Causes of the Civil War II U.S./Texas View Point

The issues that tore our nation apart. Causes of the Civil War The issues that tore our nation apart.

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

North South

States Rights States had the right not to follow laws passed by Congress with which they disagreed This attitude promoted Sectionalism as people focused on what benefits them and their region, not on the US as a whole

Why did the North not have large plantations? Slavery Southern economy was based on plantation agriculture which relied on slavery Northern economy had small farms but relied more on the growing industry Why did the North not have large plantations?

Slavery Northern states had abolished slavery by 1860 but southern states feared it would be an end to their way of life Why did Southern plantation owners think their way of life would end if slavery was abolished?

Slavery Republican Party-arose during the 1850’s mainly in the North Most Republicans opposed the spread of slavery to new territories A small group of Republicans wanted to abolish it Southerners thought that a majority of Republicans shared that thought That led to Southerners fearing that if the Republicans gained control they would abolish slavery

Tariffs – TAXATION!!!! Republican Party supported raising tariffs on imported goods North had a lot of manufacturing so high tariffs would benefit them by forcing consumers to buy local South had little manufacturing and imported most of the goods it consumed so high tariffs would hurt them economically

Texas States’ Rights ??????? Sam Houston was against secession, he saw enough bloodshed during the Texas Revolution and felt the South could not win Many Texans supported the secession especially those in the East and South Those in the North and West did not really use slave labor so they were against secession Houston refused to call a convention but one was called with most delegates there in favor (those who did not want secession felt this was an illegal convention and did not attend)

Texas Secession Convention January 28, 1861 members of the Texas Secession Convention wrote and then adopted the Ordinance of Secession It claimed the US Government abused its power by deliberately trying to interfere with the interests of Texas and that Texas had the sovereign right to free itself

Texas Secession Convention February 23, 1861 they approved succession from the Union by a vote of 46,153 to 14,747 They then took an oath to allegiance of which Sam Houston refused, he was then striped of his Governorship March 2, 1861 Texas is accepted into the Confederacy

War Begins In early 1861 the Confederate States seized US arsenals, forts, and navy yards but US Troops at Fort Sumter in South Carolina refused to hand over the fort April 12, 1861 Confederate troops fired upon the fort; the next day US troops surrendered the fort and left The Civil War had begun Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina then joined the Confederacy

1. Slavery 2. Sectionalism 3. States’ rights 4. Election of 1860 Let’s review the main causes of the Civil War: 1. Slavery South North 2. Sectionalism 3. States’ rights United States Law 4. Election of 1860 5. Secession