1. Causes of the Civil War II
U.S./Texas View Point

2. The issues that tore our nation apart.
Causes of the Civil War
The issues that tore our nation apart.

3. Prior to the Civil War, the United States was not really united.
North
South
Our country was more like two separate countries sharing the same land.

4. North
South

5. States Rights
States had the right not to follow laws passed by Congress with which they disagreed
This attitude promoted Sectionalism as people focused on what benefits them and their region, not on the US as a whole

6. Why did the North not have large plantations?
Slavery
Southern economy was based on plantation agriculture which relied on slavery
Northern economy had small farms but relied more on the growing industry
Why did the North not have large plantations?

7. Slavery
Northern states had abolished slavery by 1860 but southern states feared it would be an end to their way of life
Why did Southern plantation owners think their way of life would end if slavery was abolished?

8. Slavery Republican Party-arose during the 1850’s mainly in the North
Most Republicans opposed the spread of slavery to new territories
A small group of Republicans wanted to abolish it
Southerners thought that a majority of Republicans shared that thought
That led to Southerners fearing that if the Republicans gained control they would abolish slavery

9. Tariffs – TAXATION!!!!
Republican Party supported raising tariffs on imported goods
North had a lot of manufacturing so high tariffs would benefit them by forcing consumers to buy local
South had little manufacturing and imported most of the goods it consumed so high tariffs would hurt them economically

10. Texas
States’ Rights ???????
Sam Houston was against secession, he saw enough bloodshed during the Texas Revolution and felt the South could not win
Many Texans supported the secession especially those in the East and South
Those in the North and West did not really use slave labor so they were against secession
Houston refused to call a convention but one was called with most delegates there in favor (those who did not want secession felt this was an illegal convention and did not attend)

11. Texas Secession Convention
January 28, 1861 members of the Texas Secession Convention wrote and then adopted the Ordinance of Secession
It claimed the US Government abused its power by deliberately trying to interfere with the interests of Texas and that Texas had the sovereign right to free itself

12. Texas Secession Convention
February 23, 1861 they approved succession from the Union by a vote of 46,153 to 14,747
They then took an oath to allegiance of which Sam Houston refused, he was then striped of his Governorship
March 2, 1861 Texas is accepted into the Confederacy

13. War Begins
In early 1861 the Confederate States seized US arsenals, forts, and navy yards but US Troops at Fort Sumter in South Carolina refused to hand over the fort
April 12, 1861 Confederate troops fired upon the fort; the next day US troops surrendered the fort and left
The Civil War had begun
Virginia, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina then joined the Confederacy

15. 1. Slavery 2. Sectionalism 3. States’ rights 4. Election of 1860
Let’s review the main causes of the Civil War:
1. Slavery
South
North
2. Sectionalism
3. States’ rights
United States Law
4. Election of 1860
5. Secession