Civil War in United States

Civil War in United States Although the debate regarding the cause of American civil war in the19th century is still ragging, many people still believe that slavery is the major cause of the civil war, which occurred between 1861 and 1865. In the early 19th century, the main issue that threatened the unity of the North and the South was slavery. While the North prohibited slavery, the South permitted it, thus perpetuating slavery of African Americans.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Civil War in United States specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this view, the North and the South gradually differed on the issue of slavery, which culminated to the civil war between the two divides, which broke out in 1861. In 1861, the vice president of the South Alexander Stephens in his speech stated that, â€Å"our foundation are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the Negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition† (Berkin, Carol, Miller, Cherny, Gormly, Egerton, and Woestman 317). From his speech, it is evident that slavery was a great issue that caused the civil war between the North and the South. Therefore, this essay argues if it was not for the civil war, the United States would have become half-slave and half-free. What differentiated the North from the South is the institution of slavery. Since the early 19th century, while the Northern states continued to eradicate slavery, the Southern states continued to institutionalize it. Thus, when the Southern states saw that the Northern states do not support slavery, they started agitating for secession. According to Berlin, Carol, Miller, Cherny, Gormly, Egerton, and Woestman, a number of delegates met in South Carolina in 1860 and â€Å"voted unanimously to dissolve their ties with the United States† to protect abolition of slavery in their jurisdiction (315). The secession ma rked the institutionalization of slavery in the South. With institutionalized slavery, the Southern states did not allow African Americans to serve in the Confederate army because they had feared that they might utilize firearms to gain power over the whites they were slaves. Given that African Americans outnumbered the whites in Southern states, there was a possibility of them using their firearms against their masters. Hence, secession coupled with slavery did set the stage for the civil war. Institutionalized slavery in the Southern states became the source of conflict between the Northern states and Southern states. The South continued to expand its territory by recruiting other states to join it with the view of overpowering the North.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Since the North felt threatened by the South, it started recruiting African Americans into its army so tha t it can fight and overpower the increasing power of the Southern states in expanding its territories. During slavery, the Northern states provided a haven for the African Americans, hence, great number of slaves from the Southern states sought refuge in the Northern states where they gained freedom and fight back. Taking advantage of the large number of slaves who sought refuge, the Northern states recruited them in the Union army and used them in fighting during the civil war. In 1862, Abraham Lincoln passed legislation that allowed the African Americans to participate in the Union army, thus enhancing the power of the North over the South (Nolen 118). Therefore, the increase in the number of African Americans who sought refuge in Northern states and their recruitment in the Union army did pave the way for fall of slavery and integration of the North and the South as the United States of America, which provides freedom to everybody. Hence, without the civil war, the South would no t have agreed to grant freedom and equal rights to African Americans by abolishing slavery. References Berkin, Carol, Christopher Miller, Robert Cherny, James Gormly, Douglas Egerton, and Kelly Woestman. Making America: A History of the United States. New York: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Nolen, Claude. African American Southerners in Slavery, Civil War, and Reconstruction.  New York: McFarland, 2005. Print.