The primary cause of the division was slavery. The Northern states had gradually abolished slavery, while the Southern states relied heavily on slave labor for their agricultural economy. As the country expanded westward, disputes arose over whether new territories would allow slavery.
Industrialization
The North was becoming increasingly industrialized, while the South remained largely agricultural. This difference in economic interests also contributed to the division.
Politics
The Democratic Party was seen as the party of the South, while the Republican Party was associated with the North. As tensions mounted, these parties became more polarized and entrenched in their positions.
Westward Expansion
As American settlements spread westward, tensions over the expansion of slavery into new territories became increasingly heated. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 were attempts to find compromises on this issue, but they only served to deepen the divide.
Dred Scott Decision
The Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) ruled that enslaved people were not citizens and could not sue in federal court. This decision angered many people in the North, who saw it as a denial of basic rights.
John Brown's Raid
John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 further inflamed tensions between the North and the South. Brown, an abolitionist, led a group of men in an attempt to seize the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry and incite a slave uprising. The raid failed, but it increased fears in the South of a potential slave rebellion.
Election of Abraham Lincoln
The election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 was the final straw for the South. Lincoln was seen as a threat to slavery, and his election prompted several Southern states to secede from the Union. Seven states formed the Confederate States of America, which set the stage for the Civil War.