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Expansionism In The American Civil War

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The American Civil War is often reflected as a historical drama with varying viewpoints on one of the most controversial issues in American culture and history. This was a war fought between the Northern states or the Union and Southern states, better known as the Confederacy. In times of controversy comes varying points of perspectives for the causes on one of the most violent wars in American history. Conflict between the two sides rose with deep political, economic and social differences, but it is slavery that is said to be the main root of concern for such a rise in rebellion (Confederacy) and revolution (Union). Due to the Northern states expressing the immorality of slavery, Southerners deemed this an immediate threat and wished …show more content…

Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas were very verbose in their ideas of southward expansionism. By providing how these two politicians arrived at their stances of expansionism could ultimately lead more into their issues on such expansionism. Abraham Lincoln was a Kentucky native and grew up with his family in a non-slaveholding environment. In Robert E. May’s book, he illustrates one of Lincoln’s most paramount connections with slavery when Lincoln visited Joshua Speed’s plantation in 1841. In a letter to Speed’s half sister, Lincoln writes of two groups of slaves traveling farther south and seemed “remarkably cheerful for people being transported from Kentucky.” May adds that “Lincoln expressed empathy for slavery’s victims noting that they were in the process of being ‘separated forever from the scenes of their childhood, their friends, their fathers and mothers and siblings’ to labor in a region.” (Pg. 20). Other serious impacts on Lincoln’s perspectives came from his parent’s influence when living in Kentucky Nancy and Thomas Lincoln joined a different church in order to acquire an anti-slavery minister. (Pg. 21). Before Lincoln’s public and private statements over territorial restraint, Lincoln even voted against a “resolution that would place the U.S.-Mexico border somewhere between the Rio Grande and the Nueces River rather than somewhere farther south.” (Pg. 49). Lincoln then transcensions and openly expresses his ideas on territorial expansion in his Wilmington speech where he dismissed the popular belief “that this war was originated for the purpose of extending slave territory.”(Pg. 50). May also expresses Lincoln’s points as being

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Although Paludan says that Lincoln supported the freeing of the slaves because in doing so it fixed the Union. Which leads to the next point made by Bradford on Lincoln’s lack of respect for the nation’s Negro people whether they be free or enslaved. Paludan argues that Lincoln, “appealing to the fears we have, manipulating them to win office or pass laws or achieve another goal, does not so much reflect who we are as in fact it creates who we are. Which Bradford states is, “a large part of the complaint against Lincoln as a political precedent for later declensions from the example of the Fathers has to do with his expansion of the powers of the presidency and his alter the basis for the Federal Union”(248). Last, but not least is how Lincoln ran the political economy, and his management of the commercial and business life of part of

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Hofstadter proves, in his article, that Lincoln’s perception and action towards slavery evolved throughout his political career. Hofstadter states that Lincoln’s “ later career as an opponent of slavery

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Thomas J. DiLorenzo’s book, The Real Lincoln: A New Look at Abraham Lincoln, His Agenda, and an Unnecessary War, describes the truth about President Abraham Lincoln, his policies and personal beliefs. The book clears up many widely believed rumors about the so-called hero slaves and sheds light on Lincoln’s actual political views, many of which would be highly controversial and unacceptable in modern society. Abraham Lincoln is seen almost as a saint in American history, the man who single handedly abolished slavery, but as DiLorenzo states in his book’s introduction, “…much of what has been written about Lincoln is a myth…” (1). The sixteenth President of the United States had a rather strong dislike for African Americans and was in favor

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Though the reason for the South secession was claimed not to be about slavery, but rather “states rights”, it was ultimately over the right to keep African Americans enslaved. For the North, though there was an abolitionist's motive, Lincoln initially fought just to keep the United States together. When Union Major General Butler came across many slaves who came to Fort Monroe for refuge from rebel states owners, he asked questions regarding their stance (Document A). He raised the unavoidable question, “is their condition that of men, women, and children, or of property, or is it a mixed relation?”, and didn’t fail to note how they were “able bodied” for the war, though initially during the beginnings of the Civil War people were hesitant to let African Americans participate. However, after a long delay even Lincoln supported Africans fighting for the Union in the Civil War, as noted in a letter where he refutes critics against the fact (Document C).

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President Lincoln stated that: “if I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it,..., and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would do it.”. This quote clearly shows that the freedom of slaves was not his concern and unnecessary if it did not help the Union; as the result, slavery still exists if there is no war. Free slave from bondage should be a Great Emancipator’s primary goal and he will do his best to achieve it no matter what, but president Lincoln’s thought differed from that because all he cares was the Union. Although he had many times admitting himself an anti-slavery but his words and thoughts obviously prove that he is

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Later in history, during the Manifest Destiny Era, a reason for expansion was better agricultural resources because having an ample amount of land would benefit the U.S. in many ways from the new nutrient rich soil. This new soil and land would also stimulate slavery because of the new natural resources this would create would also improve the economy and the half of the economy based on industry. This caused new products to be created and produced, from the new natural resources grown and taken from surrounding land. This is similar to the expansion past the Appalachian mountains, into the south. The prices of tobacco were dropping and slavery was starting to slowly die out because of the low prices.

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Lincoln characterizes the depiction of slavery in the south as having been defined as a necessity due to the institution of slavery being so engrained in everyday life and economy there. Lincoln goes on to contend that in the settling of new lands the argument for slavery being a necessity or engrained in society is a complete falsity and an abhorrent violation of humanity. Lincoln speaks about how important our constitution is and that we, as a country, would be perceived as hypocrites by other nations for the inequalities we demonstrate with slavery. He expresses his fears that allowing slavery to spread to Nebraska would further the expansion of it into other areas of the country and eventually the world. It is very enlightening to read how broad and thorough Lincoln’s insights are.

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The rise of sectionalism and the impact of westward expansion contributed greatly to the conflict known to as the American Civil War. Until this day there is still disputes over the causes of the war, most fallback to slavery. The issue of slavery is intertwined with economic and political spheres in the South bringing the outbreak of the war to a pinnacle in the 1860’s. As this time period was seen to promote state rights, the abolitionist movement was on the rise, stirring the emotions of many to free slaves as the main cause of the Civil War. The movement reflected on European social advancement as they had abolished slavery and waiting on America to note that slavery was immoral.

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After the 1860 election, Lincoln made a firm public decision not to accept the expansion of slavery into the territories. In other words, Lincoln 's early position as president was that, slavery could remain in current slave states but could not expand to new states or territories. Although, Lincoln’s views on slavery often shifted some of them seemed to contradict one another. On another note, current slave states could vouch to keep things the way that they are but, Lincoln still felt that if a nation was divided it would be almost impossible to survive. Lincoln 's views at this time were politically motivated, and they focused on ending the war and preserving the Union.

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Abraham Lincoln’s commitment to preserving the Union significantly shaped his policies on slavery, forcing him to balance his personal anti-slavery beliefs with political necessities. First, he prioritized union preservation, supporting measures like the Corwin Amendment to prevent secession. However, as the Civil War progressed, his policies evolved to include the Emancipation Proclamation and active support for the 13th Amendment, eventually aligning his official actions with his personal beliefs against slavery. Lincoln was committed to preserving the Union, and it was evident. Early on, in 1858, Lincoln gave a speech and predicted that the Union could not survive half slave and half free.

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I partially agree that the Territorial expansion was the main spark that ignited the Civil War because the civil war is associated with southern succession, slavery, and the Republican Party, all factors which is disputed entailed. The initiation of such conflicts though, lies in the territorial expansion. It pinned Americas against each other whether the new states should be slaves or not, questioned the power of the Federal government in comparison to the state’s rights. And also put at risk United States as a nation. With a vast majority of the land acquired through the Louisiana Purchase it was very difficult to decide whether slavery should spread further west, not to do so, to be equally distributed.

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