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10/04/2012

Causes of Sectional differences between 1820 and 1860

The problem of slavery was a divisive one in which the southerners wanted it being strengthened and expanded on the new lands whereas the northerners have been opposed to this idea. This brought lots of tension among the 2 sides something which later came to lead to a major conflict. Apart from the dilemma of slavery other factors also contributed towards sectional differences that ensued during this period. A single of these causes was the Mexican war. Foner, E (2007) noted that although the war was supported by the majority of People in the usa some especially the northerners viewed it as way of creating new lands so that the south can expand slavery. Ulysses Grant a single with the soldiers who served very well inside the war later came to described it as “one of the unjust wars ever waged by a stronger country against a weaker nation” (p468).In his view The united states was just behaving like the monarchies in Europe instead of a model democratic state. Abraham Lincoln, another northerner was opposed for the war for instance majority on the Whigs where he challenged the President to justify the result in on the war by showing the casualties inflicted by the Mexicans in our country as have been claimed by President Polk as soon as he was waging the war.
Foner Eric (2007) observes that with acquisition of Mexican lands a brand new conflict was within the calling one thing which would divide the region for many years to come. This acquisition reopened the issue of slavery expansion. This reached climax after in 1848 the so called Wilmot Proviso which proposed the prohibition of slavery in the acquired lands divided the country where the northerners vehemently supported it and on a other side the southerners had been totally against the proposal.
The southerners felt how the thought of prohibiting slavery inside newly acquired regions was tantamount to violation of their state’s proper anything they were ready to defend by all means. They had been in the view that in the admission on the new states to the union would jeopardize their position from the federal government losing control towards the northerners and therefore their interests isn't well represented. The difficulty of California admission into the union extra caused division of the southerners being against these kinds of move inside the fear that their security inside union would be heavily be compromised by individuals states which have been supporting the end of slavery. The fugitive slave act additional widened the sectional divisions between the north and the south a situation that was simply coming out of hand and the war was now inevitable. Conflict resolution measures that were put in place to solve the problem that had been causing divisions had been not working. The 1850 compromise once California was accepted like a totally free region in the union did not aid to cool the temperatures rather it brought additional issues for example reclaiming of the runaway slaves. (Foner, E 2007 477)
The difficulty of freeing and abolition of slavery divided the nation than one thing else and later reached a factor in which it could not be resolved. Election of Abraham Lincoln as the president was viewed by the southerners as putting the last nail from the coffin mainly because he was against expansion of slavery an difficulty that was deeply embedded within the economic life in the south. Although some folks like Jefferson argued that slavery was not the difficulty that led to seceding on the south, it is broadly felt to become the trigger instead of the version on the violation from the state rights as propagated by the southerners.
The civil war could not have been avoided as per this moment due to the fact each sides had been holding to their position and also the south was determined to continue from the slavery because it was the main resource that supported their economy which was mainly agricultural. The efforts to avert an ugly situation did not yield fruits as the channels that will had been used have been not functioning as per expectation. A conflict had reached the climax and perhaps probably the most feasible way of resolving this case was heading on the war.
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