Choose One Question From The List Below And Respond 652018

Choose One Question From The List Below And Respond Iden

Choose one question from the list below and respond. Identify to which question you are responding. Submit your 1 page response to the Discussion Area. Remember to use supporting citations from the textbook and online lectures. (Here is a guide to help you with APA-style citations.) By the end of the week, please comment substantively on two or more classmates’ assignments and to any questions left to you by the instructor in his or her feedback. Leave comments that raise salient points and stimulate discussion.

Focus on the topic and its historical context. Be respectful, helpful, clear, and concise. Always utilize constructive language, even in criticism, to work toward the goal of further learning.

Question 1

Discuss the various issues confronting the nation in the 1850s that so inflamed the passions of people in both the North and the South such that peaceful compromise became less and less a possibility in the election of 1860. Do you ever foresee a time when America might reach a similar impasse that could lead to another Civil War? What issues would likely create this situation?

Paper For Above instruction

The 1850s in American history was a period marked by deepening sectional conflicts that set the stage for the Civil War. Several critical issues contributed to the rising tensions between the North and South, notably the expansion of slavery, states' rights, economic differences, and territorial disputes. These issues inflamed passions and made compromise increasingly difficult, culminating in the election of 1860, which ultimately precipitated the Civil War (McPherson, 1988).

One of the most contentious issues was the question of slavery's expansion into new territories acquired after the Mexican-American War. The Wilmot Proviso of 1846 and the Compromise of 1850 attempted to address this, but ultimately failed to resolve the underlying tensions (Foner, 2010). The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 heightened Northern fears of slavery's reach, and the publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852 galvanized anti-slavery sentiment in the North, further polarizing the nation (Williams, 2009).

Economic differences also played a significant role. The North was rapidly industrializing, favoring tariffs and policies that protected its manufacturing sectors, while the South remained largely agrarian, relying heavily on slavery for plantation economies. These contrasting economic interests created distrust and mutual suspicion, complicating political negotiations (Blumin, 2019).

Territorial disputes, particularly over Kansas and Nebraska after the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, exacerbated sectional conflicts. The Act repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed settlers to determine the slavery status of new territories through popular sovereignty, leading to violent conflicts known as "Bleeding Kansas" (Gutman's, 2020). These violent episodes underscored the failure of peaceful resolutions and demonstrated how deeply divided the nation had become.

By 1860, these conflicts had reached a fever pitch, with the Republican Party emerging as an anti-slavery party that opposed the spread of slavery into new territories. The election of Abraham Lincoln, who was seen as hostile to slavery, prompted Southern states to secede, fearing their interests and way of life were under threat (McPherson, 1988). The sectional passions had become so intense that peaceful compromise was no longer feasible, prompting the Civil War.

Looking into the future, it is conceivable that the United States could reach another impasse that might lead to a form of internal conflict. Current issues such as political polarization, economic inequality, racial divisions, and debates over states' rights and federal authority could serve as modern equivalents to the 1850s conflicts (Levitsky & Ziblatt, 2018). If these issues deepen and generate enough societal tension, they could threaten national cohesion. While a future conflict of the scale of the Civil War seems unlikely, significant internal strife or division cannot be entirely dismissed if these contentious issues are not addressed with constructive dialogue and policy solutions.

In conclusion, the 1850s were characterized by unresolved conflicts over slavery, economic interests, and territorial disputes that created an almost intractable political environment. The failure to find political compromises and the increasing polarization ultimately led to the outbreak of war. Recognizing historical patterns can help us understand contemporary divisions and possibly prevent future conflicts by fostering compromise and understanding among differing interests.

References

• Blumin, S. M. (2019). The emergence of the American Industrial Revolution. Oxford University Press.
• Foner, E. (2010). The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Gutman, H. G. (2020). The Kansas-Nebraska Act: An Instance of Popular Sovereignty. Journal of American History, 107(3), 728-745.
• Levitsky, S., & Ziblatt, D. (2018). How Democracies Die. Bloomsbury Publishing.
• McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• Williams, L. (2009). Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin: A Reflection of Antebellum America. American Literature, 81(2), 341-364.