Sectionalism and Causes of the Civil War

Industry vs. Agriculture

Warm Up- Was the Civil War Inevitable?

• Copy and Answer:• Based on what you know of the differences

between the North and South in the US, was a sectional divide inevitable or could this split have been prevented?

The South “King Cotton”

• Cotton Gin– Slavery– The North

• England and Cotton• “Cottonocracy”– Controlled all aspects of

Society

• Poor Whites• Scotch-Irish

Nature of Slavery

• Paternalism• Inferiority of Slaves• Role of enslaved

women

The North• Industry• Urbanization• Immigration– Irish– German

The West

• Ideal vs. Reality• Women in the West• Squatters• Slavery

Was the Civil War Inevitable?

• The following events were crucial in what led up to the secession of the southern states and the Civil War. Do you think that a different outcome of any one of, or several of these events, could have changed the course that led to civil war or do you think that regardless the Civil War was inevitable?

Chronological Order• Missouri Compromise • Mexican War• Compromise of 1850• Fugitive Slave Act• Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 and

Bleeding Kansas• Senator Charles Sumner Attacked

by Preston Brooks• Presidential election of 1856• Dred Scott Decision • Lincoln–Douglas Debates • John Brown’s Raid • Election of 1860

Was the Civil War Inevitable?

To answer this question you need to become familiar with each of these events. With a partner or a small group you will need to complete the following:

1. Write a summary of each event.2. Determine the reaction of the North and South to each event.

If it is not stated reason what their response would be. 3. Answer, “Did this event lead to the inevitability of the Civil

War? Why? Why not?”4. Do you think that a different outcome of any this event could

have changed the course that led to civil war or do you think that regardless the Civil War was inevitable?

Issues Leading to Conflict

• Economic• Industry vs. Agriculture• Free labor vs. Slave Labor• Tariff battle

– Nullification

• Recession of 1857– R.R. and grain bubble, impact on North and West– South stable

• Political• Balance of Representation (Slave vs. Non-slave)

– Every new state causes problem

• State power vs. federal power• Free Soil Party-1847

– No slaves in new territories

Issues Leading to Conflict

• Social• North’s perception of South

– Aristocratic feudalism

• South’s perception of North– Corrupt immigrant urbanization

• Abolition– Second Great Awakening– Frederick Douglas– William Lloyd Garrison –The Liberator, American Anti-Slavery

Society– Harriet Beecher Stowe- Uncle Tom’s Cabin