The American Civil War

The States where slavery was abolished were known as Free States while the States were Slavery was legal were known as Slave States. The Northern States were free states while Southern States were slave states.

Following were the main issues that caused a division between the southern and northern states of the USA:

1. Difference in Economic Structure of the Northern and Southern States — The Northern States were industrialised with developed infrastructure. Hence, the Northern states wanted to impose tariffs on imported goods to protect their industries from foreign competition. On the other hand, Southern States were primarily agricultural with huge plantations. Hence, they wanted tax-free trade with Britain to get cheap manufactured goods in exchange for raw cotton. This economic disparity between the North and the South created friction between the two.
2. Problem of Slavery — Slavery was abolished in the Northern States and they became free states. This was resented by the Southern States whose economy depended on slave labour.
3. Territorial Expansion — As the population of existing colonies increased, new colonies were explored in the western regions of North America. These newly settled colonies were absorbed into the USA as new states. The Northern States wanted these new states to be free states whereas the Southern states wanted them to be slave states.
4. Fear of Republican control — In 1860 Presidential elections, Abraham Lincoln as Republican candidate stood for freedom and emancipation of slaves while Stephen Arnold Douglas, the democratic candidate wanted slavery to continue. The Southerners fearing Lincoln's win decided to quit the Union. The Seven Southern states, namely South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas declared their secession from the Union and established a Southern government, the Confederate States of America on February 9, 1861 and elected Jefferson Davis as its President.

(a) The southern states were primarily agricultural with huge plantations. Thousands of slaves worked in cotton, sugarcane and tobacco plantations. Slaves acted as cheap, convenient and efficient tools for development of the large growing plantations. The slaves had no rights and were not paid wages for their labour. Slaves were bought and sold like a commodity by their masters, treated badly and were made to live in unhygienic conditions. The Economy of Southern States, thus depended on slave labour.

(b) In Sept. 1862, Lincoln issued the Proclamation of Emancipation declaring that if any State continued to rebel till January 1, 1863, it would be presumed that the slaves living in that state were automatically free and their masters had no right over them. Thus, by this Proclamation Lincoln abolished slavery in the areas still in rebellion against the federal government bringing an end to slavery in the USA.

In the Presidential election of 1860, Abraham Lincoln contested as a candidate of the Republicans, and Stephen Arnold Douglas stood as a Democratic candidate. Abraham Lincoln stood for the freedom and emancipation of slaves, while Douglas wanted slavery to continue. The southerners feared that if Lincoln became the President, he would keep his promise to stop the expansion of slavery. Many southerners thought that even if Lincoln did not abolish slavery, northerners would do so and therefore it was time to quit the Union.

Abraham Lincoln's greatest contribution to humanity was the abolition of slavery. In 1862, by his Emancipation Proclamation, he freed all the slaves and set forth an example for other countries to do so. After the Civil War, the citizens of all the states of USA were granted citizenship of the USA and were given equal rights, ensuring life, liberty and property.

The significance of the American Civil War can be summarised as follows:

1. The war put an end to the institution of slavery which had estranged relations between the northern and the southern states of America.
2. The war abolished from American politics, the idea of state sovereignty and secession for all times to come. The war welded the people of the USA into a strong nation.
3. War enhanced the growth of large scale manufacturing industries. New lands were brought under cultivation during the war. Further, due to shortage of labour in these lands, the farmers were compelled to use machines which resulted in reduced labour cost and increased production.
4. The war led to the regulation of the Banking system in the USA. In 1863, the Congress passed the National Banking Act to provide stimulus to the sale of war bonds. It provided great impetus to paper currency and contributed to the growth of nationwide business.
5. The war led to the introduction of a number of new weapons like quick loading rifles, armoured ships, submarines, etc. Rail roads and telegraphs were used for the first time as communication system of warfare.
6. The war inspired other countries of the world to abolish the inhuman practice of slavery and slave trade.

In Sept. 1862, Lincoln issued the Proclamation of Emancipation declaring that if any State continued to rebel till January 1, 1863, it would be presumed that the slaves living in that state were automatically free and their masters had no right over them. Thus, by this Proclamation, Lincoln abolished slavery in the areas still in rebellion against the federal government. The Emancipation Proclamation freed all the slaves and set forth an example for other countries to do so.

Two points of importance in Lincoln's Gettysburg Address were:

1. In this address, Lincoln set before the nation, the task of preserving and upholding the Union dedicated to freedom and democracy.
2. He gave us the famous principle of democracy i.e., the government of the people, by the people, for the people.

Lincoln played a great role in keeping the Nation unified. He strongly advocated the integrity of the USA and refused to give the southern states the right to secede from the union. During his inaugural address, he declared that no state had the right to secede after joining the Union. He also gave the famous principle of democracy, i.e., the government of the people, by the people and for the people.

(a) Senate (Upper House) (b) House of Representatives

(a) Abraham Lincoln (b) Stephen Arnold Douglas

(a) Florida (b) Alabama

(a) In the given picture Abraham Lincoln is signing the Emancipation Proclamation.

(b) The significance of this event in American history lies in the fact that it freed all the slaves and thus abolished slavery from all the parts of the USA.

(c) Abraham Lincoln's greatest contribution to humanity was the abolition of slavery. In 1862, by his Emancipation Proclamation, he freed all the slaves and set forth an example for other countries to do so. After the Civil War, the citizens of all the states of USA were granted citizenship of the USA and were given equal rights, ensuring life, liberty and property.