HST 121: History of the United States to 1877

Causes for the Civil War

Discuss causes for the Civil War

I. North vs. South over West

A. Result of Manifest Destiny & Mexican War

B. Economics: Family Farms or Plantations

C. Political Concerns of the Northeast

II. Debate over Slavery

A. Anti-Slavery Movement

1. William Garrison and the Liberator

2. Frederick Douglass

3. Uncle Tom's Cabin

B. Major anti-slavery goals:

1. Stop slavery expansion west

2. Stop domestic slave trade

C. Pro-Slavery Defense

1. Property Rights to expand slavery west

2. Denial of the extent of the slave trade

III. Tariff and Taxes

A. Pro: to build industry

B. Anti:

1. Higher prices, lower trade

2. Income tax

IV. Constitutional

A. Nationalists

1. For strong central government

2. As if the Virginia Plan had been ratified

B. States Rights

1. Keep state and local control

2. As if the Articles of Confederation had not been replaced

V. Political Breakdown

A. Political division into North and South

1. Democrats split

2. Whigs end, Republicans emerge

B. Failure to find solutions

1. Compromise of 1850

2. Kansas-Nebraska Act

3. Dred Scott v. Sandford

VI. Independence or Union

A. South and Secession

1. C. S. A.

2. War for Independence

B. North and Union

1. Abraham Lincoln

2. War to preserve the Union