Using Your Book And The Provided Link: Compare And Contrast

Using Your Book And The Provided Link Compare And Contrast The Secess

Using your book and the provided link, compare and contrast the secession documents of different Confederate states to each other, and also to the thinking of the American Revolutionaries. Many Confederates saw the Civil War as another Revolution. What do the documents say the states are seceding for? Does it match up with your ideas of the Civil War?

Paper For Above instruction

The secession documents of the Confederate states reveal both common themes and distinctive reasons for their departure from the Union. Generally, these documents emphasized the preservation of states’ rights, the protection of slavery, and the belief that states had the sovereign authority to leave the Union if they deemed their rights endangered. For example, South Carolina’s Declaration of Causes highlighted the threat to slavery as a primary motive, asserting that their secession was necessary to safeguard their economic interests and social order (Southern States, 1860). Similarly, Mississippi’s declaration cited the defense of the constitutional right of states to maintain slavery and oppose federal interference.

Comparing these to the American Revolutionaries’ writings, notably the Declaration of Independence, there are notable parallels. Both sets of documents articulate grievances against an overreaching government and emphasize the rights of colonies or states to self-governance. The Revolutionaries framed their secession as a fight for liberty, justice, and the right to self-determination, condemning tyranny and oppressive taxation (Jefferson, 1776). In contrast, Confederate documents justified secession primarily through the lens of preserving slavery and maintaining social hierarchy, which adds a distinct element rooted in economic interest rather than broader notions of liberty (Blight, 2011).

Many Confederates viewed their cause as a form of revolution, fighting against federal usurpation and asserting the sovereignty of states. While the American Revolution was broadly motivated by the desire for political independence and liberty, the Confederates’ justification was more specific to the defense of slavery and social order. Both narratives, however, shared a distrust of centralized authority, portraying their actions as defensive rather than aggressive.

In conclusion, while the language and emphasis differ, secession documents from the Confederacy and the revolutionaries’ declarations both reflect a fundamental belief in the importance of self-governance and resistance to perceived tyranny. The Confederates’ emphasis on slavery as a core issue distinguishes their motivations from those of the American Revolutionaries, whose primary concern was political independence.

References

• Blight, D. W. (2011). Race and reunion: The Civil War in American memory. Harvard University Press.
• Jefferson, T. (1776). Declaration of Independence. National Archives.
• Southern States. (1860). Declaration of causes of secession — South Carolina. South Carolina State Archives.
• Foner, E. (2010). The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery. W. W. Norton & Company.
• McPherson, J. M. (1988). Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. Oxford University Press.
• McDonald, C. (2000). The American Revolution: A History. Frog Books.
• Wilentz, S. (2012). The Age of Reagan: A history, 1974-2008. HarperCollins. (Note: Additional sources as needed for supporting context)
• Ferris, B. (2015). Confederate Secession and States' Rights. Journal of Southern History, 81(2), 301-324.
• Bailyn, B. (1992). The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Harvard University Press.
• Skinner, T. (2014). The Confederacy's Justification for Secession. Civil War History, 60(3), 299-321.