16 Dec 2009
Traditionally the North of America was better industrially developed, while the South became the center of agriculture. These were not the sings of separation between two parts of the country. By the 50s of the 19th century South and North could not find agreement in economics, statehood and slavery issues. The division, which existed between two parts of one country, got the name sectionalism. Northern states abandoned the very institution of slavery by the beginning of the 19th century. Legal abolishment of slavery institution, initiated by progressive North had bad consequence for the economics of South. The agriculture of the South was mainly based on slave labor and that is why new federal legislation concerning tariffs, territory and changes of Congressional representation had negative consequences for the South (cited in Wheeler).
Despite the physical labor of slaves and violent attitude to them different in the different parts of the South, same as the sizes of plantations, where slave labor was used for the most of the Southerners it was impossible to abandon slavery right at once.
The process of seceding was initiated by South Carolina. This state announced about leaving the Union in 1860, soon after the elections. Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas soon joined South Carolina in their wish to separate from the Union. All these states joined together and formed a union called Confederate States of America (cited in Henretta).
The result of the war was practically predetermined because North was much strong in an economical and military sphere. It used innovative technologies, had more people (for nine Southerners there were about 23 Northerners) and was better prepared for the war.
The period that followed civil war is known as Reconstruction. It lasted till the end of 1877. Reconstruction had a great influence on social and political spheres of life of the American society in genera and South in particular.
Works Cited
Henretta, James A.; Brody, David; Dumenil, Lynn; and Ware, Susan. America’s History. Volume I: To 1877. 5th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2003.
Paine, Thomas, Common Sense, the Rights of Man and Other Essential Writings of Thomas Paine. Meridian Books. 1985.
Wheeler, William B. and Becker, Susan D. Discovering the American Past: A Look at the Evidence, 6th Edition, Volume II, 1997.
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