Could Reconstruction Have Been More Successful
History Term Paper
Jack Conway
Mr. Hilgendorf
February 25, 2013
Word Count: 3234
Reconstruction: Rebuilding America
The United States was founded on the belief that every man has “certain inalienable Rights.” Not until ninety years later, however, when slavery was abolished did the United States actually offer these “Rights” to all of its citizens. The 19th century was turbulent time of stress and change for America. One of the most controversial dilemmas was the issue of slavery. Slavery was conceived by many to be morally wrong, and it undermined America’s most valued beliefs. Despite this inconsistency, slavery was still widely supported and permitted out of economic necessity in the South.
Slavery divided the nation in half. The economy of the South was primarily agricultural production on plantations. This form of economy made slavery vital to the state of the South. In the North, The economy was primarily industrial, which eliminated the dependency on slavery much earlier. Because of the vastly different economic bases of these two regions, their culture and views of the world begin to shift apart. On top of economic dissimilarities, conflict between the North and the South grew because of cultural and political differences. After the first openly anti-slave president, Abraham Lincoln, was elected, the South eventually seceded from the Union launching the American Civil War. The South fought to become its own nation while the North fought to bring the nation back.
Eventually, because of a significantly larger population, more supplies, and superior logistics, the North won and the South was forced back into the Union. Both sides were hurt badly by the war, losing a substantial number of people and resources. The South was left in a state of total destruction ranging from lawlessness to austere military regimes, forcing it into economic hardship. The transition from slavery to free labor was far from smooth. The goal of
Jack Conway
Mr. Hilgendorf
February 25, 2013
Word Count: 3234
Reconstruction: Rebuilding America
The United States was founded on the belief that every man has “certain inalienable Rights.” Not until ninety years later, however, when slavery was abolished did the United States actually offer these “Rights” to all of its citizens. The 19th century was turbulent time of stress and change for America. One of the most controversial dilemmas was the issue of slavery. Slavery was conceived by many to be morally wrong, and it undermined America’s most valued beliefs. Despite this inconsistency, slavery was still widely supported and permitted out of economic necessity in the South.
Slavery divided the nation in half. The economy of the South was primarily agricultural production on plantations. This form of economy made slavery vital to the state of the South. In the North, The economy was primarily industrial, which eliminated the dependency on slavery much earlier. Because of the vastly different economic bases of these two regions, their culture and views of the world begin to shift apart. On top of economic dissimilarities, conflict between the North and the South grew because of cultural and political differences. After the first openly anti-slave president, Abraham Lincoln, was elected, the South eventually seceded from the Union launching the American Civil War. The South fought to become its own nation while the North fought to bring the nation back.
Eventually, because of a significantly larger population, more supplies, and superior logistics, the North won and the South was forced back into the Union. Both sides were hurt badly by the war, losing a substantial number of people and resources. The South was left in a state of total destruction ranging from lawlessness to austere military regimes, forcing it into economic hardship. The transition from slavery to free labor was far from smooth. The goal of
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