The Decision by the Southern States to Secede from the United States

The Decision by the Southern States to Secede from the United States

Secession refers to the outbreak of the Civil War in the United States. A series of events took place between December 1960 and July the following year when more than 10 states in the Upper and Lower South cut their ties to the Northern Union members. First, the seven Southern states mostly from Lower South established a government headquartered in Montgomery. Immediately, hostilities began in Charleston Harbour, Fort Sumter. On April 1861, other states including North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia ditched the Union to join the Southern government. Thereafter, the headquarters for the newly-formed government moved to Richmond in Virginia. Therefore, the warring factions divided the Union according to geographical lines. More than 20 of the Northern States solidified their stance by retaining the US title as the slave states became the Confederate States of America.

Numerous reasons are put forward for the secession. Some of them are based on social and economic disparities between the South and the North. In addition, the clash between federal rights and states were common mainly because of the controversies surrounding slavery. The trade abolition movement grew quickly due to Abraham Lincoln’s election as an American president.

The invention of cotton gin minimized the time taken in separating cotton from the seeds. In turn, cotton farming became a profitable business encouraging most landowners in the North to shift to this trade. On the other hand, the Southern farmers preferred plantation farming that required larger workforce, hence the need for slaves to work on the farms. As the Northern States focused on industrialization, the Southern states shifted to agriculture. Urban lifestyle in the North encouraged interaction between the blacks and whites which discouraged slavery. Contrastingly, in the rural south, the slave owners retained the centuries-old social order.

The leaders of the Southern states were increasingly concerned about internal stress in the larger society. They were well aware of the social and moral repugnance of slavery as a system engendered not only in Western Europe but also in the North America. Therefore, the Southern leadership began as early as 1857 to strategize on how to secede from the North, though its 1860 response to a political victory was not unified.

Impact of Secession

Both the North and the South entered war while hoping for early victories. Northern states were wealthier as compared to the Confederate states. Therefore, they had an advantage due to material resources. The population of 23 Northern states was 22 million and were set up for a fight with 9 million Southerners. Besides, the North was industrially superior with numerous facilities to manufacture ammunition and arms military supplies, and clothing. On the other hand, some of the advantages of the Confederate States included geographical location. It should be noted that the Southerners were fighting a defensive battle in their territory. Therefore, the fighters were knowledgeable of the terrain. Besides, the establishment of independence was assured if they win the war. Furthermore, the military tradition in the South was stronger as compared to the North.

The war was costly for the South. After secession and the civil war, the South became poorer while the West and North grew richer for more than a century. Given that the South was defeated, the era of slave ownership came to an end. A post-war reconstruction took place, which involved second class citizenship to free the blacks from the poverty. President Lincoln was driven by the public opinion. He intended to push for the abolition of slavery in the south as long as the American public supported him. The hopes of Success were dashed when Atlanta fell to the North and after Lincoln defeat of McLean in 1864 elections. By this time, Lincoln had the support of Republicans, Border States, Democrats, and the emancipated slaves, though France and Britain remained neutral on the subject matter.

The success of the Northern states was symbolic for the minority groups. They gained freedom and hope for prosperity in a society where all the people were equal. However, this took more than a century to materialize because the former slaves became the subject of segregation and racism. Still, the freedom was an initial step towards the amendment of the American constitutions to incorporate the rights of the minorities including African Americans. Many people died during the civil war that followed secession. Particularly, the death toll in the Confederate States was higher because it served as a battleground. Another factor that contributed to this spike is the military might of the North.

Assessment and Evaluation of the Decision

The South’s decision to secede was informed by the need to sustain agricultural production in the plantations. Of keen to note is that most of the politicians, governors, and senators of the Confederate states were slave owners. Given that there were a few plantations and slaves in the North, it was easier for them to maintain their anti-slavery stance. Besides, the recognition of slavery by the American constitutions encouraged the South to pursue their secession plans. What they did not realize is that time was changing quickly, prompting the need for societal reforms (Jansson, 212). A section of Southern legislators was aware of the economic cost of freeing slaves. However, the political stakes were higher because slaves were the minority in the South.

Both the North and the South did not anticipate a prolonged war because each side was convinced of an easy win. Therefore, pursuance of secession plans was swift. Political strategist in the Confederate projected that the Border States would join hence strengthening its military capabilities. While states like North Carolina and Virginia joined, others retained their neutrality, hampering the chances of South’s success.

The outcomes of the secession were the re-unification of the US and the fast-tracking of anti-slavery laws and regulations. The success of Northern States implied that the South has to be submissive of the demands, which included the cessation of hostilities and pursuance of the path towards prosperity without slaves. Over time, the battle has proved crucial in sustaining the Union. The states were empowered to pass progressive laws though the federation retained power over the military, Federal Reserve, and foreign policies. In addition, stricter rules were passed to inhibit states from declaring independence.

The action taken by both states resolved an age-old dilemma and eliminated overreliance on slavery for agricultural production. It fostered human rights and anchored freedom to all Americans as a core value and a founding pillar of the Union. The minority groups still experience problems of segregation and racism in the United States, but the authorities work harder to crack the whip on the dissidents and to restore sobriety in the Union. Most importantly, the second amendment renders all the citizens equal irrespective of religious or ethnic background. The amendment is traceable to the secession and the subsequent outcome of the Civil War (Jansson, 207) In light of this, the consequences justify the decision.

In summary, it is clear that the America’s path to democracy and freedom is not smooth. It took secession attempts and civil war for slavery to be abolished and to accord equal treatment to all. Therefore, America’s modern prosperity is attributable to social cohesion and sustenance of human rights as consequences of Re-unification of the North with the Confederate States.

Works Cited

Jansson, David. "Racialization and “Southern” Identities of Resistance: A Psychogeography Of Internal Orientalism In The United States." Annals of the Association of American Geographers 100.1 (2010): 202-221.