Sectionalism In The 19th Century

The increase in sectionalism and the tensions that arose from it was surprising to me because I naively assumed the United States was for the most completely united at this point in Antebellum America. The political polarization and its dramatic impact on the political landscape of the 1850s was very interesting to learn about. The creation of two political parties, Democrats and Whigs, really cemented the notion of the divide between North and South. The rise of such parties as the Free-Soil Party and the Know-Nothings, or the American Party, is very reminiscent of today’s political climate. While the undertones of the slavery debate create divides even within political parties, the concerns of the nativist movement shifting towards the immigration
of Catholics in the North is a part of American history that I learned for the first time this week. The country was moving closer and closer to a bloody war as Abraham Lincoln becomes president in 1860. Attempting to be diplomatic in the face of not winning any of the southern states, seeing Lincoln through the eyes of southerners was very interesting. The secession of South Carolina from the Union in December 20, 1860 was inevitable. The lead up to Fort Sumter and the ultimate decision to attack it was not as concrete as I had been taught previously. Once the bombardment began on April 12th, there was no turning back for the South and Lincoln could not continue to be diplomatic in his approach. The call for 75,000 volunteers signals an defining moment in American history, one that will send shockwaves that can still be felt in modern day.