Andrew Case
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There were several causes of the Civil War, but the most damaging, and the most contributing factor towards the civil war would be economics and the issues of states rights. The protective tariffs passed in 1828 and 1832 caused great tension between the north and the south, mostly due to the secession of the South, and Lincolns attempt to keep them within the Union. This issue brought the question of states rights.
During the years of 1828-1832, Congress passed a string of protective tariffs on foreign goods imported from the other parts of the world, in order to protect the Northern Industry and its domestic producers. This forced foreigners, or aliens with the U.S. to pay a tax on what they sell, so in order to make a profit, they must ask for a price higher than they paid. While the foreigners would raise their prices, the Northerners would make locally manufactured goods and sell them for lower prices, which en violated. So while the foreigners remain to settle amongst the North, the demands for their products increased, while the southern industry would be failing due to no demands, and would depend would make their deal a lot more attractive, therefore causing an influx of purchases towards the Northern economy. The south felt cheated by this because they had little industry, and because buying foreigners items would be too expensive, they would purchase the northern products, which was almost equally as expensive. Either way, the south felt abused, feeling that their rights have be on Northern capitalists for further improvements. (Document C)
Although the North was leading industry, the South still had the power of Cotton. “Cotton is King,” (Document D) Cotton was still the primary source, or cash crop of the South, and it would have remained that way if it were not for the North. The North, already on its way towards abolitionist movements, disproved the southern way of creating income. Slavery, in itself, was not a prime benefactor towards the Civil War, but an additional component to the Southern Economy. Southerners made their way of living through cotton, and that is what based their economy. They felt threatened, because the North wanted the south to free the slaves, their slaves. This caused tension because to eliminate slavery within the south would be to eliminate or postpone the Souths way of income. And this caused problems. “No power on earth dares to make war upon it. Cotton is King.” (Document D)
After the tension was created between the North and the South, states rights came up as a problem caused by the economic tensions. The main discussion was that, “a State, as a party to the constitutional compact, has the right to secede-” (Document E). The south claimed that the constitution gave them the right to secede, and that Lincoln was violating their states rights. Lincolns argument was that it was his job to preserve