Introduction
Few historical events have had more influence on the formation of American national identity than the Civil War. It was a time during which citizens of the United States had to decide whether the economic benefits of slavery were worth the staggering moral cost. While the armed conflict took place in 1861-1865, it was during the 1850s that the tensions grew. Several important occurrences influenced the positions the Union and the Confederacy would eventually take. The publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, the Fugitive Slave Act, and the election of Abraham Lincoln as the president of the United States were the most important events of the 1850s that contributed to the fate of the Union.
Main text
While somewhat controversial by modern standards, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a revolutionary bestseller at the time of its publication. It has bolstered the popularity of the abolition movement and changed the public sentiment from indifference to sincere sympathy for the plight of the slaves. Scholars are always more likely to examine the influence of political leaders and social movements on history, but art is a similarly powerful tool for change. Even Abraham Lincoln acknowledged the role the book played in the history of the Union. He claimed it was the impetus for starting the Civil War. Modern readers find the subservient, idealized portrayal of the main character to be problematic. However, it is crucial to evaluate Uncle Tom’s Cabin from the point of view of its contemporaries who first saw black people as human and deserving of rights on the pages of the book.
Nevertheless, inspiration from art is nothing without direct action, which came in opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act of 1950. In the 19th century, black men and women escaped enslavement by reaching the North. However, the law allowed the owners to reclaim their property, with local authorities powerless to stop them (Foner 495). The decision escalated the tensions, as even those indifferent to the abolitionist movement felt that the government was pandering to the Southerners and encroaching on the ability of states to set their legislation. Canada became the prime destination for fugitives, which affected Americans’ self-perceptions as harbingers of freedom (Foner 495). In the end, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1950 motivated the Union to challenge the status quo and declare war.
Despite the mounting tension, it was not until the election of Abraham Lincoln as the president of the United States that abolition transformed from a popular movement into direct action. Lincoln entered the political fray due to his firm conviction that slavery was morally reprehensible, though he was initially only focused on curbing its expansion (Foner 506). Both of his campaigns prioritized abolition and support of the Union. Nevertheless, slave-owning Southerners were afraid of the threat Lincoln’s presidency posed to their free labor resource. The election triggered the secession movement and led to the eventual fracture of the Union.
Conclusion
The events of the 1850s induced Southern secession from the Union and the start of the Civil War. The publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin changed the public sentiment regarding slavery, while the Fugitive Slave Act of 1950 gave abolitionists clear goals. Lastly, Abraham Lincoln’s election provided the movement with a leader and triggered the secession of the Southern states. Together, these three events were the most historically significant contributors to the collapse of the Union.
References
Foner, E. (2016). Give me liberty! An American history (5th ed., Vol. 1). W. W. Norton & Company.