What Were the Top 4 Causes of the Civil War

The question â€Å"what caused the U.S. Civil War?† has been debated since the horrific conflict ended in 1865. As with most wars, however, there was no single cause.   Pressing Issues That Led to the Civil War The Civil War erupted from a variety of long-standing tensions and disagreements about American life and politics. For nearly a century, the people and politicians of the northern and southern states had been clashing over the issues that finally led to war: economic interests, cultural values, the power of the federal government to control the states, and, most importantly, slavery in American society. While some of these differences might have been resolved peacefully through diplomacy, slavery was not among them. With a way of life steeped in age-old traditions of white supremacy and a mainly agricultural economy that depended on cheap (slave) labor, the southern states viewed slavery as essential to their very survival. Slavery in the Economy and Society At the time of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, slavery not only remained legal in all 13 British American colonies, but it also continued to play a significant role in their economies and societies. Prior to the American Revolution, the institution of slavery in America had become firmly established as being limited to persons of African ancestry. In this atmosphere, the seeds of white supremacy were sown. Even when the U.S. Constitution was ratified in 1789, very few black people and no slaves were allowed to vote or own property. However, a growing movement to abolish slavery had led many northern states to enact abolitionist laws and abandon slavery. With an economy based more on industry than agriculture, the north enjoyed a steady flow of European immigrants. As impoverished refugees from the potato famine of the 1840s and 1850s, many of these new immigrants could be hired as factory workers at low wages, thus reducing the need for slavery in the north. In the southern states, longer growing seasons and fertile soils had established an economy based on agriculture fueled by sprawling, white-owned plantations that depended on slaves to perform a wide range of duties. When Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin in 1793, cotton became very profitable. This machine was able to reduce the time it took to separate seeds from the cotton. At the same time, the increase in the number of plantations willing to move from other crops to cotton created an even greater need for slaves. The southern economy became a one-crop economy, depending on cotton and, therefore, on slavery. Though it was often supported throughout the social and economic classes, not every white southerner owned slaves. The population of the south was around 6 million in 1850 and only about 350,000 were slave owners. This included many of the wealthiest families, a number of whom owned large plantations. At the start of the Civil War, at least 4 million slaves and their descendants were forced to live and work on the southern plantations. In contrast, industry ruled the economy of the north and less emphasis was on agriculture, though even that was more diverse. Many northern industries were purchasing the souths raw cotton and turning it into finished goods. This economic disparity also led to irreconcilable differences in societal and political views. In the north, the influx of immigrants — many from countries that had long since abolished slavery — contributed to a society in which people of different cultures and classes lived and worked together. The south, however, continued to hold onto a social order based on white supremacy in both private and political life, not unlike that under the rule of racial apartheid that persisted in South Africa for decades. In both the north and south, these differences influenced views on the powers of the federal government to control the economies and cultures of the states. States and Federal Rights Since the time of the American Revolution, two camps emerged when it came to the role of government. Some people argued for greater rights for the states and others argued that the federal government needed to have more control. The first organized government in the U.S. after the Revolution was under the Articles of Confederation. The 13 states formed a loose Confederation with a very weak federal government. However, when problems arose, the weaknesses of the Articles caused the leaders of the time to come together at the Constitutional Convention and create, in secret, the U.S. Constitution. Strong proponents of states rights like Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry were not present at this meeting. Many felt that the new Constitution ignored the rights of states to continue to act independently. They felt that the states should still have the right to decide if they were willing to accept certain federal acts. This resulted in the idea of nullification, whereby the states would have the right to rule federal acts unconstitutional. The federal government denied states this right. However, proponents such as John C. Calhoun — who resigned as Vice President to represent South Carolina in the Senate — fought vehemently for nullification. When nullification would not work and many of the southern states felt that they were no longer respected, they moved towards thoughts of secession. Slave and Non-Slave States As America began to expand — first, with the lands gained from the Louisiana Purchase and later with the Mexican War — the question arose of whether new states would be slave states or free states. An attempt was made to ensure that equal numbers of free and slave states were admitted to the Union, but over time this proved difficult. The Missouri Compromise passed in 1820. This established a rule that prohibited slavery in states from the former Louisiana Purchase  north of the latitude 36 degrees 30 minutes, with the exception of Missouri.   During the Mexican War, the debate began about what would happen with the new territories the U.S. expected to gain upon victory. David Wilmot proposed the Wilmot Proviso in 1846, which would ban slavery in the new lands. This was shot down amid much debate. The Compromise of 1850 was created by Henry Clay and others to deal with the balance between slave and free states. It was designed to protect both northern and southern interests. When California was admitted as a free state, one of the provisions was the Fugitive Slave Act. This held individuals responsible for harboring fugitive slaves, even if they were located in non-slave states.   The  Kansas-Nebraska Act  of 1854 was another issue that further increased tensions. It created two new territories that would allow the states to use popular sovereignty to determine whether they would be free states or slave states. The real issue occurred in Kansas where pro-slavery Missourians, called Border Ruffians, began to pour into the state in an attempt to force it toward slavery.   Problems came to a head with a violent clash at Lawrence, Kansas. This caused it to become known as Bleeding Kansas. The fight even erupted on the floor of the Senate when anti-slavery proponent Charles Sumner was beaten over the head by South Carolinas Senator Preston Brooks. The Abolitionist Movement Increasingly, northerners became more polarized against slavery. Sympathies began to grow for abolitionists and against slavery and slaveholders.  Many in the north came to view slavery as not just socially unjust, but morally wrong. The abolitionists came with a variety of viewpoints. People such as William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass wanted immediate freedom for all slaves. A group that included Theodore Weld and Arthur Tappan advocated for emancipating slaves slowly. Still others, including Abraham Lincoln, simply hoped to keep slavery from expanding. A number of events helped fuel the cause for abolition in the 1850s.  Harriet Beecher Stowe  wrote Uncle Toms Cabin, and that popular novel opened many eyes to the reality of slavery. The Dred Scott Case  brought the issues of slaves rights, freedom, and citizenship to the Supreme Court. Additionally, some abolitionists took a less peaceful route to fighting against slavery. John Brown and his family fought on the anti-slavery side of Bleeding Kansas. They were responsible for the Pottawatomie Massacre, in which they killed five settlers who were pro-slavery.  Yet, Browns best-known fight would be his last when the group attacked Harpers Ferry in 1859, a crime for which he would hang. The Election of Abraham Lincoln The politics of the day were as stormy as the anti-slavery campaigns. All of the issues of the young nation were dividing the political parties and reshaping the established two-party system of Whigs and Democrats.   The Democratic party was divided between factions in the north and south. At the same time, the conflicts surrounding Kansas and the Compromise of 1850 transformed the Whig party into the Republican party (established in 1854). In the North, this new party was seen as both anti-slavery and for the advancement of the American economy. This included the support of industry and encouraging homesteading while advancing educational opportunities. In the south, Republicans were seen as little more than divisive. The presidential election of 1860 would be the deciding point for the Union. Abraham Lincoln represented the new Republican party and Stephen Douglas, the northern Democrat, was seen as his biggest rival. The southern Democrats put John C. Breckenridge on the ballot. John C. Bell represented the Constitutional Union Party, a group of conservative Whigs hoping to avoid secession. The countrys divisions were clear on election day. Lincoln won the north, Breckenridge the south, and Bell the border states. Douglas won only Missouri and a portion of New Jersey. It was enough for Lincoln to win the popular vote, as well as 180 electoral votes. Even though things were already near a boiling point after Lincoln was elected, South Carolina issued its Declaration of the Causes of Secession on December 24, 1860. They believed that Lincoln was anti-slavery and in favor of northern interests.   President Buchanans administration did little to quell the tension or stop what would become known as Secession Winter. Between election day and Lincolns inauguration in March,  seven states seceded from the Union: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.   In the process, the south took control of federal installations, including forts in the region, which would give them a foundation for war. One of the most shocking events occurred when one-quarter of the nations army surrendered in Texas under the command of General David E. Twigg. Not a single shot was fired in that exchange, but the stage was set for the bloodiest war in American history. Edited by Robert Longley

The Argument Of The Existence Of God - 1480 Words

The arguments trying to â€Å"prove† the existence of God are by far some of the most controversial philosophical arguments out there. When some of the people who created these philosophies it was illegal or even punishable by death to even question his existence, let alone try to come up with a logical explanation to â€Å"prove† he is real. The two main arguments used today are the ontological argument and the cosmological argument. Neither one of these arguments are correct nor incorrect; moreover, the argument of God is extremely controversial and will continue on long after our lifetimes. The ontological argument goes back to Plato and Neoplatonist s but generally comes prevalent with philosopher and theologian St. Anselm. In one of his writings he proposed the argument in the second and bird chapters. Anselm was not directly trying to prove the existence of God, but how God became prevalent to himself through the art of mediation. He defined God as a being than w hich no greater can be conceived† (Anselm, 54). He argued that even a fool could understand this concept and with that, he suggested that in understanding the concept in itself means that the thing must exist in the mind. The concept must exist either only in our mind, or in both our mind and in reality. If a concept only exists in the mind a greater being, one that is in the mind and in reality must exist. Therefore, if we cannot conceive a thought of a greater being, that being must exist in the mind and reality.Show MoreRelatedThe Argument On The Existence Of God1629 Words   |  7 PagesThe idea of God has been a part of man’s history for centuries. Since time began there has been various combination of believers, and non-believers. Individuals who believes in God, belong to many different religion. Whereas, skeptics find the existence of God somewhat baffling, and have continually sought answers to His existence through scientific methods. As the world progresses in scientific, and technological advancement, the human race still faces the question of God’s existence. Many philosophersRead MoreThe Arguments For The Existence Of God1056 Words   |  5 Pages16 November 2015 Rough Draft for The arguments for the Existence of God. The question Does God Exist? is a well-known asked question in the world. Most people believe they know the answer to it. The religious people would say, well of course he does, while the non-religious people or atheist would say no He does not exist. Because evil exist and chaos exists, God cannot be all-powerful. In the modern world, there are many different opinions as to whether a God exists or not. This has been an issueRead MoreThe Argument For The Existence Of God1674 Words   |  7 Pagesfind the three arguments I analyzed satisfactory for the existence of God. The existence of God simply cannot be proven. Regardless of how strong a person’s faith is, or how many miracles they claim to have witnessed, God can only ever be a possibility. First, I will discuss why Pascal’s wager is not a satisfying argument for the existence of God. I will then examine C.D. Broad’s â€Å"Argument for the Existence of God†, and why it is also not a satisfying argument for the existence of God. Finally, IRead MoreArguments For The Existence Of God974 Words   |  4 PagesArguments for the existence of God through critical thinking and rationalization are called ontological, cosmological, teleological, or pragmeatic arguments. The most widely known of such arguments is that of St. Anselm from Proslogium of St. Anselm, which states that God is considered a perfect being unlike humans or any other world subject. The fact that he is perfect in a world of imperfection proves his existence. God is also the highest conceivable idea of perfection, and thereforeRead MoreThe Existence Of God : An Argument881 Words   |  4 PagesThe Existence of God The philosophical arguments presented in this document are not of religious text, nor scientific observation or established fact. Rather the premise of this God proof is bring together and share the various theories on which other God proofs have established foundations. I have heard it quoted that â€Å"Philosophy goes where hard science can t, or won t. Philosophers have a license to.† Therefore, with this in mind, I attest that it is more than problematic to construct anRead MoreArguments on the Existence of God602 Words   |  2 PagesGod’s existence may actually depend upon our belief in his existence but it is more plausible to believe that God exists using the different types of arguments such as the cosmological argument and ontological argument, Leibniz and the Principle of Sufficient Reason and the Problem of Evil, and the definition of basic belief as evidence. The Cosmological argument can be simplified into three reasons that everything that begins to exist has a cause; the universe began to exist, therefore the universeRead MoreArguments For The Existence Of God1137 Words   |  5 PagesArguments for the existence of God come in many different forms; some draw on history, some on science, some on personal experience, and some on philosophy. Descartes offered two arguments towards the existence of God: an informal proof in the third meditation and the ontological proof in the fifth meditation. Descartes believed that with the employment of a rational method of inquiry which applied some of the methods of analytic geometry to the study of philosophy, our ability to attain certaintyRead MoreThe Arguments For The Existence Of God940 Words   |  4 Pagesp. 209, question# 1 Among the numerous arguments for the existence of God, the argument of design stands as the most persuasive in terms of providing a logical basis for the absolute presence of God. This argument is concerned with the intricate nature of creation and existence: one must believe that there is a Supreme Being that designed the characteristics and features of every existing thing in the entire universe, both living and non-living. The precise and complicated design of the universeRead MoreThe Argument For The Existence Of God1411 Words   |  6 PagesMy paper scrutinizes numerous logical disputes for and alongside the presence of God. I shall argue that there’s no adequate evidence or inclusive arguments for the existence of God. It is grounded on the views of certain great philosophers and scientists of all of mankind. Generally speaking for myself, I would correspond to have faith that there is â€Å"God†. Regrettably, it’s awfully well-defined that the being built up on insightful faith is no longer a suitable custom to shadow. During the courseRead MoreThe Cosmological Argument For The Existence Of God Essay1556 Words   |  7 Pagesconcerning the existence of God. If God exists, we probably have to make him accountable. The universe would probably have a meaning and a purpose. Also, our very existence may not be cease after physical death. But if God does not exist, we are probably here by chance and we have no accountability to any transcendent. This life is probably all we have, so we should live as we please. The question arises - Does God exist? At first glance, it seems contradictory to prove the existence of something

Disadvantages of Texting Free Essays

Texting on the phone while driving can be a very dangerous thing to do. As someone looks at the phone and concentrates on the text messages, they will become distracted from driving. Distracted drivers can cause car accidents and injuries or death to themselves or others. We will write a custom essay sample on Disadvantages of Texting or any similar topic only for you Order Now Texting causes delayed reactions, which increase the chance of getting into an accident. According to Cary Aspinwall, when texting while driving, drivers take their eyes off the road for 4. 6 of 6 seconds. A National Safety Council fact sheet states drivers who use cell phones are four times more likely to be in a crash. The Harvard center for Risk Analysis reports the annual cost of crashes caused by cell phone use was estimated at $43 billion in 2003. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the Orthopedic Trauma Association are also urging drivers to never text message while behind the wheel, due to the frequent treatment of injuries resulting from car accidents of drivers that have been texting. Texting while driving should be avoided, making the roads a safer place for driving. Texting is changing the importance of grammar and proper spelling, causing many problems because people do not know how to write formally and accurately. With the language of texting; grammar, spelling, syntax and abbreviation do not matter anymore. Dixon and Kaminska currently researched using a paradigm, showing that exposure to phonetically plausible misspellings negatively affected subsequent spelling performance with adults. Texting in the in school can result in distractions to the person texting and the surrounding classmates. Sending and receiving text messages during exams is a way one can cheat and get the answers, taking away from the learning process. The Florida Time-Union stated out of 269 students from all classes, 10 percent admitted to transmitting text messaging during exams. Texting in school can also pose a safety issue in text messages being sent and received on threats and rumors. According to Deborah Lee and Maureen McMahon, in April 2008, the Manhatten court of appeals, noted that cell phone bans in public schools are constitutional. How to cite Disadvantages of Texting, Essay examples

Agricultural Subsidies and Development free essay sample

Agricultural Subsidies and Development In recent decades, rich countries and organizations have taken measures to preserve their agro industry. In many of the largest countries as a measure to stimulate the production, subsidy is made for the proceedings or part of the necessary crops. Nowadays we are faced in a big question: What is the impact of these subsidies on world market prices and the producers do not receive subsidies for their production? There are many opinions from different parts of the world and it is like that because each country has its own point of view and depends how much are they involved in the situation. I will try to distinguish myself and to be objective. I think that if the subsidies were removed overnight the impact on the average consumer and producer will be very bad. Family farmers will be driven into bankruptcy and this will lead to production falls. We will write a custom essay sample on Agricultural Subsidies and Development or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With less production the market will have risen on food prices and this will reflect directly to the average consumer. Another thing that will probably happen is that big corporation will continue their growth and they will kill smaller farmers with their prices. This will cause no competition in the agriculture and will lead to unfairly high prices. Another important thing that may occur is the lower quality of the products, because every farmer corporation will try to get as much as they can and they will no longer care about the quality because the competition is gone. I think that the benefits will be less from removing the subsidy, because this will lead to affecting the market. Another important question that faced the world is: What would be better for the poorest country increasing the foreign aid or give them the opportunities to struggle for their money on agriculture market or in other words stopping the subsidy in the rich countries, so the poorest one can have their opportunities to compete. When I’m in the situation to choose between two decisions like poor or rich, small or big I think that the answer is always somewhere in the middle. But unfortunately at most of the time we have to take solutions that are mutually exclusive. We have one very good expression about that in Bulgaria â€Å"There is no way Wolf to be full and lamb to be whole. †. If there is an opportunity for those two things to work together will be great. If not, I am thinking that it is always better to let the countries who know what they are doing, to do the right things and wait for them to help others. Otherwise if smaller countries going to the debt, bigger will not be able to help them at all. If they are not good enough to compete in the niche, they have to try improve their goods and try to find another way to sell their produce or crops or whatever they have. They have to try to make their goods different than others and this will make them more competitive at the market. This is my opinion about this question and the best way is if they do not know how to compete and how to be attractive on the market they better stay and wait for aids. Otherwise this will lead to lower quality of the agricultural goods and sometimes shortage of these goods. Government in developed countries continues to lavish extensive support on agricultural producers even though those producers constitute very small segments of the population. I think that government does this in order to help its own nation not just the producers. Yes they try to stimulate internal production with the entire subsidy that they gave but this is good for the whole nation not just for producers. Otherwise they have to import all this goods from other countries and this will cause higher price on the market and this will lower the purchasing power of average consumer. In my opinion government doing this in order to satisfy and protect its nation. Regarding to the question about World Trade Organization and what they are trying to do with reducing barriers to free trade in agriculture I absolutely agree with them. As I stated before the perfect way is to find the golden middle between subsidies and free trade. In fact, free trade exists now, but some countries have difficulties in fighting competition. In any case I do not think that the full subsidy is correct, but in some areas is imperative. Each country should establish its own priorities for subsidies and to comply with World Trade Organization.