I would like to think that all wars are avoidable, but I think in this case the Civil War was inevitable because of the circumstances surrounding it. I think that because the issues such as slavery and states leaving the union, were avoided and put off to the side with many compromises, it lead to a bigger mess that could have potentially been avoided. I also think that because the union was so divided, a war was the only plausible next step in making the union whole again. Lauren Period 3
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable because of the over bearing conflicts between the North and South. For example; slaves in the south were running away to the North to seek freedom in Canada. People in the north felt obligated to help the slaves become free called abolitionists. These abolitionists sent the slaves on a perilous journey to seek refuge in Canada called the Underground Railroad. This caused huge tensions between the north and the south because the north was “stealing” the south’s slaves and therefore affecting the south’s economy in a negative way.
The civil war was definitely inevitable. This is due to the differing lifestyles of the North and South. Northern America had an anti-slavery spirit where slavery was outlawed and abolitionists thrived. The South depended on slavery as a cheap way to work the farm lands and harvest crops. They supported keeping and expanding slavery. Also, the Northern economy was based off Industry, while the Southern economy was based off agriculture. These different lifestyles and moral principles ultimately were signs of inevitable war. Heated disagreements that lead to the Kansas Nebraska Acts, the Compromise of 1850, and the Missouri Compromise were also clear indications that civil war was approaching.
The Civil War was inevitable because everyone was fighting for something different. The citizen’s personal beliefs on slavery were a major conflict in the country and were furthering the breakdown of the unity. The United States was a newborn country where people fought for what they believed in, their independence from Britain. If our ancestors fought for this independence together, why shouldn't they want to fight for their beliefs? Although slavery was accepted in the south and it was not in the north, every individual is entitled to their own opinion. The conflict over slavery did not appear to have any resolutions to make everyone happy. With the addition of new states and an increase of population, I believe that the country's conflict was going to get worse if they did not resolve this. Overall, this reminds me of the saying, "Things will get worse before they get better." Even though war is not a peaceful resolution, it solved our country's problem and brought us together again.
the civil war was without a doubt inevitable. This tension and hate between the north and the south was built up over a long period of time because of the different values the north has and the different south has. Slavery had a big part to do with this war. one side wanted to abolish it and the other didn't. Other than that, there were also many other problems. The point is that the war was inevitable because of all the tension and problems leading up to it.
The civil war was inevitable. It was since the colonial development of the US. Ever since the colonial era, slavery did not play the same role in the North and South, the geography was completely different, and the jobs and amount of money people made were drastically different. From the beginning, the North could not farm, so they did not need slavery. Their geography was rocky and cold, so manufacturing became important during the industrial revolution. Many people could work in the north and receive a decent education to work in high paying jobs. The south, on the other hand, depended heavily on slavery just to scrape by on the plantations. They had no time for education and no need for factories; they all worked their own plantations. The south did not see slavery as harmful, for they needed it. However the north saw it as barbaric and cruel, especially after the publishing of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. The pressure and resentment that each side felt toward each other only sparked the flame of civil war. From the beginning, the north and south were visibly divided in their education, ethics, and jobs. These distinct differences between both halves of the US made the civil war inevitable.
I would disagree that the civil war was inevitable. Occurrences before the war pulled the North and the South in opposite directions, so if the people and ideas involved prior to the war were slightly different, the war could have been avoided. If Lincoln hadn't been elected, perhaps, the United states would stay united a bit longer. Maybe this additional time would be long enough for ideas to travel around the Nation. Some other candidates had moderate views on slavery and prioritized keeping the United States united. Travel could have been encouraged. Maybe the Americans could be taught to value their neighboring region as a necessary companion and equal match. Maybe the antislavery sentiments from the North would gradually push slavery out of the South. Instead, each region viewed the other as a rival they could crush easily in war. They were defensive to their own lifestyle and a bit closed off to other ideas. Of course, you could say that their mindset was unavoidable, and the South would definitely end up seceding. In that case, war could be avoided by allowing the succession. That may sound ridiculous, but it was an option that would have most likely prevented war.
I do believe that the civil war was inevitable. One big difference between the north and south was their economies. The northern economy was based more on industry than on agriculture while on the other hand the south was based more on agriculture rather than on industry. This difference caused the north and south to differ greatly in terms of economic attitudes. The fact that the south was more centered around agriculture led them to have many plantations which mainly grew cotton. This cotton was in turn picked by slaves causing slavery to be an important economic aspect of the south. Slavery in the south also angered many northerners who were abolitionists. Probably the biggest thing that made the civil war unavoidable was the election of Abraham Lincoln as President. This angered many people in the south because they thought that Lincoln was anti-slavery and in favor of northern interests. This ultimately led to South Carolina seceding from the union and then to the civil war. So while there are many wars that could have been avoided, I do not believe that this was one of them. Matt H. Period 7
I believe this war was inevitable because of the very different circumstances. People in the north and people in the south were leading completely different lifestyles. Their types of employment were different because of their surroundings such as land and climate. In the north, the economy was based on the factories and industries. However, in the south the geography provided them with land that was able to be farmed so their economy was based on the agriculture. Therefore, they used slaves to help them in their fields. The major disagreements with slavery errupted into bigger problems with later ended in the civil war. Without the civil war these problems woul dhave just continued and gotten worse and therefore the war was inevitable.
The Civil War was inevitable due to the three main problems of the 1850's and 1860's. These problems were sectionalism, slavery, and state's rights.
Sectionalism was the period of time when the northern and southern American states considered themselves as two main groups, with their own differences in politics, economy, and society. The North was more focused on education, and had more factories; while the South had more farming, and a great deal of more slavery. If the northern and southern states didn't think of themselves as two groups, there would be no civil war.
Another main reason behind the inevitability of the Civil War is slavery. The South seceded from the United States and caused Abraham Lincoln to start the Civil War in favor of the Union because it believed slavery should be legal in all areas. There was a Fugitive Slave Act, which stated that all run-away slaves from the South that tried to escape to the North could be captured and returned to the South. The North had more abolitionists and wanted to eliminate slavery once and for all. However, this was the wrong time period and there were just too many slave owners. Southern slave states wanted to have the same number of states as the free states, which caused lots of debates and compromises among the nation's leaders.
The final cause of the Civil War was states' rights. State governments believed they had more power than the federal government. Thus, the nation's rules weren't clearly stated, and popular sovereignty ruled. Popular sovereignty is the belief that each state could choose whether it allowed slavery. This led to the South's secession, thus causing the Civil War.
People such as the abolitionists like Harriet Tubman tried to help the slaves prior to the Civil War, but the status of all the slaves in America prompted a War between the North and South, so there was no choice but to have a Civil War.
Every counrty has a civil war or a conflict. I would like to believe that war is avoidable, but when you join contradicting cultures and ways of life, you can almost gaurentee a fight between sections of a country. In america we had an issue with slavery, in spain it was an issue over government, in france it was monarchy and democracy. America was the lastest country, it avoided the huge wars over religion and some could consider a civil war a neccesary induction as a whole country. A fight to make both sides realize we are stronger together, rather than divided. The civil war was inevitable even if slavery had not been the big ticket item.
I think that the Civil War was indeed inevitable. The vast differences between the Northern and Southern viewpoints and way of life at the time couldn't have been solved any other way. An example of this is slavery, which the South would never have agreed to give up unless forced to. Though some compromises could've been made, slavery would have to be ended through some forced action; the South wouldn't give up the core of their economy to satisfy abolitionists. To bring the country together as a whole on one level, the Civil War was unavoidable.
i'd have t say, although i'd like to say most wars can be prevented or avoided, that the civil war was not. it was an inevitale war for one major reason but also several small rasons as well. for the major issue, slavery was what really pushed the war to what it was. the norh wanted to abolish slavery completely and the south wanted to keep slavery legal. however, the smaller issues that also contributed to the war had to do with differences between the north and south, again. the north's economy was built mainly on factory work and routeine jobs where slave work was never considered necessary, while the south's economy was strictly based almost entirely on farming and plantations where slavery was considered crucial. these differences in economic backgrounds also somewhat fueld the war as the south saw the abolishment of slavery as an instant means of losing money and possibly loosing plantations all together.
Considering all of the issues that the North and South could not agree upon, I do not think that the Civil War could have been avoided. Many attempts had been made to compromise and solve the problems at hand, but inevitbly they did not accomplish any long term settlements. Due to the extreme issues such as slavery and the fact that the North and South were on complete opposite sides of the spectrum, I do not see how any compromise could have been made and clearly a war would have to decide the true winner.
The Civil War was inevitable. Ever since the Industrial Revolution began, the South and the North became divided. The North became very industrial and manufacturing based. They had factories that produced goods and they did not need slaves to produce these goods. The North’s soil was not fertile enough to make crops such as the South’s. The South needed slaves to survive. Their economy and life style was based on plantations and slavery. In order to make money they needed slaves to work for them.
The final divider for the South was the election of Abraham Lincoln. This angered many of the Southerners and they eventually succeeded. If Abraham Lincoln had not believed in unity of the states the South might have not been part of the United States today. The final divider for the North was the novel Old Tom’s Cabin. This novel showed the bad parts of slavery which then led to the Northerners wanting to get rid of Slavery. In the end the war helped to bring the nation back as one. Meghan L. Period 3
The civil war was inevitable. Both the north and south were extremely proud of their lifestyle, and it would take a lot to change their opinions. Even war wouldn't change their minds, but at that time, no amount of conversation would decide a clear winner. But, they needed to stay together even though the south wanted to spread apart. Both the north and south depended on each other and if they became separate countries, it would become another problem that the new countries would not be in the position to face. With both members of the North and the South having such strong feelings towards what they believe in, sadly, the only way to solve this was with violence. In the end, the war did give a clear winner. Even though 617,000 had to pay the price for the solution, it gave the answer the United States was looking for. Also the territories to the west still hadn’t been settled. When they were settled and entered into the Union, if the slave/free state guidelines still applied to them, it would be hard for both the North and South to have a fair vote in congress. If you were to imagine the world with the United States divided, we would be in a much worse situation then we are in now.
I think that the civil war was inevitable for a multitude of reasons. First of all, divisions between the north and south had existed for decades leading up to the civil war. The south was dependent on agriculture and slave labor, whereas the north needed manufacturing. Therefore, sectionalism and the political agendas of legislators from these regions wanted to do what is best to support their region of country rather their country as a whole.
Furthermore, controversy over the issue of slavery pushed the north and south further apart. The south relied on slave labor to work on the plantations that produced cash crops, such as cotton. Without cotton, the southern economy would have crumbled. However, the north had machines that took care of lots of labor in the factories, so slave labor wasn't in as much demand. Therefore, northern abolitionists fought to end slavery.
In my opinion, the last straw that led to the start of the civil war was the secession of SC, which spurred 10 other states to secede and form the Confederacy. President Lincoln, did not want to recognize the Confederacy because in his opinion, "a house divided upon itself can not stand." However, southerners were extremely angry and felt that their homeland and way of life was threatened when Lincoln sent supplies to Fort Sumter. The south, in their anger, felt this as an act of aggression and attacked. As soon as the first bullet had been fired, the Civil war, began and the rest is history.
I feel as though the Civil War was inevitable due to many factors that divided the North and South before the war even occurred. The first is the most obvious- the issue of slavery. Whether all Southerners truly viewed it as acceptable or not, they knew that they needed it in order to survive economically. Taking away slaves in the South was the equivalent of shutting down factories in the North, so the Southerners felt as though they must take any means necessary to preserve it. Additionally, people at the time had the idea that war was the best way to solve the issues of the nation. Many even wanted to fight because they thought it was the most efficient way to reunite the nation. This mindset was a result of the Revolutionary War, in which colonists stood up against the unjust British rule (just as the Southerners stood up to the unjust anti-slavery campaigns).
Moreover, the fact that both the North and South were confident in their chances in the war made it inevitable. There was extreme pride for both sides, and they both saw the war as the way to instill their own values, so the war was not always viewed as a bad thing. Along with the pride, the tension and resentment that built up made the war unavoidable. After events like Bloody Kansas and Harper’s Ferry, the Southerners had no trust in the Northerners, and the Northerners had no trust in the Southerners either.
The final reason why the war was inevitable was because all other means of solving the country’s issues had already failed. The Compromise of 1850 had the best chance of reuniting the nation, yet it failed after only a decade. It seemed as though war was the only way to solve all of the problems in America. Drew R. Class 3
I agree with the people who have stated that the Civil War was inevitable, and I feel this way for several reasons. For the most part, these reason stem from slavery. For the most part, the North was against slavery, and many abolitionists called northern states home. This anti-slavery sentiment was fostered by events such as the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was a piece of literature that outlined the evils of the practice of slavery. The South, however, was extremely pro-slavery because the practice was an essential part of the South’s economy. This is because the South was dependent on these slaves to work on plantations and grow cotton, which formed the backbone of the South’s economy because it was sold to industries to make into cloth and other finished goods. During the Industrial Revolution, cotton came to be in extremely high demand because of the rise of textile factories that took in raw materials (such as cotton) and turned them into finished goods. As the demand rose, the sale of cotton took up a significant part of the South’s economy. Slaves paid an important role in keeping profits high because they, of course, worked for no pay. Without slavery, the Southern cotton-growers would not have made as large of profits, and thus the Southern economy would have been severely weakened. The northern economy, on the other hand, relied on machines and paid workers (in large part, immigrant workers), and thus they had no impetus to keep alive what many viewed as an immoral practice. The stark difference between the north’s attitude regarding slavery and the south’s attitude regarding slavery was one of the main factors that led to the armed conflict. Additionally, the federal governments’ handling of the issue of states’ rights angered the south. The federal government ruled that states had no right to call the actions of the federal government unconstitutional (an action called “nullification”) and, in large part, did not allow the states to work on their own; this had several repercussions, but it came into play with the issue of slavery, as the federal government dictated which states were free and which were slave. For example, part of the Compromise of 1850 mandated that California entered the Union as a free state. The Southern states, such as South Carolina, felt that their rights were not being respected by the federal government and seceded (in part) to increase their own power. Finally, it must be said that, simply, the compromises that were meant to hold the nation together failed, and neither side was willing to completely give into the desires of the other side. Armed conflict was the only way to settle the differences between the North and South Brian R. Class 3
I agree with Melisa that the Civil War was avoidable. Yes, many factors pointed in the direction of war, but there are other ways history could have played out. There were attempts at peace such as the Missouri Compromise. It is possible that the vote of free and slave states could have remained equal until either side eventually gave in for the benefit of the nation, or slavery was no longer a necessity for the South. Another way the war could have been avoided is if the Union just let the other states secede from the Union. If this were to happen, there might have not been a war, just two separated countries.
Ideally, all wars are avoidable. Leaders of both sides could meet, talk about the issues, and come to an agreement or a compromise about how to solve the issue. The Civil War was a little different because it was a war between opposing sides of one country within the country. I think that the Civil War was inevitable because of all of the different reasons for war. Just like Meaghan said, everyone was fighting for something different so in this case a meeting to come to a compromise probably wouldn't have worked. The war gave everyone the chance to work out their problems and settle the dispute fairly.
I believe that the Civil War could have been avoided, but it would have made our country a much different place if the war never happened. If the Civil War never happened then the southern states would most likely be their separate country today. The institution of slavery might still be in place in the south if the war never happened. I agree with what many others said about the South and the North having different views, but if they chose to, they could have just let each other be and never fought in the war.
Although I feel that all wars can be avoided, the circumstances that lead to the civil war proved that it was almost impossible. The feelings and differences between the North and South were too strong for compromise. Everyone wanted to fight for what they believed in, rather than keep a compromise that would only meet half of their goal.Northerners had no use for slavery because of their factory-built economy and their newly formed abolitionist culture. Southerners wanted to keep slavery because they feared that their economy would die without the use of slave labor on plantations. When Abraham Lincoln became president, the south officially decided that they would break off from the US in order to keep their slaves. Therefore, the economic fear in the south and the passion for abolition in the north created two opposing sides that would not budge. Tom A Per. 7
Although I would like to believe that all wars can be avoided or conflicts can be compromised in a more peaceful way, this was not the case of the civil war. I believe that the civil war was inevitable because of the lack of communication between the north and south. The differences between the north and south were so opposite that the only way for the problem to be solved was unfortunately war. The civil war impacted the lives of everyone. It wasn’t just something that slipped your mind on a daily basis unlike the war we are fighting today. The outcome of the civil war determined how people were to live their life. The north believed that slavery should be banned, while the south believed slavery should be kept in this new America. Because the United States was so young at the time and new to everyone, the unity was breaking down because of this slavery situation. I believe that because of this high tension between the states, a war was necessary to bring unity.
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable. The people and ideas and general feelings of the country during that time made it so the disagreements and events that occurred prior to the war became stepping stones to the conflict. The feelings in the South and North were both so strong that I really don't feel there was any way to avoid the war. There couldn't be two sides in one country. While slavery was a big part of the war, it wasn't the only reason the war happened. There was no way to get these men and women (but mainly the men) to agree and come to a peaceful compromise about slavery or the other issues. The main reason the war was inevitable was because the people in the country believed it to be. Everyone was losing hope that a peaceful agreement could happen, and everyone began to believe that war was the only option. I am not happy that there was a war, nor am I happy that so many people died and were turned against each other because of it. However, I am glad that the outcome of the war was what it was, because otherwise we wouldn't be the united country we are now. Kristin L. Period 7
I agree that most, if not all wars are unavoidable, because most of the time all possible steps to avoid war are taken. This is obvious with the civil war: the politics for half of a century leading up to the war were dominated by the issues between the north and south, and how to make appropriate compromises between the two sides. So to answer the question, I believe the civil war was inevitable. No matter how many compromises were made, the tension would still build to the point of succession. In reality, every compromise brought the nation closer to civil war, because each deal left both sides unhappy.
I agree with what Lauren said that it'd be nice to avoid war in general. But I do believe that the Ciliv War was inevitable. Both the north and the south had pretty distinct opinions on their ways of living. Neither of them wanted to change, but in order to make the nation come together as a whole, one of them would have to. And because of this, it is what caused the war. The north felt that they needed to help the south realize that slavery is not right but of course, the south disagreed. The Civil War was bound to happen Emily M Period 7
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable because the differences between the north and the south were just too great. They couldn’t agree or make successful compromises. Each side wanted to benefit themselves and preserve their way of life. Economically the north depended on industry and the factories set up during the Industrial Revolution. The south relied on agriculture and thrived from the world’s need for cotton and their cheep form of labor. The north saw this cheep form of labor and was able to see past the ways in benefited the south and saw how unjust the treatment of slaves was. Because the south depended on slavery they were able to look past its flaws and they were desperate to hang onto their way of life. The north also valued education whereas the south did not. What really made the war unavoidable was the election of Abraham Lincoln. The southerners believed that because he came from the north he had a northern way of thinking and would therefore destroy their way of life which they were desperate of preserve. It was this mindset that truly made this war unavoidable. Because of the major differences of beliefs between the north and the south they felt their lifestyles were threatened by the other and each little thing added up to war over time.
Everyone would like to avoid any sort of war if possible, in my opinion, the Civil War was inevitable because of what was going on in our country at the time. Just because there was so many issues with slavery going on in many states, there needed to be a war to stop it. If there wasn't a war, it would have put our country in more of a mess than it already was in. The people in the North did not believe in slavery, but people in the South did. Compromises did not work. The only thing left was war.
I agree that the American Civil War was inevitable. The North and the South had two very different lifestyles and mindsets during the years leading up to the Civil War. For one, the north was very industry-focused and, regardless of how little, all jobs paid the workers, while almost all of the south was agricultural-focused and slave labor was common. Another issue between the two was pride. The Northerners were very proud of being part of the Union, as well as the fact that slavery was illegal in the North. In the South, however, southerners were more concerned about individual states' rights, and were proud of the fact that slave labor was what shaped their culture. When you essentially tell someone to throw away their pride fights are bound to occur (as is the case when Northerner's began openly oppose the South's continued use of slave labor)
The Civil War was inevitable because of the economic, political, and social differences between the North and the South. The North was an industry based economy while the South was an agricultural based economy. Also, the North was mainly republican and the South was democratic. These issues were tolerated but the circumstance that inevitably caused the Civil War was slavery. The South wanted to keep slavery because it greatly benefited their economy which helped the whites live a luxurious lifestyle. And the North wanted slavery completely abolished because they felt that no one had the right to own another human being. Doug Brodbeck Period 7
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable because of the frequent disagrements between the North and the South. There comes a time where compromising just can't compete with all of the other conflicts associated around it. One of the reason the war was fought was because of slavery and thats no small matter. Property to person is a big and inmaginable leap especially since the South was prospering economically because of the south. They knew no other way and the North knew that slves shouldn't be treated as property, it was time to go to war. Audra S. Class 7
Though like Lauren said, it would great if all wars could be avoidable, I definitely believe the civil war was inevitable. In this case the circumstances (slavery, separation of states, etc.) were far too large for a war or some kind of heated altercation to arise. On example of how the civil war was inevitable was just the basic fact that the north and south were living completely different lifestyles; the north was mostly comprised of abolitionists who were firmly against the issue of slavery, whereas the south depended on slavery. With the two regions constantly budding heads over such a substantial thing like slavery, a war was naturally bound to happen.
I believe that the Civil war was inevitable because of the volatile nature of our new nation, the strong oppinions of both the north and the south, and the specific circumstances the United States were in before the war began. As a young nation, the United states was still developing and during the Industrial Revolution, huge changes were made. The North became very industrial and formed towns and factories, and now wealth was coming from both north and south, whereas before the south had a lot more power due to their more fertile lands and ability to produce for the nation. As the north developed industrially, it formed cities and had little use for slaves, making a deffinite split between the north and south. New ideas formed in the north and reform started in many areas, and slavery became an issue. The south however would not be able to handle a loss of slavery, so they didn't change their minds about it, and slaves still remained important property. Northerners were helping slaves escape to freedom, and the issue became unignorable because the south was losing slaves and therefor money. I believe that because of everything that happened in such little time with development of industrialism and new ideas, war was really the only way to settle anything, because the issue was so huge.
Yes, i believe the war was inevitable. There were too many conflicts going on between the North and the South. The South had slaves. The North had factories. The South's slaves were fleeing to the North to escape to Canada. And the North's factories weren't supplying the South with any products they needed due to ongoing conflicts.
The topic of slavery eventually had to be adressed whether a comitee was to be held or a war started. In my mind, a civil war was the most efficient, even if not completely necessary, way to deal with the topic. Slavery was eventually going to be abolished no matter what the outcome, however.
I think that the Civil War was inevitable, because the North and South had very different lifestyles, and were growing farther apart with time. The North was very dependent on factories that provided jobs for many Northerners. The South was fully dependent on agriculture, and needed many work hands of slaves to be able to harvest and do other jobs on the farms. If they didn't have enough help, they wouldn't be able to accomplish what needed to be done and they wouldn't make any profit. This caused slavery to be a major problem between the North and South. The United States couldn't remain on the fence about it forever, so there was bound to be conflict.
The civil war was without a doubt inevitable. It was inevitable because there was no way that once people started fighting about something so serious, it wasnt just going to stop. THe North and South were fighting over slavery and land usage which would not go away without someone giving up, and neither the north and south would do so because they each had very strong arguements; the south with its slavery and the north with its unions.
With differences in opinion between the North and the South, the Civil war was definitely inevitable. The South was completely reliant on slavery. Their economy depended on cotton production and sales because of the revenue that it brought in for the south. Meanwhile, many people in the North were abolitionists who thought slavery was morally wrong and wanted to end slavery in America. The Secession of the South from the North was definitely inevitable because of these factors. They did not want to be affected by the laws of a nation that would hurt their economy so much. After secession, the Union could have left the CSA to itself to grow up as a separate country,but it was obvious that this was not the right thing to do. After so much had been done to create this country, it was not a smart idea to let it fall apart so quickly because of a difference in opinion. American politicians knew that they could not lose the south and because of that, the civil war was inevitable.
Although I have never seen war as a way to resolve a conflict, looking back on the Civil War it is hard to feel this way. Before the Civil War the union was clearly divided and by the end of reconstruction the union had come back together again. I think the war was mainly inevitable because of the conflicts that caused the lead up to the war, they were not small conflicts at all, for example the slavery conflict. As I said before, I have never seen war as a way to resolve a conflict, but in this case war was inevitable.
The Civil War was definitely unavoidable, even though I agree with what Lauren when she says that all wars should be avoidable. The Civil War, however, was inevitable because of the tensions between the North and South. It is also because of the fact that President Lincoln wanted the North and south to stay united. If he was okay with the South succeeding, than the war might not have happened when it did, but i think that it would have happened anyway just at a later date. This is because of the strong opposition to slavery that the North and some middle states had. Slavery was a big issue, and many people were strongly against it, so no matter if they were from the North or South, they would have tried to get rid of slaves everywhere. Also, if the South had been left alone, they would have realized that their economy couldn't hold up without the North, who were much more economically stable than the South. The last point that I would like to bring up is the fact that both sides weren't exactly opposed to the war. In fact, they each thought that it would be over quickly and easily. So, no one was violently opposed to the war, in which case the chance of there being one was much greater.
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable. They were like seperate countries. Their cultures clashed and this made a strain. Both parts had completly different views of what the country should be and it made it hard for two completely different people to come together. A big issue for the south was infact slavery. Because both sides had different views on slavery it was hard for them to come to an aggreement. Either way one side would loose and this was catrostropic to our country. Also they had completely different polotical views. The south was mostly Democrats while the North was mostly Republicans. Because of this their views of the direction of the country was different and it was a strain on the Union itself. Do seperation, to them, seamed like a good way to settle their differences.
42 comments:
I would like to think that all wars are avoidable, but I think in this case the Civil War was inevitable because of the circumstances surrounding it. I think that because the issues such as slavery and states leaving the union, were avoided and put off to the side with many compromises, it lead to a bigger mess that could have potentially been avoided. I also think that because the union was so divided, a war was the only plausible next step in making the union whole again.
Lauren
Period 3
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable because of the over bearing conflicts between the North and South. For example; slaves in the south were running away to the North to seek freedom in Canada. People in the north felt obligated to help the slaves become free called abolitionists. These abolitionists sent the slaves on a perilous journey to seek refuge in Canada called the Underground Railroad. This caused huge tensions between the north and the south because the north was “stealing” the south’s slaves and therefore affecting the south’s economy in a negative way.
Kelsey P. per. 3
The civil war was definitely inevitable. This is due to the differing lifestyles of the North and South. Northern America had an anti-slavery spirit where slavery was outlawed and abolitionists thrived. The South depended on slavery as a cheap way to work the farm lands and harvest crops. They supported keeping and expanding slavery. Also, the Northern economy was based off Industry, while the Southern economy was based off agriculture. These different lifestyles and moral principles ultimately were signs of inevitable war. Heated disagreements that lead to the Kansas Nebraska Acts, the Compromise of 1850, and the Missouri Compromise were also clear indications that civil war was approaching.
The Civil War was inevitable because everyone was fighting for something different. The citizen’s personal beliefs on slavery were a major conflict in the country and were furthering the breakdown of the unity. The United States was a newborn country where people fought for what they believed in, their independence from Britain. If our ancestors fought for this independence together, why shouldn't they want to fight for their beliefs? Although slavery was accepted in the south and it was not in the north, every individual is entitled to their own opinion. The conflict over slavery did not appear to have any resolutions to make everyone happy. With the addition of new states and an increase of population, I believe that the country's conflict was going to get worse if they did not resolve this. Overall, this reminds me of the saying, "Things will get worse before they get better." Even though war is not a peaceful resolution, it solved our country's problem and brought us together again.
Meaghan C.
period 3
the civil war was without a doubt inevitable. This tension and hate between the north and the south was built up over a long period of time because of the different values the north has and the different south has. Slavery had a big part to do with this war. one side wanted to abolish it and the other didn't. Other than that, there were also many other problems. The point is that the war was inevitable because of all the tension and problems leading up to it.
ricky grasso
period 7
The civil war was inevitable. It was since the colonial development of the US. Ever since the colonial era, slavery did not play the same role in the North and South, the geography was completely different, and the jobs and amount of money people made were drastically different. From the beginning, the North could not farm, so they did not need slavery. Their geography was rocky and cold, so manufacturing became important during the industrial revolution. Many people could work in the north and receive a decent education to work in high paying jobs. The south, on the other hand, depended heavily on slavery just to scrape by on the plantations. They had no time for education and no need for factories; they all worked their own plantations. The south did not see slavery as harmful, for they needed it. However the north saw it as barbaric and cruel, especially after the publishing of Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin. The pressure and resentment that each side felt toward each other only sparked the flame of civil war. From the beginning, the north and south were visibly divided in their education, ethics, and jobs. These distinct differences between both halves of the US made the civil war inevitable.
Kevin R.
Class 3
I would disagree that the civil war was inevitable. Occurrences before the war pulled the North and the South in opposite directions, so if the people and ideas involved prior to the war were slightly different, the war could have been avoided.
If Lincoln hadn't been elected, perhaps, the United states would stay united a bit longer. Maybe this additional time would be long enough for ideas to travel around the Nation. Some other candidates had moderate views on slavery and prioritized keeping the United States united. Travel could have been encouraged. Maybe the Americans could be taught to value their neighboring region as a necessary companion and equal match. Maybe the antislavery sentiments from the North would gradually push slavery out of the South.
Instead, each region viewed the other as a rival they could crush easily in war. They were defensive to their own lifestyle and a bit closed off to other ideas.
Of course, you could say that their mindset was unavoidable, and the South would definitely end up seceding. In that case, war could be avoided by allowing the succession. That may sound ridiculous, but it was an option that would have most likely prevented war.
Melissa C.
Period 3
I do believe that the civil war was inevitable. One big difference between the north and south was their economies. The northern economy was based more on industry than on agriculture while on the other hand the south was based more on agriculture rather than on industry. This difference caused the north and south to differ greatly in terms of economic attitudes.
The fact that the south was more centered around agriculture led them to have many plantations which mainly grew cotton. This cotton was in turn picked by slaves causing slavery to be an important economic aspect of the south. Slavery in the south also angered many northerners who were abolitionists.
Probably the biggest thing that made the civil war unavoidable was the election of Abraham Lincoln as President. This angered many people in the south because they thought that Lincoln was anti-slavery and in favor of northern interests. This ultimately led to South Carolina seceding from the union and then to the civil war.
So while there are many wars that could have been avoided, I do not believe that this was one of them.
Matt H.
Period 7
I believe this war was inevitable because of the very different circumstances. People in the north and people in the south were leading completely different lifestyles. Their types of employment were different because of their surroundings such as land and climate. In the north, the economy was based on the factories and industries. However, in the south the geography provided them with land that was able to be farmed so their economy was based on the agriculture. Therefore, they used slaves to help them in their fields. The major disagreements with slavery errupted into bigger problems with later ended in the civil war. Without the civil war these problems woul dhave just continued and gotten worse and therefore the war was inevitable.
The Civil War was inevitable due to the three main problems of the 1850's and 1860's. These problems were sectionalism, slavery, and state's rights.
Sectionalism was the period of time when the northern and southern American states considered themselves as two main groups, with their own differences in politics, economy, and society. The North was more focused on education, and had more factories; while the South had more farming, and a great deal of more slavery. If the northern and southern states didn't think of themselves as two groups, there would be no civil war.
Another main reason behind the inevitability of the Civil War is slavery. The South seceded from the United States and caused Abraham Lincoln to start the Civil War in favor of the Union because it believed slavery should be legal in all areas. There was a Fugitive Slave Act, which stated that all run-away slaves from the South that tried to escape to the North could be captured and returned to the South. The North had more abolitionists and wanted to eliminate slavery once and for all. However, this was the wrong time period and there were just too many slave owners. Southern slave states wanted to have the same number of states as the free states, which caused lots of debates and compromises among the nation's leaders.
The final cause of the Civil War was states' rights. State governments believed they had more power than the federal government. Thus, the nation's rules weren't clearly stated, and popular sovereignty ruled. Popular sovereignty is the belief that each state could choose whether it allowed slavery. This led to the South's secession, thus causing the Civil War.
People such as the abolitionists like Harriet Tubman tried to help the slaves prior to the Civil War, but the status of all the slaves in America prompted a War between the North and South, so there was no choice but to have a Civil War.
Andy H.
Period 7
Every counrty has a civil war or a conflict. I would like to believe that war is avoidable, but when you join contradicting cultures and ways of life, you can almost gaurentee a fight between sections of a country. In america we had an issue with slavery, in spain it was an issue over government, in france it was monarchy and democracy. America was the lastest country, it avoided the huge wars over religion and some could consider a civil war a neccesary induction as a whole country. A fight to make both sides realize we are stronger together, rather than divided. The civil war was inevitable even if slavery had not been the big ticket item.
Paige Olson
class 7
I think that the Civil War was indeed inevitable. The vast differences between the Northern and Southern viewpoints and way of life at the time couldn't have been solved any other way. An example of this is slavery, which the South would never have agreed to give up unless forced to. Though some compromises could've been made, slavery would have to be ended through some forced action; the South wouldn't give up the core of their economy to satisfy abolitionists. To bring the country together as a whole on one level, the Civil War was unavoidable.
i'd have t say, although i'd like to say most wars can be prevented or avoided, that the civil war was not. it was an inevitale war for one major reason but also several small rasons as well. for the major issue, slavery was what really pushed the war to what it was. the norh wanted to abolish slavery completely and the south wanted to keep slavery legal. however, the smaller issues that also contributed to the war had to do with differences between the north and south, again. the north's economy was built mainly on factory work and routeine jobs where slave work was never considered necessary, while the south's economy was strictly based almost entirely on farming and plantations where slavery was considered crucial. these differences in economic backgrounds also somewhat fueld the war as the south saw the abolishment of slavery as an instant means of losing money and possibly loosing plantations all together.
Eric Sippin
Period 7
Considering all of the issues that the North and South could not agree upon, I do not think that the Civil War could have been avoided. Many attempts had been made to compromise and solve the problems at hand, but inevitbly they did not accomplish any long term settlements. Due to the extreme issues such as slavery and the fact that the North and South were on complete opposite sides of the spectrum, I do not see how any compromise could have been made and clearly a war would have to decide the true winner.
Jenna Ebert
Class 7
The Civil War was inevitable. Ever since the Industrial Revolution began, the South and the North became divided. The North became very industrial and manufacturing based. They had factories that produced goods and they did not need slaves to produce these goods. The North’s soil was not fertile enough to make crops such as the South’s. The South needed slaves to survive. Their economy and life style was based on plantations and slavery. In order to make money they needed slaves to work for them.
The final divider for the South was the election of Abraham Lincoln. This angered many of the Southerners and they eventually succeeded. If Abraham Lincoln had not believed in unity of the states the South might have not been part of the United States today. The final divider for the North was the novel Old Tom’s Cabin. This novel showed the bad parts of slavery which then led to the Northerners wanting to get rid of Slavery. In the end the war helped to bring the nation back as one.
Meghan L.
Period 3
The civil war was inevitable. Both the north and south were extremely proud of their lifestyle, and it would take a lot to change their opinions. Even war wouldn't change their minds, but at that time, no amount of conversation would decide a clear winner. But, they needed to stay together even though the south wanted to spread apart. Both the north and south depended on each other and if they became separate countries, it would become another problem that the new countries would not be in the position to face. With both members of the North and the South having such strong feelings towards what they believe in, sadly, the only way to solve this was with violence. In the end, the war did give a clear winner. Even though 617,000 had to pay the price for the solution, it gave the answer the United States was looking for. Also the territories to the west still hadn’t been settled. When they were settled and entered into the Union, if the slave/free state guidelines still applied to them, it would be hard for both the North and South to have a fair vote in congress. If you were to imagine the world with the United States divided, we would be in a much worse situation then we are in now.
Mark
Period 3
I think that the civil war was inevitable for a multitude of reasons. First of all, divisions between the north and south had existed for decades leading up to the civil war. The south was dependent on agriculture and slave labor, whereas the north needed manufacturing. Therefore, sectionalism and the political agendas of legislators from these regions wanted to do what is best to support their region of country rather their country as a whole.
Furthermore, controversy over the issue of slavery pushed the north and south further apart. The south relied on slave labor to work on the plantations that produced cash crops, such as cotton. Without cotton, the southern economy would have crumbled. However, the north had machines that took care of lots of labor in the factories, so slave labor wasn't in as much demand. Therefore, northern abolitionists fought to end slavery.
In my opinion, the last straw that led to the start of the civil war was the secession of SC, which spurred 10 other states to secede and form the Confederacy. President Lincoln, did not want to recognize the Confederacy because in his opinion, "a house divided upon itself can not stand." However, southerners were extremely angry and felt that their homeland and way of life was threatened when Lincoln sent supplies to Fort Sumter. The south, in their anger, felt this as an act of aggression and attacked. As soon as the first bullet had been fired, the Civil war, began and the rest is history.
Ishan T. Period 3
I feel as though the Civil War was inevitable due to many factors that divided the North and South before the war even occurred. The first is the most obvious- the issue of slavery. Whether all Southerners truly viewed it as acceptable or not, they knew that they needed it in order to survive economically. Taking away slaves in the South was the equivalent of shutting down factories in the North, so the Southerners felt as though they must take any means necessary to preserve it. Additionally, people at the time had the idea that war was the best way to solve the issues of the nation. Many even wanted to fight because they thought it was the most efficient way to reunite the nation. This mindset was a result of the Revolutionary War, in which colonists stood up against the unjust British rule (just as the Southerners stood up to the unjust anti-slavery campaigns).
Moreover, the fact that both the North and South were confident in their chances in the war made it inevitable. There was extreme pride for both sides, and they both saw the war as the way to instill their own values, so the war was not always viewed as a bad thing. Along with the pride, the tension and resentment that built up made the war unavoidable. After events like Bloody Kansas and Harper’s Ferry, the Southerners had no trust in the Northerners, and the Northerners had no trust in the Southerners either.
The final reason why the war was inevitable was because all other means of solving the country’s issues had already failed. The Compromise of 1850 had the best chance of reuniting the nation, yet it failed after only a decade. It seemed as though war was the only way to solve all of the problems in America.
Drew R.
Class 3
I agree with the people who have stated that the Civil War was inevitable, and I feel this way for several reasons. For the most part, these reason stem from slavery. For the most part, the North was against slavery, and many abolitionists called northern states home. This anti-slavery sentiment was fostered by events such as the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, which was a piece of literature that outlined the evils of the practice of slavery. The South, however, was extremely pro-slavery because the practice was an essential part of the South’s economy. This is because the South was dependent on these slaves to work on plantations and grow cotton, which formed the backbone of the South’s economy because it was sold to industries to make into cloth and other finished goods. During the Industrial Revolution, cotton came to be in extremely high demand because of the rise of textile factories that took in raw materials (such as cotton) and turned them into finished goods. As the demand rose, the sale of cotton took up a significant part of the South’s economy. Slaves paid an important role in keeping profits high because they, of course, worked for no pay. Without slavery, the Southern cotton-growers would not have made as large of profits, and thus the Southern economy would have been severely weakened. The northern economy, on the other hand, relied on machines and paid workers (in large part, immigrant workers), and thus they had no impetus to keep alive what many viewed as an immoral practice. The stark difference between the north’s attitude regarding slavery and the south’s attitude regarding slavery was one of the main factors that led to the armed conflict.
Additionally, the federal governments’ handling of the issue of states’ rights angered the south. The federal government ruled that states had no right to call the actions of the federal government unconstitutional (an action called “nullification”) and, in large part, did not allow the states to work on their own; this had several repercussions, but it came into play with the issue of slavery, as the federal government dictated which states were free and which were slave. For example, part of the Compromise of 1850 mandated that California entered the Union as a free state. The Southern states, such as South Carolina, felt that their rights were not being respected by the federal government and seceded (in part) to increase their own power. Finally, it must be said that, simply, the compromises that were meant to hold the nation together failed, and neither side was willing to completely give into the desires of the other side. Armed conflict was the only way to settle the differences between the North and South
Brian R.
Class 3
I agree with Melisa that the Civil War was avoidable. Yes, many factors pointed in the direction of war, but there are other ways history could have played out. There were attempts at peace such as the Missouri Compromise. It is possible that the vote of free and slave states could have remained equal until either side eventually gave in for the benefit of the nation, or slavery was no longer a necessity for the South. Another way the war could have been avoided is if the Union just let the other states secede from the Union. If this were to happen, there might have not been a war, just two separated countries.
Adam M.
Class 7
Ideally, all wars are avoidable. Leaders of both sides could meet, talk about the issues, and come to an agreement or a compromise about how to solve the issue. The Civil War was a little different because it was a war between opposing sides of one country within the country. I think that the Civil War was inevitable because of all of the different reasons for war. Just like Meaghan said, everyone was fighting for something different so in this case a meeting to come to a compromise probably wouldn't have worked. The war gave everyone the chance to work out their problems and settle the dispute fairly.
Sarah Z.
Period 3
I believe that the Civil War could have been avoided, but it would have made our country a much different place if the war never happened. If the Civil War never happened then the southern states would most likely be their separate country today. The institution of slavery might still be in place in the south if the war never happened. I agree with what many others said about the South and the North having different views, but if they chose to, they could have just let each other be and never fought in the war.
Although I feel that all wars can be avoided, the circumstances that lead to the civil war proved that it was almost impossible. The feelings and differences between the North and South were too strong for compromise. Everyone wanted to fight for what they believed in, rather than keep a compromise that would only meet half of their goal.Northerners had no use for slavery because of their factory-built economy and their newly formed abolitionist culture. Southerners wanted to keep slavery because they feared that their economy would die without the use of slave labor on plantations. When Abraham Lincoln became president, the south officially decided that they would break off from the US in order to keep their slaves. Therefore, the economic fear in the south and the passion for abolition in the north created two opposing sides that would not budge.
Tom A
Per. 7
Although I would like to believe that all wars can be avoided or conflicts can be compromised in a more peaceful way, this was not the case of the civil war. I believe that the civil war was inevitable because of the lack of communication between the north and south. The differences between the north and south were so opposite that the only way for the problem to be solved was unfortunately war. The civil war impacted the lives of everyone. It wasn’t just something that slipped your mind on a daily basis unlike the war we are fighting today. The outcome of the civil war determined how people were to live their life. The north believed that slavery should be banned, while the south believed slavery should be kept in this new America. Because the United States was so young at the time and new to everyone, the unity was breaking down because of this slavery situation. I believe that because of this high tension between the states, a war was necessary to bring unity.
Emily
Period 7
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable. The people and ideas and general feelings of the country during that time made it so the disagreements and events that occurred prior to the war became stepping stones to the conflict. The feelings in the South and North were both so strong that I really don't feel there was any way to avoid the war. There couldn't be two sides in one country. While slavery was a big part of the war, it wasn't the only reason the war happened. There was no way to get these men and women (but mainly the men) to agree and come to a peaceful compromise about slavery or the other issues. The main reason the war was inevitable was because the people in the country believed it to be. Everyone was losing hope that a peaceful agreement could happen, and everyone began to believe that war was the only option. I am not happy that there was a war, nor am I happy that so many people died and were turned against each other because of it. However, I am glad that the outcome of the war was what it was, because otherwise we wouldn't be the united country we are now.
Kristin L.
Period 7
I agree that most, if not all wars are unavoidable, because most of the time all possible steps to avoid war are taken. This is obvious with the civil war: the politics for half of a century leading up to the war were dominated by the issues between the north and south, and how to make appropriate compromises between the two sides.
So to answer the question, I believe the civil war was inevitable. No matter how many compromises were made, the tension would still build to the point of succession. In reality, every compromise brought the nation closer to civil war, because each deal left both sides unhappy.
I agree with what Lauren said that it'd be nice to avoid war in general. But I do believe that the Ciliv War was inevitable. Both the north and the south had pretty distinct opinions on their ways of living. Neither of them wanted to change, but in order to make the nation come together as a whole, one of them would have to. And because of this, it is what caused the war. The north felt that they needed to help the south realize that slavery is not right but of course, the south disagreed. The Civil War was bound to happen
Emily M
Period 7
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable because the differences between the north and the south were just too great. They couldn’t agree or make successful compromises. Each side wanted to benefit themselves and preserve their way of life. Economically the north depended on industry and the factories set up during the Industrial Revolution. The south relied on agriculture and thrived from the world’s need for cotton and their cheep form of labor. The north saw this cheep form of labor and was able to see past the ways in benefited the south and saw how unjust the treatment of slaves was. Because the south depended on slavery they were able to look past its flaws and they were desperate to hang onto their way of life. The north also valued education whereas the south did not. What really made the war unavoidable was the election of Abraham Lincoln. The southerners believed that because he came from the north he had a northern way of thinking and would therefore destroy their way of life which they were desperate of preserve. It was this mindset that truly made this war unavoidable. Because of the major differences of beliefs between the north and the south they felt their lifestyles were threatened by the other and each little thing added up to war over time.
Sarah P.
Period 7
Everyone would like to avoid any sort of war if possible, in my opinion, the Civil War was inevitable because of what was going on in our country at the time. Just because there was so many issues with slavery going on in many states, there needed to be a war to stop it. If there wasn't a war, it would have put our country in more of a mess than it already was in. The people in the North did not believe in slavery, but people in the South did. Compromises did not work. The only thing left was war.
Lindsay
Period 3
I agree that the American Civil War was inevitable. The North and the South had two very different lifestyles and mindsets during the years leading up to the Civil War. For one, the north was very industry-focused and, regardless of how little, all jobs paid the workers, while almost all of the south was agricultural-focused and slave labor was common. Another issue between the two was pride. The Northerners were very proud of being part of the Union, as well as the fact that slavery was illegal in the North. In the South, however, southerners were more concerned about individual states' rights, and were proud of the fact that slave labor was what shaped their culture. When you essentially tell someone to throw away their pride fights are bound to occur (as is the case when Northerner's began openly oppose the South's continued use of slave labor)
Colin S.
Period 3
The Civil War was inevitable because of the economic, political, and social differences between the North and the South. The North was an industry based economy while the South was an agricultural based economy. Also, the North was mainly republican and the South was democratic. These issues were tolerated but the circumstance that inevitably caused the Civil War was slavery. The South wanted to keep slavery because it greatly benefited their economy which helped the whites live a luxurious lifestyle. And the North wanted slavery completely abolished because they felt that no one had the right to own another human being.
Doug Brodbeck
Period 7
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable because of the frequent disagrements between the North and the South. There comes a time where compromising just can't compete with all of the other conflicts associated around it. One of the reason the war was fought was because of slavery and thats no small matter. Property to person is a big and inmaginable leap especially since the South was prospering economically because of the south. They knew no other way and the North knew that slves shouldn't be treated as property, it was time to go to war.
Audra S.
Class 7
Though like Lauren said, it would great if all wars could be avoidable, I definitely believe the civil war was inevitable. In this case the circumstances (slavery, separation of states, etc.) were far too large for a war or some kind of heated altercation to arise. On example of how the civil war was inevitable was just the basic fact that the north and south were living completely different lifestyles; the north was mostly comprised of abolitionists who were firmly against the issue of slavery, whereas the south depended on slavery. With the two regions constantly budding heads over such a substantial thing like slavery, a war was naturally bound to happen.
Cristina N.
Per. 3
I believe that the Civil war was inevitable because of the volatile nature of our new nation, the strong oppinions of both the north and the south, and the specific circumstances the United States were in before the war began.
As a young nation, the United states was still developing and during the Industrial Revolution, huge changes were made. The North became very industrial and formed towns and factories, and now wealth was coming from both north and south, whereas before the south had a lot more power due to their more fertile lands and ability to produce for the nation. As the north developed industrially, it formed cities and had little use for slaves, making a deffinite split between the north and south. New ideas formed in the north and reform started in many areas, and slavery became an issue. The south however would not be able to handle a loss of slavery, so they didn't change their minds about it, and slaves still remained important property. Northerners were helping slaves escape to freedom, and the issue became unignorable because the south was losing slaves and therefor money. I believe that because of everything that happened in such little time with development of industrialism and new ideas, war was really the only way to settle anything, because the issue was so huge.
Yes, i believe the war was inevitable. There were too many conflicts going on between the North and the South. The South had slaves. The North had factories. The South's slaves were fleeing to the North to escape to Canada. And the North's factories weren't supplying the South with any products they needed due to ongoing conflicts.
The topic of slavery eventually had to be adressed whether a comitee was to be held or a war started. In my mind, a civil war was the most efficient, even if not completely necessary, way to deal with the topic. Slavery was eventually going to be abolished no matter what the outcome, however.
I think that the Civil War was inevitable, because the North and South had very different lifestyles, and were growing farther apart with time. The North was very dependent on factories that provided jobs for many Northerners. The South was fully dependent on agriculture, and needed many work hands of slaves to be able to harvest and do other jobs on the farms. If they didn't have enough help, they wouldn't be able to accomplish what needed to be done and they wouldn't make any profit. This caused slavery to be a major problem between the North and South. The United States couldn't remain on the fence about it forever, so there was bound to be conflict.
Andrew M
Period 7
The civil war was without a doubt inevitable. It was inevitable because there was no way that once people started fighting about something so serious, it wasnt just going to stop. THe North and South were fighting over slavery and land usage which would not go away without someone giving up, and neither the north and south would do so because they each had very strong arguements; the south with its slavery and the north with its unions.
With differences in opinion between the North and the South, the Civil war was definitely inevitable. The South was completely reliant on slavery. Their economy depended on cotton production and sales because of the revenue that it brought in for the south. Meanwhile, many people in the North were abolitionists who thought slavery was morally wrong and wanted to end slavery in America. The Secession of the South from the North was definitely inevitable because of these factors. They did not want to be affected by the laws of a nation that would hurt their economy so much.
After secession, the Union could have left the CSA to itself to grow up as a separate country,but it was obvious that this was not the right thing to do. After so much had been done to create this country, it was not a smart idea to let it fall apart so quickly because of a difference in opinion. American politicians knew that they could not lose the south and because of that, the civil war was inevitable.
Patrick B. Period 3
Although I have never seen war as a way to resolve a conflict, looking back on the Civil War it is hard to feel this way. Before the Civil War the union was clearly divided and by the end of reconstruction the union had come back together again. I think the war was mainly inevitable because of the conflicts that caused the lead up to the war, they were not small conflicts at all, for example the slavery conflict. As I said before, I have never seen war as a way to resolve a conflict, but in this case war was inevitable.
The Civil War was definitely unavoidable, even though I agree with what Lauren when she says that all wars should be avoidable. The Civil War, however, was inevitable because of the tensions between the North and South. It is also because of the fact that President Lincoln wanted the North and south to stay united. If he was okay with the South succeeding, than the war might not have happened when it did, but i think that it would have happened anyway just at a later date. This is because of the strong opposition to slavery that the North and some middle states had. Slavery was a big issue, and many people were strongly against it, so no matter if they were from the North or South, they would have tried to get rid of slaves everywhere. Also, if the South had been left alone, they would have realized that their economy couldn't hold up without the North, who were much more economically stable than the South.
The last point that I would like to bring up is the fact that both sides weren't exactly opposed to the war. In fact, they each thought that it would be over quickly and easily. So, no one was violently opposed to the war, in which case the chance of there being one was much greater.
Shannon B
period 7
I believe that the Civil War was inevitable. They were like seperate countries. Their cultures clashed and this made a strain. Both parts had completly different views of what the country should be and it made it hard for two completely different people to come together.
A big issue for the south was infact slavery. Because both sides had different views on slavery it was hard for them to come to an aggreement. Either way one side would loose and this was catrostropic to our country. Also they had completely different polotical views. The south was mostly Democrats while the North was mostly Republicans. Because of this their views of the direction of the country was different and it was a strain on the Union itself. Do seperation, to them, seamed like a good way to settle their differences.
Brian M.
Class 7
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