Causes of the Civil War

1. Causes of the Civil War

2. Cause #1Cause #1
Sectionalism
North = Union
South = Confederacy

3. Sectionalism
• Sectionalism – the
excessive devotion to
local interests and
customs to a region of a
nation.
• The intense feelings
of sectionalism further
divided the country
into two separate
sections- North and
South.
NorthNorth
SouthSouth

4. • Cause #1Cause #1
Sectionalism
• Prior to the Civil War,
the United States was
not really united.
• Our country was more
like two separate
countries sharing the
same land.
NorthNorth
SouthSouth

5. • Cause #1Cause #1
Sectionalism
• The North had
industry, large cities,
a diverse population,
and favored the
politics of the
Republican party
which supported the
abolition of slavery.

6. • Cause #1Cause #1
Sectionalism
• Southerners were
especially loyal to
their section. They
thought of
themselves...
– as citizens of their own
state first,
– as Southerners
second,
– and as U.S. citizens
third.

7. • Cause #2 Slavery
• Slavery was a cause
of the Civil War for
two reasons.
– #1. The South viewed
slavery as a necessity
to maintaining
economic wealth.
– However, many
people in the North
viewed slavery as
unconstitutional.

8. • Fugitive Slave Law of
1850 • Required all citizens to
help catch runaway
slaves.
• It was now a CRIME to
help runaway slaves
even in the North. This
made many people in
the North very angry.
More Problems

9. More Problems
• Dred Scott Case,,
1857:1857:
– Scott was taken to theScott was taken to the north
by his owner to live forby his owner to live for
about 5 years. Then he wasabout 5 years. Then he was
taken back totaken back to Missouri..
– When theWhen the owner died, Scottdied, Scott
sued for his freedom in thefor his freedom in the
Supreme Court.Supreme Court.
– Chief Justice Roger TaneyRoger Taney
ruled the following:ruled the following:
1.1. Slaves are notSlaves are not citizens, so, so
they can’tthey can’t sue..
2.2. Slaves areSlaves are property & can be& can be
taken anywhere.taken anywhere.
3.3. Because the 5Because the 5thth
AmendmentAmendment
protectedprotected property, CongressCongress
could notcould not ban slavery fromslavery from
any territory.any territory.
4.4. The Missouri CompromiseThe Missouri Compromise
waswas unconstitutional.

10. • Cause #3 States’ Rights • States’ rights is the idea
that each state had the
right to determine
whether or not to follow
federal laws.
• Southerners supported
states’ rights. They
believed that they had
the right to own slaves
and even secede, or
leave the Union, if they
desired.
United
States
Law

11. • Cause #3 States’ Rights • Northerners did not
support states’ rights.
They believed the
national government
had final power.
United
States
Law

12. • Cause #4 Tariffs • A tariff is a tax on
imported goods.
• Northerners felt the
federal government
had the power to
make laws that
applied to all states,
including imposing
taxes.

13. • Cause #4 Tariffs • Southerners were also
angry at Congress using
its power to impose taxes
on the South’s
agricultural products.
• They felt that any federal
tax restricted the rights of
the individual states.
• Texans were for low
tariffs to continue to trade
cotton with European
nations and southern
sates produced 80% of
the world’s supply of
cotton.

14. • Cause #5 Election of
1860
• When Republican
Abraham Lincoln
won the Election of
1860, Southerners
believed that their
rights would no longer
be respected.
• Many southerners
believed it was time to
leave the Union.

15. • Cause #5 Secession
• After Lincoln’s election,After Lincoln’s election,
eleven southern statessouthern states
eventuallyeventually seceded
from the Union andfrom the Union and
formed theformed the Confederate
States of America..
• Texas’sTexas’s lawmakers
voted to secede by avoted to secede by a
vote of 166 to 8, andvote of 166 to 8, and
the people of Texasthe people of Texas
voted forvoted for secession byby
a margin of more thana margin of more than
3 to 1.3 to 1.

16. Let’s review the main causes of the Civil War:
3. States’ rights3. States’ rights
5.5. Election of 1860Election of 1860
& Secession& Secession
United
States
Law
2. Slavery2. Slavery
SouthSouth
NorthNorth1.Sectionalism1.Sectionalism
4. Tariffs4. Tariffs