The issues that tore our nation apart

1
Causes of the Civil War

• The issues that tore our nation apart

2
Cause 1
Sectionalism
North Union
South Confederacy
3
Sectionalism

• Sectionalism the excessive devotion to local
  interests and customs to a region of a nation.
• The intense feelings of sectionalism further
  divided the country into two separate sections-
  North and South.

North
South
4

• Prior to the Civil War, the United States was not
  really united.
• Our country was more like two separate countries
  sharing the same land.

• Cause 1 Sectionalism

North
South
5

• The North had industry, large cities, a diverse
  population, and favored the politics of the
  Republican party which supported the abolition of
  slavery.

• Cause 1 Sectionalism

6

• Cause 1 Sectionalism

• Southerners were especially loyal to their
  section. They thought of themselves...
• as citizens of their own state first,
• as Southerners second,
• and as U.S. citizens third.

7

• Cause 2 Slavery

• Slavery was a cause of the Civil War for two
  reasons.
• 1. The South viewed slavery as a necessity to
  maintaining economic wealth.
• Texas believed that slavery was vital to the
  economy.
• However, many people in the North viewed slavery
  as evil and unconstitutional.

8

• Cause 2 Slavery

• 2. Slavery was not just a moral issue but a
  political issue as well.
• Which ever section of the U.S, North or South,
  had more states would have more power in
  Congress.

9

• Cause 2 Slavery

• Both Northerners and Southerners fought fiercely
  over the moral and political issue of slavery.
• If the U.S. had been founded without slavery,
  then the following causes of the Civil War may
  have never been issues.

10
More Problems

• Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

• Required all citizens to help catch runaway
  slaves.
• It was now a CRIME to help runaway slaves even in
  the North. This made many people in the North
  very angry.

11

• Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
• Differences in the North and South

• South
• Judges could get 10 for each runaway slave
• Slaves were denied a trial by jury the right to
  testify
• Forced citizens to catch runaways, if not, 1,000
  fine

12

• North
• Helped slaves get lawyers
• People would pitch in to buy slaves their
  freedom.
• Northern juries wouldnt convict those of
  breaking the Fugitive Slave Law.
• Uncle Toms Cabin written by Harriet Beecher
  Stowe.
• Laid out the cruelties of slavery for the first
  time.

• Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
• Differences in the North and South

13
More Problems

• Dred Scott Case, 1857

• Scott was taken to the north by his owner to live
  for about 5 years. Then he was taken back to
  Missouri.
• When the owner died, Scott sued for his freedom
  in the Supreme Court.
• Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled the following
• Slaves are not citizens, so they cant sue.
• Slaves are property can be taken anywhere.
• Because the 5th Amendment protected property,
  Congress could not ban slavery from any
  territory.
• The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.

14

• States rights is the idea that each state had
  the right to determine whether or not to follow
  federal laws.
• Southerners supported states rights. They
  believed that they had the right to own slaves
  and even secede, or leave the Union, if they
  desired.

• Cause 3 States Rights

United States Law
15

• Texas believed that the states should be able to
  make their own political, economic, and social
  decision with minimal federal government
  interference.

• Cause 3 States Rights

United States Law
16

• Northerners did not support states rights. They
  believed the national government had final power.

• Cause 3 States Rights

United States Law
17

• Cause 4 Tariffs

• A tariff is a tax on imported goods.
• Northerners felt the federal government had the
  power to make laws that applied to all states,
  including imposing taxes.

18

• Cause 4 Tariffs

• Southerners were also angry at Congress using its
  power to impose taxes on the Souths agricultural
  products.
• They felt that any federal tax restricted the
  rights of the individual states.
• Texans were for low tariffs to continue to trade
  cotton with European nations and southern sates
  produced 80 of the worlds supply of cotton.

19

• Cause 5 Election of 1860

• When Republican Abraham Lincoln won the
  Election of 1860, Southerners believed that their
  rights would no longer be respected.
• Many southerners believed it was time to leave
  the Union.

20

• Cause 5 Secession

• After Lincolns election, eleven southern states
  eventually seceded from the Union and formed
  the Confederate States of America.
• Texass lawmakers voted to secede by a vote of
  166 to 8, and the people of Texas voted for
  secession by a margin of more than 3 to 1.

21
Lets review the main causes of the Civil War
1.Sectionalism
2. Slavery
3. States rights
United States Law
4. Tariffs

1. Election of 1860 Secession