Emphasis will be placed on the issue of popular sovereignty or states rights south versus strong sense. The dominant hypothesis in the literature that studies conflict is that poverty is the main cause of civil wars. Railroads were under construction in all states east of the mississippi river by 1850. Most academic scholars identify slavery as a central cause of the american civil war. So this study will include a social and historical perspective in addition to the economic, societal and political factors identified by collier. Multiple causes of the civil war by anne stemmerman westwood middle school i. Below we will discuss some of these differences and how they created a divide between the north and the south that eventually caused the civil war.
Furthermore, war can have a substantial indirect impact on human welfare beyond the direct loss of life. Civil wars are generally less severe than interstate wars, as measured in direct battle deaths. Underlying grievances and the role of the revolutionary united front the root of the conflict is and remains diamonds, diamonds and diamonds. About eightscore years ago, america was less about the dream and more about the bloodfest of the century. The civil war 186165 was a social and military conflict between the united states of america inthe north and the confederate states of american in. Instead of covering the whole period of the civil war, this paper will focus on the pre war period to show the causes of civil war onset. The underlying causes of this tragic conflict can be found in the raw nerves of. While slavery is generally cited as the main cause for the war, other political and cultural differences between the north and the south certainly contributed. Both sides see crucial parts of the problem, but it has proved difficult to. Causes of civil war in nigeria and its effects information. With the changing nature of warfare, we believe that no general book on war is complete without some treatment of both interstate war and civil war. The battle of fort sumter was a confederate attack on a u. Manifest destiny principle spurred westward expansion and the fight over slavery. More than 620,000 people died as a result of the conflict, 1.
Read this american history essay and over 89,000 other research documents. More than a century and a half after the crisis came to an end, americans remain fascinated by it, as they should be. What led to the outbreak of the bloodiest conflict in the history of north america. The goals of these activities are to build an understanding of the chronology of the civil war and to explore key people, places and events in the history of the war. Slaves had to do whatever their masters told them to do. Was slavery the most important cause of the civil war. Page 2 of 28 the threefifths compromise was a compromise between southern and northern states that helped insure ratification of the constitution. Explanations of particular civil wars often invoke such causes. Less than 100 years into countryhood, the united states ditched unity to go at each others throats. Understanding the causes of the civil war can be a complex task for elementaryage students. Most of the lines were concentrated in the northeast, and many of them ran only short distances. Oct 25, 2012 in order to explore more complex causes of civil wars deeply rooted in society, this paper will examine the case of the sierra leone civil war. The civil war in the united states began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between northern and southern states over slavery, states rights and westward expansion.
Ibrahim kamara 2000 to the economist, this is war motivated by greed. And it turns out, it wasnt just the bloodfest of the century. Over the postworld war ii period, civil wars have become more common than international wars, affecting more than 70 countries. Pdf this article analyses enlightenment ideas and nationmaking practices. This lesson examines the multiple causes and events that led to the american civil war. Explain that a civil war is fought between two opposing groups within a country. There are many causes that led to the american civil war. The act set off bitter violence in the kansas territory. Newspapers have long chronicled events in american history, and they offer valuable information about the issues and concerns of their. The south, which was known as the confederate states of. The authors instead analyze the effect of institutions on civil war, controlling.
Causes for the outbreak of civil war existed in plenty and one of the most prominent among them was the prevalence of slavery in the united states during this period. In addition to teaching students about the civil war, this unit teaches students how to read, write, and think historically, analyze historical evidence from primary and secondary sources, and make interpretations. This conflict would eventually reach a breaking point and culminate in the american civil war 18611865. This unit also provides detailed instructions to support student analysis of a number of relevant primary. On the causes of civil war uci school of social sciences. These developments, potter explains, plunged the nation into years of sectional debate that erupted at various times and places, and ultimately in 1861, in secession. The causes of the civil war braham lincolns election, south carolinas secession, the firing on fort sumter these events rapidly bursting, one on top of another, were products of a century of conflict which led to the civil war. Civil war historiography there are many reasons that the american civil war has attracted substantial and sustained popular and academic attention, but at the heart of any explanation must be the multitude of voices. History, literature and drama courses are expected areas in which students study the civil war. The most obvious cause of the war was the dispute over slavery and its extension into the territories.
Historians are of the opinion that the civil war was a turning point of the american history. War braham lincolns election, south carolinas secession, the firing on fort sumter these events. This volume of primary documents on the causes of the civil war presents the history of the american political order during its most tumultuous and challenging time. Potters famous civil war prehistory begins with the end of the mexicanamerican war and the wilmot proviso. The other, the revisionists, emphasizes discrete events and political structures rather than slavery itself. The challenge of explaining the civil war has led historians to seek clarity in two ways of thought. In general, the incentive for rebellion is the product of the probability of victory and. I will then supplement the analysis of the causes of the civil war with any other potential causes that might surface while researching this paper.
Slavery was the central source of escalating political tension in the 1850s. The civil war 186165 was a social and military conflict between the united states of america inthe north and the confederate states of american in the south. In april 1861, americans understood that the confederate firing on fort sumter and president abraham lincolns subsequent decision to call up troops meant that the divided nation had finally come to war. American civil war, fouryear war 186165 fought between the united states and 11 southern states that seceded to form the confederate states of america. Studies have indicated that countries experiencing civil war suffer a pronounced. Nigeria civil war effects causes of civil war in nigeria and its effects.
For that reason we break with the scholarly norm and include discussions of both. Apr 05, 2020 american civil war, fouryear war 186165 fought between the united states and 11 southern states that seceded to form the confederate states of america. American civil war 18611865 american civil war 18611865 civil war soldier union forces. The civil war is the defining event in american political development. However, understanding the precise causes of civil war may help to apply adequate instruments to prevent them. This series of worksheets hooks students with primary sources and critical thinking prompts to provide an engaging introduction to the civil war. When antislavery candidate abraham lincoln was elected president 1860, the southern states seceded. The civil war was americas bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the union army against the confederate states of america. More specifically, this unit will address the causes of the civil war, the perspectives of northerners, southerners, and abolitionists, and the critical battles of the war. Cultural divide between the american north and south was never more striking than it was in the 1800s. The majority of the north favored abolishing slavery, while the majority of the south disagreed.
A timeline of events windsor locks public schools boe. It is generally known in the south as the war between the states and is also called the war of the rebellion the official union designation, the war of secession, and the war for southern independence. This article provides an overview of the theory and empirics of the causes and correlates of civil war. More than 200 people died over the issue of slavery. If one takes into consideration the causes and effects of this war, there is no questioning their opinion. Causes of the civil war the initial contributing factors and causes of the civil war date way back to actions taken at the 1787 constitutional convention. Over the last 50 years, more than 20 countries on the. After the louisiana purchase in 1803, the united states doubled in size. For example, the war in rwanda has been attributed to pressure on land, while that in angola has been interpreted as a contest for natural resources. This comprehensive section discusses all major causes of the civil war including the invention of the cotton gin, the missouri compromise, dred scott decision, john brown rebellion, election of 1860, and many more related activities. The european enlightenment was revolutionized by the american civil war. Emphasis will be placed on the issue of popular sovereignty or states rights south versus strong sense of federalism north, a belief that ultimately divided the country into the north and the south and led to civil war objectives.
This purchase gave the united states control of the vast lands west of the mississippi. The first was the three fifths compromise concerning slavery and the second concession was the slave trade compromise which allowed the continuance of slave auctions throughout the south. However, civil wars have been more frequent and lengthier, and the great majority of the recorded deaths in battle since the cold war stem from civil wars. Jan 03, 2019 nigeria civil war effects causes of civil war in nigeria and its effects. Threefifths of the population of slaves counted for purposes. It arose out of disputes over slavery and states rights. Ask students whether they have guesses as to why the united states fought a civil war and which two groups were in conflict. In this study, the surveyed adult liberians identified greed and corruption most frequently as the causes of the conflict 63%. Drawing on original sourcesfrom jefferson davis to frederick douglassand interpretive essays by todays most influential historians, this collection of essays gives a vivid sense of the political, economic, and cultural currents that swept the nation to war. Students should also gain a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of the civil war in american history.
The inclusion of math, science and technology activities in this guide will allow educators to bring civil war topics into the. American civil war occurred in 1861, and was a result of economic and political reasons. Cause and catalyst of the civil war national park service. Many historians saw that slavery was the only reason of the. In many respects, the war gave voice to all sorts of americans. The unit standard focuses on alabamas role in the ivil war, including reasons for alabamas secession from the union. In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content the causes of the american civil war. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with. At a time when much of central america was locked in. Combat began on 12 april 1861 at fort sumter in charleston, 5. The republican party was determined to prevent any spread of slavery, and many southern leaders had threatened secession if the republican candidate, lincoln, won the 1860 election. To command all the men, the union had 583 generals led by lieutenant general u.
American civil war, fouryear war 186165 fought between the united states and 11 southern states that seceded to form the confederate. The crosscountry studies on the causes of war constitute the largest part of the. Recent interpretations and new directions eric foner in 1960, as americans prepared to observe the centennial of the civil war, one of the foremost historians of that conflict published a brief article entitled, american historians and the causes of the civil war. Causes and solutions the civil war in africa from that of ivory coast in 2004, that of chad in 2010 to that of libya 2011 are classical examples of the countless number of civil war in africa since 1962. Another 40% mentioned identity and tribal divisions, while less than one in three adult liberians mentioned poverty 30%, and inequalities 27%. Britisk, irsk og amerikansk historie og samfundsforhold what caused the american civil war. To help examine the causes of the civil war, as suggested by the content found in the newspapers, this study will be organized chronologically, beginning with newspaper coverage of the tariff and territorial issues leading to the wilmot proviso in 1846. Carolinas secession from the union a foregone conclusion. As american politicians struggled with these issues during the henry clay, the great compromiser 1.
Develop a thesis and, using the evidence in the documents, argue what caused the civil war. Below we will discuss some of these differences and how they. This is not an indepth primary source analysis activity, but. The major causes of war in nigeria is traced down to the attempted secessions of the southern region or province of nigeria and also religious, economic, ethnic, and cultural tensions between the hausas of the northern region of nigeria and the igbos of the eastern part of nigeria. Instruction this unit consists of five lessons that describe the causes and effects of the civil war, as well as many important details about the war. The state of virginia wasted no time in joining her seceding sisters in. Tell students that the first lesson is about the cause of the civil war. Introduction this paper investigates whether civil wars have economic causes. In this very active research area economists and political scientists study the causes of war by examining individuals, groups and nation states. The war started on april 12, 1861, and came to an end on april 9, 1865, thus lasting for four years and resulting in heavy loss of life and property. Slaves worked in the south picking cotton and tobacco. Civil war and its causes, but this study will use only newspapers to examine what they can show about the causes that eventually led the country to war. Causes of the civil war despite some claims to the contrary, there is much evidence that controversy about slavery caused the secession and the subsequent civil war.
Mike kubic is a former correspondent of newsweek magazine. The threefifths compromise was a compromise between southern and northern states that helped insure ratification of the constitution. How did american southerners justify an institution that by the early nineteenth century had been abolished by nearly every state in the north. One school, the fundamentalists, emphasizes the intrinsic, inevitable conflict between slavery and free labor. As most of the affected countries could be considered poor, the hypothesis of a selfreinforcing spiral between poverty and war would sound reasonable. The causes of civil war simeon djankov the world bank and cepr marta reynalquerol1 universitat pompeu fabra, cepr, and cesifo may 2007 abstract the dominant hypothesis in the literature that studies conflict is that poverty is the main cause of.