How Did The Civil War Start

A massive 3,809,525 square mile country, on the brink of chaos, torn apart by one issue: slavery. During the antebellum period, in the South of the United States, Africans were slaves that were considered property and could be purchased, traded, and inherited just like any other object. Slaves were denied their basic human rights. Although slavery was almost always a problem in the United States, with the Northerners being abolitionists and Southerners being pro-slavery, there were more events that eventually led to the start of a civil war. The annexation of Sumner and Lincoln’s election increased tensions between the North and South, which ultimately led to the American Civil War. The caning of Sumner was a big reason why the Civil War started.
Brooks had beaten Sumner repeatedly with his cane, causing multiple severe injuries to Sumner’s head and body. The Gazette had stated in an old article that “These cut-throat Southerners will never learn to respect Northern men until someone of their number has a rapier thrust through his ribs, or feels a bullet in his thorax. It is lamentable that such should be the case; but it is not human nature to be trampled on” (Gazette, May 24th, 1856 - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Brooks was not asked to attack Sumner and was able to escape before he was caught. Throughout the country, many people were divided on Brooks’ actions. People who were pro-slavery were totally in support of Brooks and said that Sumner got what he deserved. While abolitionists like Sumner say that Brooks should be found and punished. The Civil War was caused by many reasons, one being the Caning of Sumner because people all across the country were very divided. The presidential election of Abraham Lincoln was one of the main reasons that eventually led to the Civil War because of the dispute between the North and South about