Civil War

Civil War
When comparing the American Civil War to many of the United States’ other wars, some key differences can be observed. One standout quality to the Civil War was the sluggish buildup towards war, which contrasts to the overnight decision that American officials made to join World War II after the Pearl Harbor attack. This brings up the question, “what caused the slow start to the Civil War and who is the most to blame?” The answer to the first question is easiest – slavery. There is no doubt that the differing opinions on slavery between the north and the south were the major sources of conflict. The latter question, however, is much more controversial and problematic to solve. For more than a century, historians have been bickering over who can be blamed most for the Civil War. Though many would say Abraham Lincoln is this person, his role in the start to the Civil War just appears to be the final straw in the buildup of tensions that happened over many years. The person who can be blamed most was reportedly referenced by Abraham Lincoln himself as, “the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.” This woman is Harriet Beecher Stowe. Through the use of her powerful novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe became the greatest catalyst to the start of the American Civil War.

One myth about the north that most people assume to be true is that the north was predominately against slavery. Even though the north was known for its industry in manufacturing and not agriculture, many northerners still saw black people as inferiors and opposed their equality in America. It was when Stowe published Uncle Tom’s Cabin that the abolitionist movement took flight in the north. By writing about the effect that slavery had on black families, she personalized slaves and spurred the abolitionist movement in a way that a news report on a true story could not. This major culture shift swept the nation, causing different effects in different regions. In...