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The Immediate Causes of the Civil War

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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.

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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.

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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

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Abe Lincoln • 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)

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Secession• 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

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Secession• War began on April 12, 1861 as

Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina