The South Secession

The South’s Secession The south seceding was a big turning point in history. It marked a new chapter, and not a very good one. The south seceded with a number of “grievances”. These “grievances” included a number of disagreements on major issues. Among them was slavery, state rights, and political matters. These conflicting views on major issues created significant events in history that tore the country apart. Many events dividing the north and the south on numerous controversial issues led up to the south seceding and ultimately The Civil War. (HistoryNet) Before all of this took commence, Tensions were on the rise between the north and the south over the spread of slavery. As America acquired more and more territories after the Mexican

This book became known as “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”. It highlighted the everyday horrors and injustices of slavery. The author Harriet Beecher Stowe took it upon herself to write this call for justice when reading a letter from her sister in Boston. Her sister had wrote of the terrible things she’d seen happen to African Americans during the time of the Fugitive Slave Act. She described “slave catchers prowling the streets, pouncing on African Americans without warning, breaking into their houses, destroying their shops and carrying them off.” (Appleby 290) She also told of white and African American Bostonians who rallied to resist the kidnappers. Harriet Beecher Stowe took all of this into account and produced an anti-slavery novel that puts brings the reader into the perspective of slave life. The book became very popular, selling 300,000 copies. For northerners, the book was powerful. It brought a feeling of pity and outrage onto whites, whose experiences had never fell close to those of slaves. On the contrary, southerners were deeply offended by how slavery was depicted in the book. “They feared that the novel could lead to slave rebellions.” (Reynolds 151) They even went as far as attempting to have it banned. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was an important event in history leading up to the Civil War. It lit a fire in the hearts of southerners and northerners, alike, one that could not be put

Abraham Lincoln was known for his anti- slavery views and did not let that go unnoticed in his campaign. During his campaign however, republicans made an effort to persuade voters they were more than just an anti- slavery party. They supported higher tariffs, a new homestead law for western settlers, and a transcontinental railroad. (Appleby 304) In the end Lincoln won the Election due to a split in the Democratic Party. The presidential win of a republican signified a victory for the abolitionists. Southerners felt their very lives were being threatened and talk of secession was higher than