Conflict Leads to Crisis:
The Causes of the U.S. Civil War
Conflict Between the
North and South
• After the
Revolutionary War,
conflicts (problems)
arose between the
northern and
southern states.
• 3 main issues that
the states disagreed
on were:
– States’ rights
– Slavery
– Economic differences
States’ Rights
• States’ rights is the
belief that each state
should make its own
decisions on issues.
(slavery was the main
issue)
Slavery: A Major Issue
• During this time, new states were being
created on the land that was part of the
Louisiana Territory.
• The North wanted these new states to be
“free states” – no slavery allowed.
• The South wanted these new states to be
“slave states” – slavery allowed.
Slavery: A Major Issue
• The slavery issue divided the North and
the South more than any other.
• Many southern whites were afraid that
their plantations would go out of business
if slavery ended.
• By 1860, all of the northern states had
outlawed slavery.
Two Different Economies
- economy - the use of resources, money,
and goods to meet people’s wants and
needs.
- The North and the South had very different
economies. This led to conflict between
these two areas of the country!
The Northern Economy
• It was industrialized –
this means the North
had many factories
and produced goods.
• The North had many
railroads so it could
transport the goods
made in its factories.
The Southern Economy
• It was based on
agriculture (farming).
• The huge plantations
and farms relied on
slaves to do the work.
• The South had some
factories and
railroads, but not
nearly as many as the
North.
The Fight For Freedom:
Nat Turner’s Revolt
• Nat Turner was a Virginia
slave who led a revolt
against plantation owners
in Virginia.
• Turner and a group of
slaves began killing
plantation owners in
Virginia!
• Turner and his group
were caught and hanged
for their actions!
The Fight for Freedom:
John Brown’s Raid
• John Brown was a
white man who was
against slavery.
• He led a raid on the
United States Armory
(Arsenal) at Harpers
Ferry, Virginia. (Now
West Virginia)
The Fight for Freedom:
John Brown’s Raid
• He was trying to take
the guns and
ammunitions stored at
the armory so he could
arm (give weapons to)
the slaves and lead a
slave rebellion.
• John Brown’s raid was
unsuccessful and he
was captured and
hanged!
The Fight for Freedom:
Abolition
• Abolition – to do away
with something.
• Abolitionists were
people who wanted to
do away with slavery.
• Abolitionists helped
slaves runaway from
their “masters” and
get to places where
slavery was against
the law.
Harriet Tubman and the
“Underground Railroad”
• Harriet Tubman, an
escaped slave,
helped hundreds of
slaves escape the
South.
• The Underground
Railroad was a secret
route that enslaved
African Americans
took to gain their
freedom.
Harriet Tubman and the
“Underground Railroad”
• Stations – homes of
people who hid
runaway slaves.
• Conductors – people
who were guides to
the runaway slaves
on their journey to
freedom.
Harriet Tubman and the
“Underground Railroad”
• This was dangerous
work.
• The most famous
conductor of the
Underground Railroad
was Harriet Tubman.
Things Get Worse Between the
North and the South
• Abraham Lincoln was
elected president in
1860.
• Lincoln wanted to
keep slavery from
spreading into the
new states.
• Many southerners felt
strongly that it was up
to each state to
decide about slavery.
Things Get Worse Between the
North and the South
• Because of slavery, states’ rights, and the
economic differences between the North
and the South, they were unable to
resolve their conflicts (problems).
• Seven southern states decide to secede
(leave) the U.S. after Lincoln is elected as
president.
The Confederate States of America
• These 7 states
formed the
Confederate States of
America. (C.S.A.)
• Jefferson Davis was
elected president of
the new country.
(C.S.A.)
Virginia Decides to Secede
• Virginia seceded from
the Union in April
1861.
• Later that month, the
Confederate Army
took control of Fort
Sumter (A Union fort)
in South Carolina.
The Road to War!
• President Lincoln
asked for volunteers
from the Union (the
North) to retake Fort
Sumter.
• This was the
beginning of the U.S.
Civil War.