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What is now known as the United States, wasn’t always the great nation it is today. It took years of conflicts and battles to unite the states that make up the whole country.
Ideological differences
The Civil War started in 1861 due to the tensions between northern and southern states. The main problem was they both had different ideologies. The northern states, better known as “The Union”, stood against slavery, they thought it was something inhumane and denigrating. Their economy was constantly developing, as they started modernizing and investing in the industrial sector. During this period new transportation methods, such as railroads were applied. There was also an improvement in communication with the telegraph. The North’s objective was to keep on developing. On the other hand, the southern states, also known as “The Confederates” were in favor of slavery, which was very convenient for them considering the fact that their economy was based on farming. Slaves were their main labour force. It was very conservative and therefore stood against the North’s ideas, due to this, the tensions kept growing.
The beginning of a war
When Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, declaring he would completely prohibit slavery, seven southern states seceded and formed the Confederacy. On March 11, 1861, members of this group agreed on their own constitution, now known as “The Dixie Constitution”, in which Jefferson Davis was declared President. On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces attacked Fort Sumter, in South Carolina, firing the first shots of the Civil War. After two days, the North surrendered and the Confederates took the Fort.
One nation
Different battles were being fought, as the Union continued to gain victories. The thing is, union soldiers used rifles, which were more efficient than Confederate muskets. In 1862, the battles of Gettysburg and Antietam took place, meaning the Union was even closer to victory. By 1864, the Union established the “total war” strategy, which consisted in destroying the Old South, in order to get rid of their traditional ideology and restore the Union. After many bloody battles, in 1965 confederate armies surrendered, and the birth of a new free-slave nation took place.
Despite the fact that the abolition of slavery took place on 1963, the country still struggles to fight this issue. As time has passed many violations to people’s freedoms have taken place, and continue to happen.
American Civil War:
a Divided Nation