The Immediate Causes of the Civil War

1. The Immediate Causes of the Civil War

2. Fundamental vs. Immediate • As we discussed in the last unit, fundamental causes develop over a long time. • The differences between the North and the South over economics, states’ rights, and slavery grew over many years. • Immediate causes come into being just before the major event occurs.

3. Harper’s Ferry • There had long been talk in the South of slave revolts • Southerners had done everything in their power to snuff such revolts out.

4. Harper’s Ferry - John Brown, an abolitionist, led an ill-fated raid on the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia in hopes of stirring up a slave revolt • Raid brought Southern fears to life • Created almost instant paranoia among slave owners in the South

5. An unknown from Illinois who was elected President without winning a single southern state (He did not even campaign in the south) He was a Republican (party had many policies opposed to southern political positions) He spoke of ‘containing’ slavery He also stated that America could not continue as a nation half-free and half-slave (this provoked many southerners toward secession) Abe Lincoln

6. After Lincoln’s election, southern states began secession proceedings South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida and Alabama were among the first to secede from the Union. Lincoln vowed to ‘preserve’ the Union Secession

7. Secession • War began on April 12, 1861 as Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina