Sectionalism and the Causes of the Civil WarWith Manifest Destiny as a setting, the 1800s was a time of immense change in the United States; and these changes would help drive the nation apart. The Industrial Revolution that brought factories and prosperity to the North helped drive the South's economy more firmly into a dependence on slavery.
As our boundaries pushed Westward, the question of whether or not new states would be open to slavery strained the interpretation of our Constitution. States were guaranteed a large degree of autonomy under the Tenth Amendment. Without an additional amendment, could the Federal Government outlaw slavery in new territories? |
The Civil War: A house divided will tear itself apartThe Civil War not only divided the country, but divided families against each other. Fathers fought against sons, brothers fought against brothers.Driven by new technologies, the cost in life was unprecedented. Single battles cost more lives than all previous American wars together. Low estimates claim 620,000 Americans died in the contest. This is more than World War I, World War 2, and the Vietnam War combined.
Not only did the war determine whether a nation conceived in liberty could long endure, but it also helped define the future of 4 million African Americans bound by slavery while firmly establishing the Federal Government's supremacy over states' rights. |
Reconstruction: Rebuilding and ensuring FreedomThe War was over. The South surrendered. The slaves freed and President Lincoln was assassinated. However, the North had waged a total war against the South. It's cities were in ruin, and its economy was decimated. Furthermore, a population of 4 million newly freed African Americans were faced with the challenge of building a future with little money or property to start.
The challenge of rebuilding the South while ensuring rights for all Americans as established in the 13, 14, and 15 Amendments, would be no small task. |
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