& Shi, 2013). Furthermore, the division in the country had encouraged South to secede from the Union due to; economic and social disparities, debates over state and federal rights, slavery issues, and the election of Abraham Lincoln.
Geography has been the most prominent factor for the economic and cultural development of a region (Tindall & Shi, 2013).
Geographically, North and South were very different. Southern society was identical with agricultural and rural compared to the Northern society which had been imposed to the effect of urban-industrial development (480). In 1793, cotton became very profitable for the Southerners. The South relied on the production of cotton and the invention of cotton gin by Eli Whitney to grow its economic (381). Technological breakthrough like the cotton gin also quickened the agricultural development. The concern to grow cotton expanded to other cash crops and cattle and hogs which meant to the demand on large number of cheap labors, as what it called as slaves (485). Meanwhile, the northern grew up its economic was more into industry. One of the industry was a textile industry which processes the raw cotton into the finished goods. The disparity between the two parts in a country in terms of economic strategy was the most critical issues. Despite of focusing on the city life and flexibility as the Northerners did, the Southerners still continued to uphold an antiquated social order. Each had their own culture and beliefs which often incomplatible to other …show more content…
states.
Secondly, going deeper into large number cheap labor demanded by the Southerners, slaves became the only way to survive and grow their economic. Therefore, Southerners supported the convenience of owning slaves and reject the proposals on slavery abolishing (603). According to Calhoun, the eradication of slavery would violate the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution that is, “to deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law” (602). Slavery was belonging to property by this time (602). Bill of Rights becomes the fundamental protection for the eradication of slavery (602). Political tension was raised during the 1850s because the increasing price for slaves determined the wealth of a person and empowered their position in their politics’ seat (602). Slavery was the crucial issue which divided the nation and prompting the South secession. The suggestion form President Polk to extend the Missouri Compromise into the Pacific Ocean brought back the tension (602). In contrast, Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan put forward the “popular sovereignty” or “squatter sovereignty” where the citizens in a territory shall be allowed to regulate their own territory based on their interest (603). Popular Sovereignty was also meant to implicitly restrict the spread of slavery in American territories (603). Many people felt that the new constitution ignored the rights of states to continue to act independently. The states should still have the right to decide if they were willing to accept certain federal acts (603). Webster versus Hayne debate in 1830 resulted in the idea of nullification, whereby the states would have the right to rule federal acts unconstitutional (449). The federal government denied states this right.
Furthermore, as the time passed by, the abolishment movement of slavery grew up.
There were several ways calling for the abolition of slavery in western territory, such as; the Northwest Ordinance and the Missouri Compromise (604). People were getting exhausted dealing with the human’s right abuse through the existence of slavery. Through the establishment of free soil in new territories, people implicitly denied the slaves states existence and label it as the new political party (604). To support the establishment of free soil, several major groups were raised up, such as; rebellious northern Democrats, anti-slavery Whigs, and members of the Liberty party formed in 1840 (604). The Californians in advance before their new President Zachary Taylor regulate anything, also had put a Free State government into their territory even without prior consulting with Congress (608). Followed by several other territories, such as New Mexico, the coast Los Angeles to San Diego (608). In 1850, the tension over morality over the slavery rose again. Anti-slavery members of the House of Representatives proposed the legislation to eradicate slavery meanwhile the rest allowed slavery to exist in the new western territories (608). The South secession had threatened the leaders on the nation. They took granted all the way to encourage the Southerners to change their decision. The Compromise of 1850 was the result of the impassioned debate over slavery which included several elements, consist of;
California joined the Union as a free state, the territories of Texas, New Mexico, and Utah were established without direct reference to slavery, the slave trade was banned in Washington, D.C, a new Fugitive Slave Act was passed which empowered government to be involved in the runaway of slavery (613). Another issue that further increased tensions was the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. The Kansa-Nebraska crisis was the motif behind the releasing act. It created two new territories that would allow the states to use popular sovereignty to determine whether they would be free or slave (618). The real issue occurred in Kansas where pro-slavery Missourians or “Border Ruffians” began to pour into the state to help force it to be slave (622). In 1856, the tension came into violence at Lawrence Kansas which fighting in this event was become a dramatic “Bleeding Kansas” (623). Political area drove people to use physical approach occurred on the floor of the senate when antislavery proponent Charles Sumner was beat over by Preston Brooks, the head of South Carolina’s Senator (626). People thought this action was insane and improper so that he lost sympathize from people. Northerners changed their politics’ direction into new Republican Party (626). The Republicans had more dominant power in northern politics which supported by Democrats, former Whigs, and members of “Know Nothings” (639). At the convention, Abraham Lincoln was nominated in presidential election. People believed that Lincoln was an anti-slavery (639). The Republicans win the election so Abraham Lincoln was elected to be a president (640). As a response to Lincoln’s election, Southerners convinced that the only solution was to seceded because they believe that Lincoln would be in favor of Northerners interests (641). Soon after the event in 1861, South Carolina legislature called for a state secession convention (641). Followed by other states in February 1, 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas (642).
In conclusion, differences in terms of economic and social beteween North and South rose up debates over the countries due to disparities of ways to grow their economic ad sustain their living. However, the most critical issues that drive Southerners to secessed was slavery debates which Southerners in favor to protect and sustain slavery. When the Democrats splitted into factions also contributed to the Secession since Abraham Lincoln who presumed to be a slavery abolinist. Southerner