1. CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR
Sectionalism
Tariffs
Slavery
States Rights

2. Sectionalism When people are more concerned with
the good of their region
than the good of the
entire country.

3. The North Economy based on industry Used cheap immigrant labor
Sectionalism
Used cheap immigrant labor

4. The South
Economy based on agriculture
Used slave labor
Sectionalism

5. Examples of Sectionalism: Compromise of 1850
Allowed the new territories gained from Mexico to choose if they want slavery or not.
Settled the dispute over Texas’ borders.
Included the “Fugitive Slave Act” which required citizens to return escaped slaves.
Sectionalism

6. Examples of Sectionalism: Kansas – Nebraska Act
Allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders
Sectionalism

7. Balance of Power in Congress Shifts
As the population grew in
the North, so did its
political power
The North now was able
to pass laws that helped
the North but hurt the South
This made the South feel like their government
was no longer working for them
Sectionalism

8. Tariffs
The north supported tariffs (taxes) which raise prices on imports & benefited the North’s industrial economy.

9. Tariffs
The South felt the high tariffs would destroy their economy which depended on foreign trade & slave labor.

10. Slavery Only a very small percentage of Southerners owned slaves.
Its supporters felt that it was an economic issue, not a moral issue.
Many of people who disagreed with it still felt that abolishing it would
destroy the Southern economy.
Many Southerners felt that the North had no right to claim
the moral high ground because of how immigrant
laborers were treated in Northern factories.

12. State Rights
The debate between the North (Republicans) and the South (Democrats) led to another argument over State rights.

13. STATES RIGHTS VS STRONG FEDERAL GOV’T.
The Southern states felt that they had the right to leave the
Union and choose its own government.
The Northern states felt that all of the states had signed a contract
when the US Constitution was agreed on, and that no state had the
power to leave.
States Rights

14. Election of 1860: The Trigger Event
Lincoln won the
election even
though he did
not win a single
Southern state

15. Southern States Leave the Union
With Northern politicians in control of The Congress and the
White House, Southern states begin to leave the Union.
S. Carolina:   Dec. 20, 1860 Mississippi:    Jan. 9, 1861 Florida:          Jan.10, 1861 Alabama:       Jan.11, 1861 Georgia:         Jan. 19, 1861 Louisiana:      Jan. 26, 1861 Texas:             Feb. 1, 1861         Virginia:         April 17, 1861 Arkansas:       May 6, 1861        N. Carolina:   May 20, 1861 Tennessee:      June 8, 1861

16. Southern States Seize Federal Property
Southern leaders believe forts in their states are theirs to have
Northern leaders consider this an act of war against the United States

17. At Fort Sumter in South Carolina, Federal troops refuse to surrender their post.
On April 12, 1861, Confederate artillery fired on Fort Sumter.
The Civil War Begins