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re: Do you think the Civil War was started over slavery?
Posted on 2/12/15 at 5:34 pm to stevengtiger
Posted on 2/12/15 at 5:34 pm to stevengtiger
quote:
To sum it up, it was about money not skin color.
It's a common misconception that the North cared about the slaves themselves. Abolitionists were the only anti-slavery people who opposed it for moral reasons. Many Northern anti-slavery proponents were against slavery because they were white supremacists. They didn't want Africans in America and they feared if slavery was allowed in Western territories that Mexicans would be used as slaves.
2
Posted on 2/12/15 at 5:45 pm to Stonehog
quote:
They didn't want Africans in America and they feared if slavery was allowed in Western territories that Mexicans would be used as slaves
And westerners had already tried forcing native americans into the role, but they weren't hardy enough (from an immune system standpoint).
Posted on 2/12/15 at 6:12 pm to Stonehog
Most Northerners in the 2 decades leading to the war were extremely racist and passed a Black Laws requiring freedmen to purchase and carry a Certificate of Freedom. Illinois had a law that any black man from outside the state who stayed more than ten days was fined $50.00. Their Certificate of Freedom had to be shown upon entering the State....as well as their children's. They could not vote. They could not sue or testify against a white person. Blacks found in groups of 3 or more in public were arrested and jailed and forced to pay a fine. Laws permitted captured run away slaves to receive up to 35 lashes as well as being shipped back to their owners.
Most of the above laws were in Lincoln's home state of Illinois. Illinois was the most strict but some form of blacks laws existed in all Northern States. The fact is that the a Northern Legislatures sent a message loud and clear. The message being "We do not want you here." The reason that they were not wanted was due to political pressure from white wage earners, especially from the enormous influxes of white immigrants who desired wages better than what could be demanded with a large black population. The North wanted to bring the South to its economic knees by ending slavery.
So yes, the war was centered around the issue of slavery. But from a purely economical perspective rather than a magnaminous gesture of morality often cited by modern day Northerners ignorant of history.
Most of the above laws were in Lincoln's home state of Illinois. Illinois was the most strict but some form of blacks laws existed in all Northern States. The fact is that the a Northern Legislatures sent a message loud and clear. The message being "We do not want you here." The reason that they were not wanted was due to political pressure from white wage earners, especially from the enormous influxes of white immigrants who desired wages better than what could be demanded with a large black population. The North wanted to bring the South to its economic knees by ending slavery.
So yes, the war was centered around the issue of slavery. But from a purely economical perspective rather than a magnaminous gesture of morality often cited by modern day Northerners ignorant of history.
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