom or not. Because Dred’s owner died in a free state, anti-slavery supporters thought he should be free. However, pro-slavery supporters thought that because slaves were considered as property that his wife had the right to go get Dred. Dred Scott first went to court to sue for his freedom. John…