Civil War

The civil war started following the election of Abraham Lincoln who along with his party was committed to the thought of free labor. Seven southern states rather than accepting his leadership, formed an alliance by breaking away from the union and established their own party naming there region the Confederate States of America. The CSA elected a president and wanted to become an independent country. The war took place to ensure that the United States of America remains undivided as a single republic and with democracy rather then the formation of independent states within the country.

The cost of war was staggering as there was a huge loss of lives and an enormous damage made to the country in monetary terms. Around 258000 soldiers died from the confederate side who were fighting for the slavery and for their independent nation, on the other hand more than 360000 lost their lives fighting from the union’s side. More than $20 billion was lost in the war. Billions of property damage to the confederate states, resulting in a crash down of the economy. Abraham Lincoln was also assassinated which was a set back for the country.

Slavery effectively ended in the US by the mid of 1865 after the war. The civil war shattered the southern economy where as the northern capital grew by 50%. The post war era brought with it political significances as it strengthened the central government. The federal government was greatly in control as the secession was finished once and for all. The civil war also followed by modernization in the communication, transportation and logistics areas in the country. And the financial system along with the industrial capacity improved.

Civil war took place due to various reasons, amongst which slavery and racism based discrimination were the most eminent ones. The northern region was more towards a slavery free state where as people in the southern region feared that their control over slavery would be lost due to Lincoln’s desire of abolishing slavery and introducing equality in the country. The south was dependant on agriculture as a whole with an economy and social order running mainly on slavery and plantation system. Where as north was expanding in industrialization and had expanded commercially and agriculturally as well. This made the sectionalism between the two stronger. The north and south after many debates and protests formed different political parties and this started a fight for their reasons. In which north was protecting the right of free labor and was against slavery, on the other hand south was fighting for the right of keeping it’s slavery from finishing. After the election of Lincoln as president the situation was made worse and this triggered the secession leading to the start of a civil war. Division of classes was a major threat to America. Slavery and racism which was increasing in the southern region lead to movement from south to north. There were also hostility between the slaves and the people in power. This was resulting in riots in the south and was against the democratic rules of America.

The civil war was considered to be a result of the south fearing that slavery will be put to a stop, where as the north wanted slavery to be abolished.

Some writers also state that the division of class was a reason which was not solely responsible for the war. There were other causes as well such as political, economic, social and psychological which were involved in the starting of the civil war between the two parties which fought for their own interests.

After the war was won by the union, the confederate state leaders changed their statements for the reason of the war from supporting slavery to fighting for the rights of the states.