1.1.1
The Civil War & The Thirteenth Amendment
The American Civil War
The American Civil War
Before the Civil War in America, there was a movement of people who called themselves ‘abolitionists’.
Abolitionists
Abolitionists
- Abolitionists objected to slavery on moral grounds. They campaigned in America and the United Kingdom to end slavery.
- The abolitionists' message then influenced others in America who in turn wanted to end slavery.
- These people were based mainly in the Northern States of America and were against the expansion of slavery across the newly acquired Northern States.
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Why did people become abolitionists?
Why did people become abolitionists?
- There were many reasons why abolitionists wanted to stop the expansion of slavery.
- They objected to slavery on moral grounds.
- They didn’t want the non-whites to live in new territories.
- They believed that slave labour would make it harder for white people to get jobs.
- They didn’t want to increase the number of slave states.
- The Southern States had lots of power and people in the North didn't want that to increase.
The outbreak of war
The outbreak of war
- The debate over slavery caused the Northern States and the Southern States to become divided. They fell into civil war.
- The Southern States then formed the Confederate States.
- Abraham Lincoln was the leader of the Northern States.
- The Civil War lasted 4 years.
- Slavery wasn’t the only reason for the Civil War but it was an important issue within it.
President Lincoln and The Northern States
President Lincoln and The Northern States
President Lincoln opposed the expansion of slavery, but was not necessarily anti-racist.
President Lincoln
President Lincoln
- Lincoln didn’t necessarily want to end slavery, in fact, he stated that he would protect slavery in the states where it already existed.
- He said that his main goal was to protect the union of the United States, it was not to ‘put down slavery’.
- The Northern States won the Civil War. President Lincoln declared in the 1862 Emancipation Proclamation that all slaves would be set free once Unionist Forces won the Confederate States.
- The proclamation still allowed slavery to exist in the Union States.
- It did little to free slaves and Lincoln's motives were arguably political rather than moral.
Divisions in the North
Divisions in the North
- Politicians, in particular Radical Republicans, believed that slavery was immoral and that the existence of slavery made the Declaration of Independence look hypocritical.
- Many people in the United States were divided over the issue of slavery and some thought if the issue wasn’t resolved then the war would continue.
- Lincoln also thought if he and the Northern States agreed that they would end Slavery then they would get the backing of foreign powers such as the United Kingdom. This would weaken the Confederate Forces and allow the Unionist Forces a victory.
The victory of the Northern States
The victory of the Northern States
- Lincoln also realised that if he promised to support the anti-slavery he would gain more support from black people in America.
- Stating that he would end slavery helped him to recruit 250,000 black soldiers.
- Soldiers in these numbers were vital in the Civil War and could easily tip the balance towards a victory for the Unionists.
Northern States supporting slavery
Northern States supporting slavery
- Despite slavery and the issue of emancipation infiltrating the Civil War, not all of the Northern States wished to end slavery. -There were riots in the North against the settlement of black people there.
- Lincoln even suggested that many black people should return to Africa.
- Whilst fighting, many Northern white Americans disliked the fact that they were arming black people and some labelled Lincoln as a ‘Negro Lover’.
- This term was exploited by the Democrat party in order to discredit Lincoln and gain them support amongst racist white Americans.
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
Jump to other topics
1‘Free at Last’ 1865-77
1.1The Thirteenth Amendment
1.2Radical Reconstruction, 1867-77
2The Triumph of ‘Jim Crow’ 1883-c1890
2.1Jim Crow Laws & Civil Rights Cases
3The New Deal and Race Relations, 1933–41
3.1Failure to Address Black Grievances
3.2The New Deal
3.3The Second World War
4‘I have a dream’, 1954–68
4.1Civil Rights Activities, 1954–63
4.2Civil Rights 1964-68
4.3Malcolm X & The Black Panthers
5Obama's Campaign for the Presidency, 2004–09
5.1The Late 20th Century
5.2Barack Obama & his Political Career
5.3Reasons for Obama's Victory
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