The American Civil War is commonly referred to as the greatest war on American soil. It was a war for freedom that saw three million people participate with more than six hundred thousand individuals losing their lives. The war is credited mainly for shaping the current American society. The war occurred in1861-1865, and it was fought between the United States' Northern States and Southern states. The war ended in Confederate surrender in 1865. Notably, there are numerous causes and consequences that emanated with the war, as discussed in this paper.
One of the major causes of the American Civil War was the drifting apart of the different factions of the Union. After the Revolution in 1776, the Southern states started to differ with their Northern counterparts in terms of economy, culture, and political interests. According to historian Charles Beard, the economic factors played a significant role in causing the war than any other factor (Mortensen, 2015). Both sets of states had different types of economies; the Northern states’ economy was organized around the developing industries and free farmers, while the Southern states’ economy was based on the slave workforce. As a result of these economic differences, the two sides held different views on the prevsiling slave trade and tariffs.
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The Southern economy relied heavily on exports with the Northern states looking to avoid imports to protect the market from cheap European products. This meant that the Southern states advocated for lower prices, while the Northern states wanted higher tariffs to deter goods from outside. In a bid to protect and promote the Northern economy, the region’s lawmakers passed a couple of legislations that saw ship importation illegalized and the South helping the Northern economy through levies. The simmering economic differences created tension between the two parties.
Another cause of the American Civil War is legislation passed regarding the Westward expansion. The Southern states’ economy being agricultural-based meant that slaves were an integral part of their development. As a result, the Southern states were willing to promote the expansion of slasve trade to the West. However, the West wanted to limit such expansion and eventually abolish the same throughout the country (Mortensen, 2015). According to the Southern lawmakers, the expansion was necessary given that their fields had become unproductive; however, the Northern states’ lawmakers did not see the benefits of free slave labor. This pitted the two parties with the Northern states questioning the morality of the institution.
The other cause of the Civil War was the issue of state rights. Since the introduction of the constitution, questions were raised on how that would affect the rights the states held. The Northern lawmakers believed that the constitution should be ultimate. The move angered the Southern states as they interpreted it as an imposition of the federal government on their rights. The Southern states believed the constitution limited them in matters related to the slave trade, which was integral to their economic advancement.
How the Civil War contributed to Racism
The end of the American Civil War was supposed to bring a new dawn to the black community. The aftermath of the war resulted in the attainment of freedom for millions of black people, but impediments to the realization of equal treatment were still prevalent. After the war was over, the 13 th Amendment was introduced to abolish slavery. However, with states being independent, the white Southerners started reintroducing civil authority by enacting a series of laws referred to as black code. This led to the introduction of the 14 th Amendment redefined citizenship which aimed at granting all people equal protection regardless of race.
The efforts by the Northerners to promote equality led to the rise of hate-fuelled groups such as the Ku Klux Klan (KKK). The KKK is a white supremacist that has, over the years, looked to disenfranchise blacks using some crude methods. For example, after the Civil War, the group resulted in voter fraud and intimidation towards blacks to disenfranchise them(History, 2018). The group through their unorthodox ways, managed to wipe away all the political gains that the blacks had enjoyed during the reconstruction era. This meant the blacks never made any meaningful economic or social improvement due to racism fueled by the KKK.
The end of the reconstruction era also ushered in the segregation laws, which are commonly known as Jim Crow laws. The rules came to play a significant part in assisting the white supremacist in fueling racism. In 1885, the legislation required every Southern state to have a separate school for black and whites. Apart from different schools, the Jim Craw law required different sections for whites and blacks in theaters, restaurants, and in the transport sector (History, 2018). The rules also required a black man to stand and give their seats to whites in buses and other public transport modes.
The war did not fuel racism in the Southern states only, as the Northerners became perturbed by the number of colored troops, which had become common after the Emancipation Proclamation. The white soldiers were uncomfortable giving firearms to their black counterparts, which resulted in them being placed under white soldier’s supervision. Also, the black soldiers were subjected to more challenging and life-threatening situations as well as doing with inferior healthcare services and equipment. The move, however, was viewed as black. The move was considered as re-enslavement by some people and led to the introduction of the Emancipation Proclamation.
A difference in economic ideologies mainly caused the American Civil War. The war pitted the Southern states against the Northern states and saw millions of black people gain freedom. The war is considered the costliest given the number of people that lost their lives. However, despite the war allowing black people to become free, it also fueled racism. It allowed hate-fuelled groups like KKK to thrive.
References
History. (2018, November 16). Black History in the United States: A Timeline . HISTORY. https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-milestones
Mortensen, J. (2015, June 1). What Caused the American Civil War? Academia.edu - Share Research. https://www.academia.edu/13233392/What_caused_the_American_Civil_War
