Abraham Lincoln Sectionalism

Final Essay:
Intro: Slavery was one of the most controversial issues during Abraham Lincoln's presidency. During his presidency, sectionalism became more prominent as the southern states attempt to secede and rebel against the northern states. As a result, this triggered America to resort to a civil war that has an objective to resolve this issue. However, "President Lincoln insisted that the war was not about slavery or black rights; it was a war to preserve the Union" (Harper). President Lincoln, "Also declared that he had no intention of ending slavery where it existed" (Old Sturbridge Incorporation). Although the northern states didn't tolerate the expansion of slavery within their region, they had no initial intentions of emancipating

Because of the south's differing climate compared to the north, cash crops such as tobacco and cotton were able to be grown and harvested in this region. As the cotton economy expanded so did the number of plantations and farms that produced this crop, so the dependence of slavery grew as well since slaves were the main labor force of the south, especially on larger plantations. The North, being much more concentrated on industrialization than an agrarian lifestyle was unable to grow these crops due to their climate, depended less on slaves, their innovated cities and businesses, and the increased education of their people does not directly become affected by the discontinuation of slavery. The South felt that if slavery was abolished this would result in economic recession and thus their defensiveness to maintain enslavement enhanced. Northerners were afraid that if the south continued to feel pressured to get rid of slavery and isolated from the rest of the United States then they would more likely succumb to

This and several other factors, especially white superiority, made the acceptance of equality of African Americans difficult, even in the North where, although free, African Americans were segregated and still treated poorly. Of course, treatment in the South was much more severe towards colored people, especially blacks. Southerners were against living equally with African Americans or giving them the same rights as whites. This includes the right to own land, vote, and have any representation in the government. As William Harris, Mississippi's commissioner to Georgia, said in a speech in 1860-1861 to have slave states secede, “'Our fathers made this a government for the white man, rejecting the negro as an ignorant, inferior, barbarian race, incapable of self-government, and not, therefore, entitled to be associated with the white man upon terms of civil, political, or social equality'” (Rhea). This quote reflected the views of many southerners on their opinions of equality between whites and blacks and showed how they would rather secede from the country than be