Historiographical Essay: The American Civil War
Historiographical Essay
The American Civil War, a time of bloodshed and unthinkable rivalry between brothers. The great nation that had defeated the British and forced them from their land and had proven their economic value was divided. Historians of today are still trying to unravel the mysteries of the bloodiest time in American history. The division of matters exists today such as it did over 150 years ago when the actual battles raged. Historians argue over almost everything, from the causes to the importance of some battles. Any theory that involves the civil war must first be examined from the starting point; in this case what caused the war.
The first major disagreement is on the causes of the start of the war. Any textbook will …show more content…
The Northern victory tempts historians and readers alike to classify the old South as an un-American aberration. However, historian Susan-Mary Grant has challenged the notion that the antebellum North was nationalistic because of its opposition to slavery. “By the 1850s a stereotyped view of the South and a sense of moral and economic superiority had created a powerful northern sectional identity. Championed by the Republican party, this identity flowered into an exclusionary nationalism in which the South served as a negative reference point for the articulation of ostensibly national values, goals, and identities based on the North’s flattering self-image. This sectionalism-cum-nationalism eventually corroded national ties by convincing northerners that the South represented an internal threat to the nation.”8 If victory in the war concealed northern sectionalism, it was the defense of slavery, coupled with defeat that has distorted our view of American nationalism in the old South.
These debates over the cause of the American Civil War will continue to be meaningful, for we may never know the exact cause. Every new theory or document that is uncovered leads us a step in the right direction. With the knowledge of the central issue(s) the United States can prevent another Civil War from happening – even if the thought seems far-fetched today. When history is known it keeps nations and people alike from letting it
The American Civil War, a time of bloodshed and unthinkable rivalry between brothers. The great nation that had defeated the British and forced them from their land and had proven their economic value was divided. Historians of today are still trying to unravel the mysteries of the bloodiest time in American history. The division of matters exists today such as it did over 150 years ago when the actual battles raged. Historians argue over almost everything, from the causes to the importance of some battles. Any theory that involves the civil war must first be examined from the starting point; in this case what caused the war.
The first major disagreement is on the causes of the start of the war. Any textbook will …show more content…
The Northern victory tempts historians and readers alike to classify the old South as an un-American aberration. However, historian Susan-Mary Grant has challenged the notion that the antebellum North was nationalistic because of its opposition to slavery. “By the 1850s a stereotyped view of the South and a sense of moral and economic superiority had created a powerful northern sectional identity. Championed by the Republican party, this identity flowered into an exclusionary nationalism in which the South served as a negative reference point for the articulation of ostensibly national values, goals, and identities based on the North’s flattering self-image. This sectionalism-cum-nationalism eventually corroded national ties by convincing northerners that the South represented an internal threat to the nation.”8 If victory in the war concealed northern sectionalism, it was the defense of slavery, coupled with defeat that has distorted our view of American nationalism in the old South.
These debates over the cause of the American Civil War will continue to be meaningful, for we may never know the exact cause. Every new theory or document that is uncovered leads us a step in the right direction. With the knowledge of the central issue(s) the United States can prevent another Civil War from happening – even if the thought seems far-fetched today. When history is known it keeps nations and people alike from letting it