Differences Between North And South Dbq

In the early nineteenth century, American politicians chose to avoid the growing sectionalism between the industrial, free North and the agricultural, slave-driven South. They came up with all sorts of treaties and compromises to stall the rising conflict. Unfortunately, during the 1820s-1860s, Americans were no longer able to prevent conflict due to ideological differences between the North and South and the threat of secession in the South.
Ever since the North started industrializing, the North and South have had divided ideological beliefs and cultures. Up until 1860, the government was always able to think up a compromise to satisfy the needs of both. At first, the North only did not want slavery to expand into new territories due to the

The South was very threatened by this movement. Pro-slavery Southerners and abolitionists detested each other and refused to compromise with each others beliefs. In the “Declaration of the National Anti-Slavery Convention”, it states, “every American citizen who retains a human being in involuntary bondage as his property is (according to scripture) a MAN STEALER” (doc B). This quote illustrates how Northern abolitionists were extremely critical about anyone owning slaves and even implies that it is a sin to have slaves. The need of balance in the government and insistent extremists lead to many violent outbreaks. In 1854, the Kansas Nebraska Act was passed to keep both sides content through popular sovereignty. But the failed attempt to create momentary peace only lead to violence between extremists and within the government. Abolitionists and Southerners both migrated to Kansas trying to sway the vote in their direction, but it only ends in violent outbreaks and death. In document E, the image displays how the sectional tensions rose to violent level in the Senate, when Republican Senator Charles Sumner is beaten with a cane on the senate floor by Democratic Rep. Preston Brooks. Even the

The tariff negatively affected the South’s economy and positively impacted the North’s economy which added tension between the two regions. Senator Henry Clay speaks of how ridiculous the idea is, by stating in his speech, “she [South Carolina] can defeat the execution of certain laws of the United States, I for one, will express my opinion that I believe it is utterly impracticable…”(doc A). The idea of a state seceding from the nation impacted the later monumental threat of secession by many Southern states in 1860. In Document H, the presidential election of 1860 map shows how divided the country was. Most of the North and Western states voted for Lincoln while the Southern states were divided between Breckinridge and Douglas.The Southern states were immensely opposed to having an whig, abolitionist president, Lincoln, that they warned of secession if he won the election. Senator Daniel Webster notes in his speech to Senate, “Secession! Peaceable Secession! Sir, your eyes and mine are never destined to see that miracle” (doc D). The South was insistent on signing no more compromises to further unionize them to the United States. Secession, seen in the eyes of Lincoln, was a form of treason and was not letting the South get away with that. Nor did President