When looking at why the South seceded we must first admit and recognize that is was very much a multi layered issue without a clear answer as to what was the reason the south seceded as there were so many factors. However, while most people believe that the south seceded because of slavery; while in fact, it was influenced more so by sectionalism and events by radicals such as Bleeding Kansas; therefore, southern secession was in fact not mainly over the issue of slavery, but rather over more complex internal issues the nation was seeing from sectionalism. We first have to remember the differences between the North and the South just as societies as well in terms of sectionalism. The societies of these 2 sections of the United States were vastly different. Economically there was competition between the 2 which led to competition for political policies to favor one or the other, which could’ve been compromised but wasn’t. There was the issue with the territories which was simply constitutional interpretation. And lastly, there were politicians who made …show more content…
John Brown, a radical abolitionist, in protest of the choice for popular sovereignty in the territories and angered by slave owners began to murder many of these non-abolitionists with little mercy or regard. He butchered many of them with longswords and did whatever he could to make their end as soon as he could. This was the first true attack on slavery. He then, with a small group raided Harpers Ferry in 1859. This was a military arsenal that he was trying to raid to create a slave insurrection within the South. However, he was killed by a larger militia of about 80 from neighboring towns. This was the most radical form of abolitionism at this time and truly began to spark the civil war because there was violence from radical abolitionists onto the South, Southerners, or those who were