The Civil War: It's testament to democracy Stage 7

The American Civil War was a testament to the capabilities of a democracy to endure. In the 1860s, the North, South and West were forced to address issues thrown to the back burner by the writers of the constitution and founders of our nation. As time escalated, the Civil War proved to be the first modern war through it’s refinement of slavery and the rights of states. The people’s approach to politics, adherence to economics, and militaristic principles decided who would win the fight for the integrity of democracy in America.

The Civil War was the first innovative war because of the pride and patriotism coming from the groups of Americans, and their surmounting feud over what would become of the United States of America. The catalyst to the break up of the South from the Union was Lincoln’s election. The secession of the deep South came down to Lincoln’s opinions and purposes being “hostile to slavery”. They formed a similar constitution to the Union except for the reopening of the Atlantic slave trade, abolishing the three-fifths compromise (in order to get more men into congress), and prohibiting the admission of free states to the new Confederacy. The South did not want to disintegrate by staying with the North. The Crittenden Compromise didn’t solve anything because the South wanted slavery in all new territories and to suppress the antislavery agitation in the North. With the firing of Ft. Sumter, war tactics had to be figured out. Lincoln and the North had the upper hand with their population size, industry, and railroads, but the South was the one on the defensive. They only had to defend their territory. The North tried to restrict the capitol at Richmond with the Anaconda Policy from Scott, but they would also have to advance the Mississippi River Valley to isolate Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, and clog coastal ports which the South relied on for supplies. As the battles drew out, conscription and drafts were put into place. Inflation gripped each side because of their failure to tax enough to support the costs of war. The south had a certain sense of superiority because of the nature of its society. It was agricultural and the farm boys that knew their way about the land helped tremendously. The North used their self reliance to get ahead though. Their intricate railroads and efficient food efforts enveloped the starving Southerners with their failure to comply to their soldiers needs. It was an extremely groundbreaking war because of the limitations that needed to be settled.

The issues resolved in the War changed the outlook of the U.S. The Emancipation Proclamation charged the way. It set the first steps in 1862 by confiscating slaves of masters that supported the Confederacy. Lincoln was aware of the racial prejudice that existed. He could not resolve all of the issues at once. The Union received more soldiers with the escapes of slaves to get to be free in the Union, which helped them in their win. The Emancipation Proclamation accelerated the disintegration of the slave practice. The Thirteenth Amendment also proved a profound result. It barely passed in the house, but it did. The Union cause and freedom of blacks had united. Not only did the War outline slavery, but women’s rights. In the North, women paved the way as nurses and fundraised profits towards the benefit of the War. They enforced cleanliness at army camps. Clara Barton became the founder of the Red Cross. They organized new roles in society to take over for the men fighting. Women of the South had to run plantations. They were forced to reconstruct the South and take initiative at the end of the War. Although, the greatest advancement came for the African Americans and the decisions left to be made concerning their impending freedom. Immigrants fought and died in the War and gained a spot of respect. The government decided that the federal aspects had a broad grant of constitutional authority over general welfare. Appottomax killed the state sovereignty once practiced by the South. Economic development was now more closely related with the ideas of federal powers. Private enterprise now had ties to the federal government. An organization revolution took place with the new sense of reaching beyond state lines. As a whole, the Civil War worked out major parts of the issues left unresolved by the constitution.

Because of the persistence of all sides and the questions of unity needed to define the outcome of the U.S., the Civil War resulted in the attainment of new rights to further envelop the portrayal of the United States as One.