- The South was largely reliant on slave labor and plantation economy while the North was more oriented towards industrializatipon.
- The issue of slavery was a contentious topic in the United States since its founding.
- The admission of new states into the Union and the determination of whether those states would be free or slave states led to heated debate.
State’s Rights:
- Northern and Southern states had different views about the power held by the federal government and the powers held by individual states.
- The South feared the federal government would pass laws interfering with slavery.
Westward Expansion and the Territories:
- The addition of new territories in the West brought the slavery issue to the forefront.
- Both the North and the South wanted control of these territories and the issue of whether slavery would be allowed there became a point of conflict.
Economic Differences:
- The North had a more diversified economy based on industry, trade and commerce, while the South relied heavily on agriculture, particularly in the form of cotton. These economic differences had significant impacts on other aspects of society.
Political Polarization:
- Political parties such as the Democratic and Republican parties had distinct positions on issues of slavery, states’ rights, and the future of the Union, This polarization also shaped public opinion and created divides.
Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857):
- This Supreme Court case ruled that enslaved individuals were not U.S. citizens, deepening tensions and leading to outrage among antislavery activists.
John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859):
- This attempt by abolitionists to incite a slave rebellion in Virginia further inflamed tensions and raised fears of violent conflict between the North and South.
Sectional Divisions and the Election of 1860:
- The election of Abraham Lincoln as president who was against the expansion of slavery was seen as a threat by the Southern states.
- The deep-rooted differences and tensions finally led the Southern states to secede and form the Confederate States of America.