Slavery Flashcards
Topic sentence
Historians such as William Gienapp argue that the existence of a ‘slave power’ conspiracy was the fundamental reason for the outbreak of Civil War in 1861. Slavery had been an ongoing issue between sections for many years.
Evidence 1
Northerners were opposed to the expansion of slavery and Southerners were committed to it as it benefitted their economy, this caused a sectional divide. The North were also fearful of a ‘slave power’ conspiracy, (the economic, social, and political influence held by slaveholder in the South) which they believed the South to be committed to. For example, events such as “bleeding sumner” in May 1856 highlighted the existence of a slave power conspiracy. This was when Republican, Senator Charles Sumner was attacked and left severely injured by Representative Preston Brooks of South Carolina, when making a speech criticising pro - slavery senators. As a result of the occurrence of events such as ‘bleeding sumner, the Republicans started gaining Northern support.
Evidence 2
Additionally, 1850 the Fugitive Slave Law caused sectional tension as it enforced that slave owners had a right to recover their ‘property’. The law denied Fugitives (escaped slaves) the right to testify, habeaus corpus, and a jury trial. It also included measures such as disallowing fugitives of legal power to prove their freedom and the introduction of criminal penalties on those who harboured a fugitive or prevented them from being captured. Northeners saw the Fugitive slave law as a direct attack on their rights as David Donald argues that fewer acts could be designed to irritate Northeners more than the Fugitive Slave law, and in return, Northern resistance to the act rose. Boston emerged as a centre for opposition of the Fugitive Slave Law. Many events took place which in an attempt undermine the measures of the Act. For example, in Boston a black waiter named Shadrach was snatched from a court by a group of black men and put on an under group railroad to Canada. This caused an uproar in the USA. Southeners reacted to Northern opposition by threatening to secede, conventions were held in Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi in 1851 to calculate the value of union however this movement was short lived.
Analysis
The deep issue of Slavery therefore contributed to the outbreak of Civil War in 1861 because it was the main cause for conflict between the North and the South as William Gienapp argues “without slavery it is impossible to imagine a war between the North and the south”. The threat of a ‘slave power’ conspiracy in the North contributed to the growth of Republicans and their victory in 1860 lead to the secession of several Southern states and the creation of the Confederacy as Southerners were concerned that Lincoln’s election would end the expansion of slavery, or even slavery as a whole. The Fugitive Slave Law highlighted the difference of opinions to the issue of slavery between sections which enforces that the North and South were growing increasing different.
Counter analysis
However, by 1851, Northern furore over the Fugitive Slave Law began to die down. Fewer than one third as many blacks were returned from the North to slavery in 1852 as in the first year of the law’s operation. Public meeting were held throughout the North to affirm support for the Compromise including the Fugitive Slave Law.
Evaluation
To evaluate, slavery was the most important reason in explains the outbreak of Civil War. The extreme difference between the North and South’s views on the topic meant that union was hard to maintain. Factors like the breakdown of the 2nd Party System can be attributed to the issue of Slavery because this is what caused a demise in the Democrats and they could not make a unified decision between Northern members and Southern members. Therefor Alan Nevis is correct when he argues that the main cause of the Civil War was slavery and that it was a war over the issue of slavery and the future status of black people in America.
