The events of the American Civil War are considered to be the most important events in the history of the United States. Thus, it is crucial to know them in details along with a number of related things including the events leading to the war and the impact of this war on the country and the nation as a whole. In the following paper, the American Civil War causes and effects will be discussed in connection to their importance to general flow of historical development of the country. Overall, it appears that the American Civil War’s causes and effects have a close connection, and are conditioned by the adoption of human freedoms and rights in the US Constitution along with people’s efforts to secure their application in daily life.
Causes
Among the causes of the American Civil War are numerous political, social and economic developments in the country. The most significant of them are the US Constitution creation and 13, 14 and 15 Amendments in particular, compromise of 1850, Dred Scott’s case, and the impact the anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” had on the people of the country. These causes will be discussed in details below.
U.S. Constitution
The adoption of the US Constitution became a powerful accelerator of growing discontents within the society. The more liberal and democratically aspired North became very hostile to the South bathing in its tyranny based on slavery, discrimination and the other impudent practices violating basic human rights and freedoms. The South along with its common practices was a threat for the young and developing state trying to establish its foundations on democratic values (Roark, Johnson, Cohen, Stage and Hartmann 497). Among the most vividly affected categories of people were the enslaved African people along with women who continually suffered from utter discrimination and bias. The two above-mentioned categories of people caused a special atmosphere within the society with its ever-growing political and social tension which eventually led to the outburst of a civil war.
Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 was a bale including five bills dedicated to the efforts to solve the animosities between the North states and the South ones. It included a row of policies regulating varied situations connected to the use of enslaved people’s labor. Thus, the most significant contradictions between the two parts of the country were solved. Due to these series of documents developed by Stephen Douglas and Henry Clay, the secession of civil war was shifted for four years.
Dred Scott
Dred Scott’s case became a resonant precedent in the law practice of the country. Its significance is in being one of the first efforts by African Americans to seek freedom on the basis of newly adopted rights and freedoms established in the US Constitution (Roark et al. 512). Unfortunately, Dred Scott did not manage to acquire freedom for himself, and his family, including his wife and their 2 daughters. However, this resonant case became one of the powerful inspiration ideas behind the efforts of democrats from the North in establishing new orders in the country.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
The novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Harriet Beecher Stowe became another powerful motivation behind the actions of the citizens who wanted to create a new country free from injustice and inhumane practices such as slavery. This novel supports the ideas of liberation and democratic values helping to see how significant it is to conquer such evil practices and human bondage and exploitation.
13,14, and 15th Amendment
The valuable regulations adopted in the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments became some of the most important motivators of those who stood behind the great American Civil War. These Amendments established human rights and freedoms including rights of citizens to vote, to have freedom and prohibited slavery and exploitation.
Effects
The great American Civil War left its numerous traces on the country’s face making it liberal and humane. Among its positive effects are women rights promotion and guaranteeing freedom to African Americans. However, the war also led to numerous additional difficulties in the country. In particular, people who were confident in their ideals of cruelty, exploitation, discrimination, nationalism, etc. found new ways of practicing them. As a result, there appeared such inhumane practices as the politics of segregation and discrimination of African American population. The other forms chosen by the enemies of freedoms and rights for ‘colored’ population of the country became illegal. Among the most terrible and curdling blood of them was Ku Klux Klan formation. Further, some of the most significant effects of the war will be addressed in more details.
Segregation
This offensive politics was directed into separating ‘colored’ population from white people of the country in a variety of public spheres. Segregation can be evaluated as one of the most hurtful inhumane practices in the history of the country.
Ku Klux Klan’s activity
Ku Klux Klan formation became a horror of non-white Americans. These insane people killed peaceful humans in the most terrible ways. The main ideas behind their actions were nationalism, the supremacy of white population and hatred to immigrants. The members of this extremist organization were known for their very unusual and frightening clothing of white robes, white conical headwear and terrifying masks. Their clothing was decorated with red burning crosses in the middle of their bodies.
Freedman’s Bureau
This organization was formed as a helpful establishment purposed for adapting former slaves in the new social situation for them.
Women’s Demands are Met
As one of the most prominent effects of the American Civil War, women’s victory in their fight with discrimination and gender bias can be mentioned. Women inspired by the democratic values established in the newly developed Constitution managed to attain numerous concessions. One of the most inspiring of them was suffrage. In addition, women managed to achieve a lot of important goals in the area of education and employment. In particular, they were allowed to acquire the education and future employment in the area of medicine, business, economics, science and many more.
As a final point, the American Civil War can be mentioned among the most significant and important events in the whole course of the country’s history. In connection to these historical events, their peculiar information including the war’s causes and effects is very important for understanding the main grounds behind the country’s ideals and endeavors. Among the causes of the American Civil war, the most significant are the US Constitution creation and 13, 14 and 15 Amendments in particular, compromise of 1850, Dred Scott’s case, and the impact the anti-slavery novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” had on the people of the country. The most peculiar effects of this war include segregation politics, Ku Klux Klan’s activity emersion, Freedman’s Bureau creation, and significant improvements in the situation of women along with gender discrimination and all sorts of bias women had to face.
Works Cited
Roark, James, Michael Johnson, Patricia Cline Cohen, Sarah Stage and Susan Hartmann. The American Promise, Volume I: To 1877: A History of the United States, 4th ed. The United States: Bedford, 2009. Print.