The Road to Civil War

Nationalism v. Sectionalism

• Nationalism• Northeast & West: what

was good for their section was good for the nation.

• Federal Government would promote their interests

• Sectionalism• Loyalty to a state or

region• Problems viewed from a

sectional rather than national view.

• South protected sectional interests and state’s rights

Northeast Interests

• Industrialization• Ship building• Water power & Steam power• New England Farmers leave to work in factories.• Banking Centers are in Northeast provide investment capital

• Northeast views the South & West as new markets for manufactured goods.

Southern Interests

• Eli Whitney • Favor cheap land to grow more cotton• Cotton can be grown year round• Free labor was plentiful• Northeast & England created a growing

market for raw cotton

Western Interests• Fertile land• Cheap government land $1.25 per acre post 1820

• Landowners grew abundant crops for market improving their economic situation

• Northeast & England bought surplus crops wheat, rye corn and beef cattle

Sectional DisputesProtective Tariffs

• Northeast favors tariffs

• South opposes tariffs not good for exported cotton

• West disliked higher costs for manufactured goods but saw a market for selling surplus food to cities.

Sectional DisputesSecond Bank of the United States • Northeast favored the

bank because it provided investment capital & stabilized currency

• South & West opposed the bank favored state banks easy credit, cheap money, higher agricultural prices

Sectional DisputesInternal Improvements Northeast & West supported

Federal Money to improve the nations transportation system ( roads & Canals). Better means of getting manufactured goods to market.

South opposed had river system to get cotton to market

Sectional DisputesLiberal Land Policy Northeast opposed feared

losing factory workers to the west.

South divided favored cheap land in the southwest but worried about losing influence in congress.

West favored cheap government land. More room for farmers and settlers.

Sectional DisputesTerritorialExpansion

Northeast opposed feared losing influence in congress.

South favored annexation of Texas to expand slave states

West favored cheap land in new territory but opposed slavery.

Sectional DisputesExpansion of Slavery

Northeast opposes

South favors

West opposes

Sectional DisputesSouth & Tariffs

1816 Protective TariffAll regions support the tariff. It was thought the South would industrialize.

1824 Northeast & West Support

South opposes convinced it would hurt foreign cotton sales.

1828 Tariff of AbominationWebster - Hayne Debate

Nullification by So Carolina 1832

Compromise Tariff 1833 (Clay)

Sectional DisputesBank Dispute

Second Bank of the United States

Election of 1832 Jackson V. Clay

Hard Money v. Paper notes

Wild Cat Banks in the west

Panic of 1837 land speculation & municipal construction projects that yielded no returns.

What fueled Manifest Destiny?

• Land hungry Americans who saw rich lands in the west.• Patriots who feared British designs on western lands• Eastern Merchants who wanted Pacific ports to trade with Asia.• Democratic-minded Americans who believed territorial growth meant the spread of freedom.• Nationalists who sought American greatness