Nick Arthur

professor: Brown
POL 103
24 February 2016
Civil War
The Civil war was between the South and the North. The Confederates (the south) versus
the Union (the north). The purpose of the war was to give independence for the Confederacy in
the South, but mainly to allow slavery, and for the survival of the Union in the North to stop
slavery. After four years of fighting the war had finally ended and the United States had lost
more than 750,000 americans and almost completely destroyed the South's infrastructure. The
war had ended and slavery in the United States came to an end.
Abraham Lincoln was elected into office as the first Republican president for the United
States. While serving his term in office the North vs South was in full sway. President Lincoln
had an important role in controlling the future and shaping America with his decision to make
civil rights. President Lincoln had completely abolished the right to own slaves in the United
states after the civil war. He created the civil rights for the slaves to be free men as they should
be. While the south who had been thriving from slaves disagreed. After these deep southern slave
states disagreed with there Nation's president they backed out of the United States and created
their own nation called the Confederates. There were only seven states apart of this new Nation.
Little after the new nation was formed they went to war with the North.
The Civil war was fought because the South was not obeying the constitution. They were
not obeying the declaration of independence that stated that all men were created with an equal
right of liberty. So the North was not for changing the Declaration of Independence as the South
was not staying true to it. So after the South seceded from the U.S they ended up fighting and

destroying over 750,000 United States lives. The war lasted 4 years and went all across the
United States.
The Confederate states wanted the right to own slaves for one reason. The reason was to
profit off these human beings while they were forced to do physical demanding labour. During
the 1800s the demand of cotton was really high. The Southern states had perfect climate to grow
cotton. There was only one problem, with no machines to pick all of this cotton and to plant it
they could not do it all by themselves and make profit. When these states realized they could
bring in these strong men and women from Africa who could do it all for free they jumped right
on that. They lured these poor Africans to the United States promising them for a good future and
good life in America. Since these African people were struggling to make it by, they thought this
was a good opportunity to restart and make a life for themselves. After being shipped over to
America by the thousands they started to get treated like animals and these white men started to
auction these slaves off and sell them all over the southern states of North America. After the
long journey for these slaves to make it to America alive with little food or water they then were
auctioned off at where they would be sold to plantations and usually separated from their
families. After they would get to the plantation they would instantly be put to hard work. These
slave owners saw these people nothing more than equipment. They would keep them alive by
feeding and watering them as little and cheaply as possible and work them to death.
After many brutal and harsh years of slavery in the southern states of America, the
Northern people had enough with this thing called slavery. They spoke up and started to make
bills trying to make it illegal to own slaves. The south realized the north was about to abolish
slavery and thought the only way they could keep their slaves was if they left the United States
and created their own nation. So the seven slaves states seceded and formed a new nation called

the Confederate States of America. These seven states consisted of Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. After the Union realized this was not good and
feared the United States would keep breaking up into little countries they refused to recognize
the secession. After the south had enough with the north not letting them leave the Union they
first started war at Fort Sumter on Charleston Bay in 1861.
Abe Lincoln's role in the civil war era was key to the success of the United States.
President Lincoln created the Emancipation Proclamation which stated that the slaves in the
Confederate states would be granted freedom if the states did not return to the Union by
January 1,1863. This proclamation was the start of the end of slavery. The proclamation was
published on September 22 of 1862 and after the documented was issued the south truly started
to worry. The Civil War was in full thrust and the South had a big decision to make. They either
joined back in the Union or keep fighting and lose the right to own their slaves on January 1st of
1863. As the war continued it seemed the South was beating the North, but soon after the
proclamation was published the slaves started to join in with the Union and help fight the
Confederates to help secure their freedom come January 1st. The Union went from almost losing
the war to completely ending it by capturing the president of the Confederate States while he
tried to flee after the lose of a battle. After the capture of the president the Confederates
surrendered from the war and the Union had power once again forcing the Confederates to join
back.

All in all the United States was a mess in the mid 1800s. President Lincoln stepped in
and abolished slavery and shaped the United States into the way it is today. He truly abolished
the rights for the southern states to own slaves. President Lincoln had one main objective for the

Civil war and that was to restore the Union. After four long years the war had ended, with the
seven Confederate states joing back to be apart of the Union and abolishing slavery across the
United States Lincoln truly did America a favor.

Research Paper
POL 103: Introduction to American Government
Wednesdays 8:00 am
Submitted by: Nick Arthur
Submitted to: professor Brown
Date submitted: February 24, 2016

Reference Page

http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/primarysources/emancipation.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=02jsgp6UQdY&ebc=ANyPxKpMTm2XAjW1iO_I5nIYksJ9dDvJp9YJJX2ms54AHhaVFCrn
RBVcwVPEJncpSv_eRIDSekMvPjd2If_pgxlWCNwCz9aecw

http://www.civilwar.com/people/22-union-government/146786-abraham-lincoln.html