The Great Sectional Differences Between North And South

Abraham Lincoln once said to George Robertson â€Å"‘Can we, as a nation, continue, together permanently—forever—half slave, and half free?’ The problem is too mighty for me. May God, in his mercy, superintend the solution.† (Hobson, 1912) This he wrote in a private letter in 1855. It was another year before Lincoln felt ready to think about saying the same thing in a way that would be really heard. He made his position clear September 18, 1858, stating â€Å"I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races,† going on to say that he opposed blacks having the right to vote, to serve on juries, to hold office and to intermarry with whites. (Mintz, S., McNeil, 2016) The Civil War in the United States was inevitable. The great sectional differences between North and South were far too great, and the main reason for these differences was the fact that slavery underlay both the southern economy and society. No one, not even Abraham Lincoln could dispute the growing gap between the nation at that time. Slavery in the United states proved too difficult to progress, mostly economically. In the 1860 election, both candidates believed that slavery was immorally wrong. However, given the mainstream opinion of slavery, they couldn’t outwardly speak too much of abolishing slavery for good. In the pre-Civil War United States, a case can be made that slavery played a critical role in economicShow MoreRelatedNorthern And Southern United States989 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferently. The South was mostly into farming, while the North was more about the industry. Both regions also had sectional differences in the way tariffs and slavery were intertwined. Since there were unfair tariffs that tested dominate leaders like the Britain Crown, many rebellions have been staged. The North and South in the United States did have many differences between each other, but they eventually came together as a united country. The Industry was booming in the North and this madeRead MoreThe Quest For Room By William Barney1151 Words   |  5 PagesWilliam Barney’s article, â€Å"The Quest for Room,† he analyzes the differing opinions between the North and South regarding the expansion of slavery into the newly acquired Western territories. The author argues that the West would have been important to slaveholders as a place to expand slavery if the territories had not been free-soil. The reason for this article was to show us how prominent the sectional differences were in the nineteenth century because of the argument over slavery. This, in turnRead MoreInterpreting The Consequences And Causations Of The American Civil War1058 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent interpretations of the origins and significance of the Civil War such as a Southern constitutional viewpoint, politics, economics, sectional differences between the North and South, or the great slave power conspiracy. Moreover, while s ome of these arguments are compelling the revisionist approach is insufficient in elucidating the incipient sectional tensions, during the 1850s, that brought about the American Civil War. Furthermore, the most efficacious way for historians to interpret theRead MoreU.s History : American Civil War1423 Words   |  6 Pagesbegan long before the first shot. There is a great deal of possible causes of the Civil War, and in much disagreement with popular belief the war was not solely fought about the existence of slavery. Unfortunately, there is no simple reason why the war began because there were many sectional differences between the states of the North and of the South. In many ways the Civil War can be described as a war between two different countries instead of a war between two sections of a country. Slavery was perhapsRead MoreSlavery During The 19th Century1636 Words   |  7 Pagesever turning into a sectional concern, such that the nation had essentially become divided al ong regional lines. Based on economic or moral reasoning, people of the Northern states were increasingly in support of opposition to slavery, all the while Southerners became united to defend the institution of slavery. Brought on by profound changes including regional differences in the pattern of slavery in the upper and lower South, as well as the movement of abolitionism in the North, slavery in AmericaRead MoreDid the Civil War Ultimately reduce sectional antagonism and make the United States truly one nation?1111 Words   |  5 PagesPrior to Civil War, distinct Northern and Southern cultures had been established; The free North occupied the commercial industry, while the slavery-based South undertook an agricultural occupation. The South and the North began to fight over right and wrong. The major issue was regarding slavery, as the South wanted to preserve slavery while, the North wanted to get rid of it. These conflicts rose into sectional antagonism and eventually put the United States and President Lincoln in a loophole. Read MoreAmerican Spirits Were Exceptionally High At The End Of The War Of 18121486 Words   |  6 Pagesfor sectionalism propagated and a nationwide panic heightened. Therefore, with emerging sectionalism in subsequent events that followed the War of 1812, the time period questionably labeled the â€Å"Era of Good Feelings†, tested whether or not sectional differences and an economic crisis would prevail over national unity. It was clear that the victory of the War of 1812, also known as the Second American Independence, gave citizens more pride in their country. Many historians have stated that the WarRead MoreThe Death of Compromise in 19th Century America 1001 Words   |  4 Pagesimportant part of early American politics. However, as the nineteenth century progressed the ability to compromise began to decrease, culminating in the complete inability to do so by 1860. This was almost entirely due to growing sectional differences at the time as the North was rapidly becoming the antagonist of Southern society, being very unwilling to compromise on the issue of slavery. 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