Why Was There An American Civil War?

Usually, when there exist in a country two highly organized groups with conflicting, irreconcilable beliefs, and they come to a head, this can lead to a civil war. This is what happened in the United States of America from years 1861 to 1865. The northern and southern states, divided as such, reached an impasse on major issues affecting their culture and lifestyle.

Why Was There An American Civil War? Well, there were a number of reasons for the American Civil War, foremost of which was slavery. For reasons that are heritage and culture-related, brought about by the various races that came and settled in the region, southerners strongly believe in carrying out the practice of slavery.

Slavery is a practice wherein people are held captive and made to work without compensation. In worst cases, some people also considered slavery as a form of ownership. Meaning, they viewed slaves as property that can be lent, given away, bartered, or sold.

Why was there an American Civil War when slavery used to be a legal practice in what was then North America? Because it was changed when the United States was formed in the year 1776. After that, only the states belonging in the southern part of the country doggedly carried on with the practice. Thus, the delineation in stand between the North and the South was then defined giving way to the American Civil War.

Because the South refused to let go of the slavery system, they decided that forming a group independent from the United States that have opposing beliefs from them might be the best course of action. As such, the Confederate States of America (C.S.A.) was formed.

C.S.A. initially comprised of seven southern states that have deep-rooted convictions about the system. These were South Carolina, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. After Fort Sumter was attacked and bombarded, four more states joined in, namely, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Hence, within the American Civil War period, there were a total of 11 states that formed the Confederate States of America.

The northern states initially couldn't find any reason why was there an American Civil War. They remained faithful to the abolition of slavery, and refused to yield to the demands of the South, until it was obvious that the South was not changing their stand. Thus, Wisconsin, California, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Oregon, Indiana, Ohio, Iowa, New York, Kansas, New Jersey, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Maine, Missouri, Maryland, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Michigan formed what was then known as the Union. Later on West Virginia and Nevada joined them. Other states that fought too with the ones already mentioned are Washington, Colorado, Utah, Dakota, New Mexico, and Nebraska.

Why Was There An American Civil War? Aside from slavery, there were other issues that served as back bone to the C.S.A.'s cry for independence. Although they served as secondary reasons for C.S.A.'s desire for separation, they provided strength to the group's conviction. Among the other reasons cited were freedom of speech, mandates on slaves running away, expansion of U.S.'s reach into Cuba, and clearly defined and separate rights of the states.

Understandably, many were opposed to the civil war breaking. Many questioned at that time, "Why was there an American Civil War?" Is it necessary? Why can't we all just try to get along? Sadly, as felt by the founders of C.S.A, these are questions asked by the naive. They felt that it was necessary, that it had to be done. Otherwise, they will just be taken over by a force that did not understand them and who they felt was only strong because of its numbers.

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Why Was There An American Civil War?

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