The American Civil War’s Causes and Effects

Introduction

When doing my research, there were some facts I found especially compelling. To begin with, I was amazed by the information that the first murder in this war happened completely by accident: Pvt. Daniel Hough died from a discharge from a cannon that was firing a salute.¹ Second, although this is a well-known fact, I am still amazed at how long the process of abolishing slavery was, considering that it was originally one of the goals of the civil war. Third, neither side was rich enough to afford the war, so they had to borrow money.² Then, it is rather interesting that a vast part of all deaths was due to diseases like pneumonia, malaria, typhoid fever, and dysentery.³ Finally, the American Civil War was the bloodiest one in U.S history.

The Most Essential Information for the Class to Learn

The most crucial information about the civil war is its causes and effects since without learning them, it is impossible to understand this event. While there were many causes of the war, the main ones were to decide about slavery (since not everyone wanted to abolish it) and define the states’ rights.⁴ As for the effects, the civil war resulted in the confirmation of the U.S. single political entity, establishment of freedom, elimination of slavery, and creation of a centralized federal government.

Sources and Limitations

For this research, I used two credible sources. One of them was a website that belongs to a charitable organization known as the American Battlefield Trust.⁵ It focuses on preserving the facts and educating people about the War of 1812, the American Civil War, and the Revolutionary War. The information provided on their website was insightful, interesting, and useful for the paper. It was especially helpful that the facts were provided in the Question-Answer form, and searching for a specific point was simplified. The limitation of this source is that it does not provide any references. As for the second source, I used a textbook by Parish.⁶ There were many explanations and references, and I did not find any limitations.

Significance of the Civil War

To draw a conclusion, I would like to provide several reasons why I consider this topic valuable and significant enough to be explored. First of all, it is necessary to admit that this war was a unique event that changed the lives of millions of people. Being unparalleled in the history of the U.S., the civil war simultaneously became a disaster and a new birth of the desired freedom. People fought for their rights and liberty, and many of them were ready to sacrifice their lives in order to ensure better circumstances for their families. This is the main reason why everyone needs to remember about the American Civil War, study the facts about it, and at least mentally honor the memory of its victims.

Second of all, it should be noticed that history is cyclical. Many people believe that if society forgets about some lessons from the past, these mistakes will be repeated, and the events may become even more terrible. Therefore, in order not to allow anything similar to happen in the future, humans need to remember. Finally, thanks to the civil war, Americans managed to end slavery, and the United States was defined as a nation. I would like the class to learn that it was a rather controversial event and a significant turning point in our history.

Bibliography

“Civil War Facts.” American Battlefield Trust. Web.

Parish, Peter J. The American Civil War. Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2020.

Footnotes

1. Peter J. Parish, The American Civil War (Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2020), 218.
2. Parish, The American Civil War, 361.
3. Parish, 112.
4. “Civil War Facts,” American Battlefield Trust, Web.
5. “Civil War Facts.”
6. Parish, The American Civil War.