Реферат: American Civil War Essay Research Paper The

American Civil War Essay, Research Paper

The American Civil War

In 1860, arguably the world’s greatest nation was locked in Civil War. The

war divided the country between the North (Union) and South (Confederate).

The war lasted five years and by 1865 the Confederate forces were truly

beaten. Out of this horrendous war though, where some 600,000 men died grew

a greater sense of nationalism than is today, unrivalled around the world.

The American Civil War is interpreted differently by many historians but

most see the catalyst as slavery, the motivation as economic, the outcome

was a unified national identity.

Slavery was a major issue that triggered the American Civil War. Slavery

started out, as a few individual slaves coming from England that were

generally white. This changed however, and soon the Southern slave traders

began ’stealing’ blacks to take back to the South. The slaves were forced

to work 16-hour days, slave women were only seen as breeders and there were

no laws against the rape of a female slave. In 1860 slaves accounted for

one third of the South’s population and even still they had no rights (see

appendix one). The Unionist North many people believed it was immoral to

own another human being. These people were called Abolitionists. The South

relied strongly on the slave trade and when the North spoke of abolishing

it, the South spoke of forming there own country, The Confederate states of

America. The South began to see that the North was going to take action

against the South’s inhumane slave policy. In early 1860, South Carolina

formed under a new flag, Confederate States of America flag, so that they

could continue to operate their slave trade. What followed was an ordinance

of succession which saw the other slave populated states also swear an oath

to the Confederate States of America, also so that they could continue

their slave trade. This situation was found to be unworkable and it divided

the country in two. So in the words of Abraham Lincoln, ‘A house divide