Introduction
The Civil War is often referred to as a central historical event of the United States that shaped the nation’s consciousness. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers fell for the victory of human rights. As a result, their sacrifice brought the proclamation of democracy, liberty, and equality as the basic principles of the United States.
Although the tragic fratricidal war lasted for four years, its disturbing precursors had been present in American society for decades beforehand. The uncompromising differences in opinions of the South and the North of the country made the Civil War inevitable. Thus, in this essay, the geographic impact that divided the Americans will be examined.
Geographical Aspect of the Civil War
The most obvious geographical factor that launched the separation of the nation was the climate differences of the areas that, in turn, determined their economic differences. While Southern regions of the United States were notable for their warm climate with frequent sunny days, mild winters, and fertile soils, the climate of the North was harsher. Northern states were characterized by short, hot, and humid summers and long and cold winters.
Therefore, the South was economically dependent on agriculture since there were many opportunities for successful farming. The southern population of that time was grounded on the fact that owning black slaves was an essential right of a white landlord. That is why slavery was vital for the traditional agricultural society.
On the contrary, the North followed the path of industrialization, and its machine-age economy relied on the wage laborers who ran factories and built railroads, pulling the economy forward. The consequent economic advantage of the North made the inhabitants of these states more presumptuous towards the Southerners, who were referred to as dull and dated. In turn, the people of the North were called out for being insolent. Therefore, it can be concluded that climate dictated distinct paths of economic development for the South and the North states, which contributed to the division of the nation.
Then, the segmentation of the Americans was caused by the areas’ opinions on the slavery issue. The northern states had started abolishing slavery in the 1780s. The black people there were gradually emancipated and introduced to the basic human rights. In addition, the change in these states’ policies toward democracy fueled the fight for the rights of other minorities as well. For instance, in Rhode Island, a lot of the poor obtained the right to vote, which was previously unavailable to them due to their financial status. Thus, the northern regions of the US were becoming more oriented towards human rights as a result of industrialization.
However, this tendency of liberation was widespread strictly in the North of the United States, while the South was more conservative and declined any slavery abolishment attempts. The Southern mindset was supported by the Constitution, which granted a variety of freedoms to white Americans and accepted the captivation of the black slaves as their natural state. Thus, the division of the nation derived from the geographical discrepancy between slavery and its abolishment.
Finally, the racial disparities that existed both in the North and in the South of the United States, but in different degrees, became a reason for the segregation of the people within a country. Racial tension was obvious even in the states that proclaimed to be free from slavery. Thus, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the black population had to defend their voting rights, which they had lost due to the shift of discrimination’s focus from class to race. Obviously, racial discrimination was spreading in the nation.
At the same time, there was a tendency for the North to give in their principles to the South. The main example of this is the infamous Missouri Compromise, which allowed affiliation with the slave state on the condition that another state would proclaim slavery-free. However, despite the controversy of this policy, its main purpose was to balance the objective of expanding slavery in the South with the polar mindset of the North, reducing the harmful effects of the pro-slavery agenda. Thus, it can be seen that, geographically, regions of the United States were divided in terms of their racial approaches.
Conclusion
To sum up everything that has been stated so far, the conflict of the Civil War of 1861-1865 was preceded by disagreements stemming from the geography of the United States. The nation was divided by different approaches toward economic development, disputes regarding slavery, and racial disparity that were dictated by the varying locations of the regions. It was the separation of free and slave states that became the trigger for the horrifying war.
References
An Address to the People of Rhode Island, from the Convention assembled at Providence, on the 22nd day of February, and again on the 12th day of March, 1834, to Promote the Establishment of a State Constitution (Providence: 1834), 32-34, 38-40, 44-45.
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Jefferson, Thomas. Thomas Jefferson to John Holmes, 1820. In Library of Congress: Thomas Jefferson Exhibition. Web.
Purvis, Robert. 1838. Appeal of Forty Thousand Citizens, Threatened with Disfranchisement, to the People of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
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