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Sectionalism And Consequences Of The American Civil War

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The American Civil War was a war fought between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy), from 1861 to 1865. It was the bloodiest and deadliest war in American history resulting in approximately 620,000 fatalities. So, what caused this devastating war? The Civil War erupted after years of disagreements over the topic of slavery between the North and South, caused by sectionalism. The Civil War occurred because the North and the South had opposing viewpoints over the topic of slavery, resulting in sectionalism and/or violence, as shown by the secession of the Southern states, consequences of the Kansas Nebraska Act, and the reactions after the Fugitive Slave Law was passed.
Before the Civil War, the nation was divided between two powerful regions, the North and South. The North and the South disagreed about many issues involving state rights, tariffs, and most importantly, the issue of slavery, which was legal in the South, but not the North. As the United States gained new territory, huge debates erupted over whether or not slavery should be allowed in the area. Southerners feared that …show more content…

This often led to a disputation. One example of this would be the Kansas Nebraska Act passed in 1854. The Kansas Nebraska Act was a bill passed in 1854 that mandated popular sovereignty (rule by the people). The act served to repeal Missouri Compromise of 1820, which outlawed slavery north of the 36°30’ parallel. Many people in the North, who considered the Missouri Compromise of 1820 to be a long standing binding agreement, were infuriated. However, it was strongly supported in the pro-slavery South. After the Kansas Nebraska Act was passed, both antislavery and proslavery supporters rushed to Kansas to try to influence and affect the outcome of the first election held there. Soon, as both factions fought for control, violence erupted and the territory was nicknamed “Bleeding

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