Question

Break down the causes (specific events) of the Civil War. Argue which conflict you think had the greatest impact on leading the country into the Civil War--why did you choose that conflict? How was this cause impacted by the other examples we studied?

Must be 7 to 12 sentences

Answer 1

The Civil War was caused by several key events, but the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 had the greatest impact, prompting the secession of seven Southern states. This symbolized the larger national struggle between North and South over state's rights and slavery.

Step-by-step explanation:

Several key events led to the Civil War, including the Election of 1860, the Fugitive Slave Act, the Dred Scott Decision, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. However, I believe the greatest impact resulted from the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 which prompted the immediate secession of seven Southern states who feared his stance against slavery expansion would damage their economic reliance on the institution. This act was the tipping point because it embodied the questions of state rights and slavery, two contentious subjects that were at stake in other examples we studied like the Fugitive Slave issue and the status of slavery in new territories as decided by the aforementioned acts. Each conflict amplified the other, culminating at Lincoln's election which became a direct symbol of the national struggle between North and South.

Learn more about Causes of the Civil War