Causes of American civil war

Sectionalism was the principal cause of the American Civil War, a reality acknowledged in Allan Nevins’ observation that the North and South ‘were rapidly becoming separate peoples’. The financial differences between the north and south due to increasing social, economical and political differentiation resulted in the prominence of slavery as an issue, further dividing the North and South. This sectionalism caused the emergence of the Republican Party with its anti-slavery platform, causing the resultant succession and therefore, ultimately, the war.
Sectionalism was the principal cause of the American Civil war because it was the culmination of the increasing differences in the economic values of the Northern and Southern states. During 1800 there was a clear point of division between the north and the south based on economic realities, making Sectionalism a predominant feature of the country’s political landscape. With the industrialisation of the North and the reluctance of the South to embrace new technology and business methods, a substantive difference in wealth emerged. These differences between the Northern and Sothern economy was highlighted in the Federal tariff of 1828. The tariff of 1828 also called the Tariff of Abominations within the Southern States was passed in order to protect industry within the Northern States as they were being driven out of business by low-priced imported goods. The tariff aimed to protect the Northern industries by taxing these goods. However these taxes harmed the South, forcing them to pay higher prices for goods that their region did not produce, such as manufactured goods. Due to the elevate prices of Southern cotton, the reduction of exported cotton from their region weakened the Southern economy whilst simultaneously enhancing the North’s profitability. The Southerners’ perception that the Federal Government was acting more favourable towards the Northern States, granting them economic advantage over the further